RoadRunners Clip Ice Pilots 4-3
February 3, 2006 - ECHL (ECHL)
Phoenix RoadRunners News Release
Pensacola, Fla. - The Phoenix RoadRunners battled back from a two-goal deficit in the third period and Ben Knopp scored the go-ahead and eventual game-winning goal at 11:54 to lift the RoadRunners to a 4-3 win over the Pensacola Ice Pilots before 2,972 at the Pensacola Civic Center in ECHL action Friday. The win extends the RoadRunners winning streak to five games.
Nick Lindberg opened the scoring for Pensacola (16-23-5) 8:42 into the first period. Lindberg took a cross-ice pass from Luke Fulghum and buried the puck through RoadRunners goaltender Mike Mole to give the Ice Pilots a 1-0 lead.
Pensacola erupted for a pair of goals 14 seconds apart in the first 24 seconds of the middle period. Brendan Cook picked up the loose puck in front of Mole and slammed the rebound past the RoadRunners net-minder 10 seconds into the second to give the Ice Pilots a 2-0 lead. Cook made it a 3-0 advantage 14 seconds later on the power play when he snuck around the defense, came in front of Mole, and beat the goaltender with a shot over the blocker for the tally. Phoenix (16-24-3) would finally crack the scoreboard at 6:15 of the period. Dean Tiltgen found Adam Kostichka at the weak side of the net and Kostichka slapped the puck past Pensacola goaltender Todd Ford to cut the deficit to 3-1 heading into the second intermission.
Miguel Lafleche started the RoadRunners comeback just 3:12 into the third period when he collected Justin Quenneville's rebound in the slot and flipped the puck past Ford to get Phoenix back to within a single goal at 3-2. Joe Dusbabek netted the equalizer at 7:54, tipping J-F Soucy's rebound sitting in the crease into the net to tie the contest at 3-3. Soucy then set up the game-winning goal exactly four minutes later at 11:54 when he found Knopp at the top of the crease and Knopp jammed the puck past Ford and into the back of the cage to cap the scoring. A goal by Cook as time expired in regulation was waived off by referee Joe Ernst who ruled that it went in after time had expired.
Phoenix out-shot Pensacola 47-17. Mole stopped 14 shots to improve to 12-18-3 on the season. The RoadRunners went 0-3 on the power play.
Notes: The 47 shots on goal was a RoadRunners season-high, while the 17 allowed matched a season-low...Knopp finished the weekend with three goals...The RoadRunners are now 5-1 on their current nine-game trip and have won their last six games all by a single goal.
The RoadRunners continue their season-long nine-game stretch away from US Airways Center at 9:15PM MST Friday, February 10 as they open a three-game series with the Alaska Aces from Sullivan Arena in Anchorage. Catch all the action live on News Talk Radio 1100AM KFNX and Pro Sports Radio beginning with "RoadRunners Countdown" at 8:55PM.
Furry representatives from three of the most prominent sports franchises in the Valley will be making special deliveries this Valentine's Day. The Phoenix Suns Gorilla, Mercury mascot Scorch and Rocky the RoadRunner will make surprise deliveries on Tuesday, February 14 to sweethearts, kids or friends of the top bidders via a special online auction on www.phxroadrunners.com. The Gorilla will make one delivery to the top bidder, while Scorch and Rocky will deliver Valentine's Day goodies to each of their top two bidders, respectively. Bidding starts at $100 for Scorch and Rocky and $150 for the Gorilla. Bidding will close at noon on Monday, February 13. Winners will be contacted on Feb. 13 regarding details of the delivery.
A portion of the proceeds from the auctions will benefit Best Buddies of Arizona. Best Buddies enhances the lives of people with intellectual disabilities by providing opportunities for one-to-one friendships and integrated employment. Visit www.bestbuddiesphoenix.org for more information.
Phoenix returns to US Airways Center at 7:11PM on Tuesday, February 14 as they welcome the Long Beach Ice Dogs for a special Valentine's Day game. For more information or to order tickets, call (602) 462-GOAL or purchase online at www.ticketmaster.com.
ECHL Stories from February 3, 2006
- Aaron Foster's two goals lead Thunder offense despite 6-3 loss to Alaska - Stockton Thunder
- Ice Dogs Beat Wranglers Behind McAslan's Five-Point Night - Long Beach Ice Dogs
- Fish swim upstream and hit a Wall - Victoria Salmon Kings
- Bonk's Revenge: Shorthanded Goal Lifts Condors Over San Diego - Bakersfield Condors
- Gulls Come Up Short In Bako, Fall 2-1 - San Diego Gulls
- Lynx filet fish in OT - Augusta Lynx
- Grizz Can't Hang On Versus Fresno - Utah Grizzlies
- Ice Pilots Lose 4-3 to Phoenix - Pensacola Ice Pilots
- VanBallegooie's Pair of Tallies Overcome Grizzlies - Fresno Falcons
- RoadRunners Clip Ice Pilots 4-3 - Phoenix RoadRunners
- Bombers win in a shootout 3-2 - Dayton Bombers
- Everblades stumble against Idaho, fall 5-4 in shootout - Florida Everblades
- Gladiators Beat Rays, 3-2 - Atlanta Gladiators
- Titans fall to Storm, 5-1 - Trenton Devils
- Steelheads Stun Everblades, 5-4, in the Shootout - Idaho Steelheads
- Lynx add help on D with "Cookie" - Augusta Lynx
- Leavitt Named ECHL Rookie of the Month, Aces play tonight at 6:30 AST - Alaska Aces
- Condors Announce Front Office Promotions - Bakersfield Condors
- Aces' Leavitt Named CCM Vector ECHL Rookie Of The Month - ECHL
- Later and Turon Recalled to Toronto Marlies - Pensacola Ice Pilots
- ECHL Transactions - ECHL
- Saviano named ECHL Player of the Month - Florida Everblades
- Everblades' Saviano Named CCM TACKS Player Of The Month - ECHL
- Grizzlies Home Tonight, Michaud Back - Utah Grizzlies
- Chiefs "To Pass The Hat" For Local High School Hockey Player Saturday Night - Johnstown Chiefs
- Inferno Sign Veteran Defenseman - Columbia Inferno
- Edwardson Recalled to Portland - Las Vegas Wranglers
- Falcons, Fire Fighters, Police Officers Raising Money - Fresno Falcons
- Aebischer Named Alumnus of the Month - ECHL
- Beauchemin Back to Phantoms - Trenton Devils
- ECHL Today - ECHL
- Lojek Reassigned to Everblades from AHL - Florida Everblades
- Phoenix Downs Pensacola to Run Win Streak To Four - OSC Original by Andrew Nordmeier
- Free Jerseys on Saturday - Charlotte Checkers
- Gwinett Gladiators Game Notes - Atlanta Gladiators
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