Roadrunners Can't Give Away 2-1 Win Over Fresno
by Andrew Nordmeier
October 29, 2006 - ECHL (ECHL)
Phoenix RoadRunners
The Phoenix Roadrunners finished their season opening six-game homestand on the right note by edging their way past the Fresno Falcons 2-1 Saturday night at the US Airways Center. Kevin Reiter stopped 45 of 46 Fresno shots to pick up the win.
After getting thumped 6-1 by Fresno last night, the team held a 25-minute meeting in its locker room and talked things over. Apparently the discussion was the right one to have as the Roadrunners played a much more solid game.
"I think everyone in the locker room was pretty upset with our performance last night and everyone took responsibility for it," Phoenix Forward Cam Paddock said, "Tonight everybody came back and did a complete 180."
The decisive goal came off Paddock's stick and it was on a two-man advantage. Paddock was Johnny-on-the-spot on the near side of the ice. He located the rebound off of an Alexander Rouleau shot that deflected off the back boards and came out to Paddock who made no mistake in beating Fresno netminder Ryan MacDonald for his second goal of the season at 6:24 of the final period.
"My job is just to go to the net after the shot was taken from the point. It just missed wide and it bounced out to my stick," Paddock said about the game-winner, "The goalie almost stopped it. You jump on chances like that when you see that much net."
The Roadrunners made every effort to give the game away to Fresno (3-1-0-0).
Rouleau gave the puck away to John Morling on the blue line and Morling broke in alone on Reiter and was hauled down by Rouleau resulting in a penalty shot at 8:37 of the third period. Morling tried to deke Reiter out but the netminder didn't bite and stymied him.
"I think the penalty shot was the turning point," Reiter said, "The guys on the bench got excited and we had a lot of jump after that. The guys fed off it and turned it around."
The Roadrunners took a pair of late penalties as well with Yannick Tifu going off for holding at 17:51 if the third to give Fresno a late power play. Fresno had a couple chances on that man advantage but it became a two-man power play when David Pszenyczny was whistled for a boarding penalty with 25 seconds left. Add to that Fresno pulled MacDonald for the extra attacker and it was a 6-on-3 edge for the Falcons.
"You don't exactly practice 6-on-3 penalty killing. We tried to stay as tight as we possibly could and block shots," Paddock said, "In the end it was Reiter in goal that did a great job at the end and that's why we were able to hold on."
It was even closer when Josh Prudden hit the post in the final 25-second frenzy but Phoenix hung on for its third win of the season.
"One came through a screen and I picked it up late. It sounded like iron but it was by me before I even saw it," Reiter said, "Some night the posts rub your way, Some nights they don't."
Even the timekeeper gave Fresno the equivalent of an extra timeout after displaying the time remaining as 2:56 instead of 25.6 seconds and delayed the game.
"I was just pissed because we're at home and they already used their timeout thir guys are tired and the clock goes wrong. Their guys are tired, resting and setting up another play It's like a second time out," Phoenix Head Coach Ron Filion said, "We've got to be careful with this and the clock is very important at home. Those guys have got to be right on the button and we can't have what happened tonight."
Fresno started the scoring with Dustin VanBallegooie's second goal in as many nights when he lit the lamp 13:52 of the opening period on the man advantage. His shot snuck under Reiter's blocker and was the only puck that would beat him all night. Scott May scored the equalizer 1:01 into the second period on the power play.
Phoenix went 2-of-10 on the power play while Fresno finished 1-of-8
Phoenix heads out on the road for the first time this season and will see the Fresno Falcons at the Save Mart Center Friday night at 8:35pm MST. The Roadrunners start a stretch with five of their next six games on the road.
"To end our homestand with .500 it was important to us," Filion said, "I think we deserved a better record but we'll take .500 with a smile."
Three Stars of the Night
3. May-PHX Roadrunners' first goal of the night
2. Paddock-PHX Game-winning PPG
1. Reiter-PHX Stopped 38 of 39 to get his first win
Notes: Filion is 1-4-1 lifetime against the Fresno Falcons...Fresno outscored Phoenix 18-6 in the four games between these two teams in the US Airways Center...Phoenix allowed the first goal for the fifth time in six games this season...Travis Lisabeth played in this game after being scratched last night; Pszenyczny made his Phoenix debut after being loaned to the Toronto Marlies of the AHL...Attendance was 3,374.
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The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer(s), and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
