RiverKings, Pechurskiy Down Arizona, 4-1

Published on March 5, 2011 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Arizona Sundogs News Release


PRESCOTT VALLEY, Ariz. - Luke Erickson scored the game's first goal midway through the opening frame but the Mississippi RiverKings and Alexander Pechurskiy shut down Arizona for the remainder of the contest en route to a 4-1 win Friday night at Tim's Toyota Center in Prescott Valley.

Winners of three straight at home and with points in seven of its last 10 games, Arizona failed to increase its lead over the Laredo Bucks for the Berry Conference's eighth and final playoff spot but remains two points ahead of the last-place club.

Pechurskiy finished with 27 saves, a number of which came on breakaway attempts. Craig Macdonald was unable to convert on a pair of 1-on-0 breaks including a penalty shot early in the third period, firing a snap shot into the leg pads of the Mississippi goaltender.

Joey Sides had a chance to extend his scoring streak to three games early in the contest but failed to lift a backhand effort over Pechurskiy after a Kyle Hood rink-wide pass sent the forward in alone behind the RiverKings' defense.

Erickson opened scoring 11:58 into the game to give Arizona a 1-0 lead, blasting a one-time effort past Pechurskiy from the high slot for his 34th of the season as the teams skated 4-on-4 after back-to-back penalties to R.G. Flath and Sides.

Darrell Stoddard evened the score at one 2:13 after Erickson's go-ahead tally with a one-time shot from between the circles, snapping a Patrick Levesque centering feed from below the goal line past the glove of Levente Szuper.

The RiverKings carried play throughout the second period, holding Arizona to just four shots while peppering Szuper with 18, but the netminder's strong play kept Mississippi off the scoreboard until late in the frame when a R.G. Flath shot from the near boards slipped through his leg pads with just 23 seconds remaining in the period as he returned to the goal crease after attempting to swing the puck around the glass.

Matt Boyd put the game out of reach with six and a half minutes remaining in the contest, pulling the puck from beneath Szuper's right leg after referee Boone Bruggman neglected to whistle play dead.

Chris Auger's ninth of the year with 2:26 left to play in the opening frame proved to be the eventual game winner.

The two teams close out a three-game set tomorrow at 7:05pm (Arizona time) at Tim's Toyota Center. Tickets start at just $12 and are available by phone at 1-866-4-GET-TIX (1-866-443-8849), online at www.GetTix.net and in person at the Tim's Toyota Center Box Office.

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Central Hockey League Stories from March 5, 2011


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central