Roadrunners Down Wranglers in Shootout 3-2

by Andrew Nordmeier
January 20, 2006 - ECHL (ECHL)
Phoenix RoadRunners


On paper, the Phoenix Roadrunners (11-23-3) looked to be road kill against the 29-6-4 Las Vegas Wranglers. Luckily for Phoenix, games aren't played on paper.

The Roadrunners scored a goal with 30 seconds left, twice more in the shootout and netminder Michael Mole stopped all four Las Vegas shooters in the shootout to snap Phoenix's winless streak at three game (0-2-1) while ending Vegas' five-game win streak. Phoenix picked up its first shootout win in franchise history as well as its first when trailing after two periods in 22 tries.

"For the morale and the confidence, tonight we proved a big point," Phoenix Head Coach Ron Filion said, "I always repeat to my guys, ‘Keep believing and good things will happen.' I'm happy for them."

J. F. Soucy scored his second goal of the game as time was winding down to force the overtime. Phoenix already pulled Mole for the extra attacker and held the play in the Wrsnglers' zone. Roadrunners' forward Justin Quenneville fired a shot that Vegas netminder Marc Magliarditi knocked away. The rebound lay in the crease and Magliarditi got spun around, his back facing the play. Soucy found the loose puck and tied the score.

"I just saw the puck and tried to hit as soon as possible," Soucy said, "I was lucky on that one."

After a spirited and scoreless overtime, the shootout rolled around and Mole stymied Vegas' shooters. Mole stopped Chris Stanley, Derek Edwardson, Marco Peluso and Matt Dzieduszycki in succession while Joe Dusbabek (2nd round) and Miguel LaFleche (3rd round) beat Magliarditi to give Phoenix the win.

Las Vegas opened the scoring when Dzieduszycki unleashed a long bomb from just inside the blue line that handcuffed Mole at the 11:51 mark of the second period. Soucy responded at 14:31 when he took a Quenneville rebound and deked his way around Vegas defenseman Christian Chartier to tie the game with his fifth goal of the season.

The Wranglers had a goal that would normally be considered a back-breaker when Peluso forced Phoenix defenseman Brad Woods into coughing up the puck behind the net. Peluso slid the puck to Sean O'Connor and he beat Mole with 55 seconds left in the middle period to give Vegas a 2-1 edge.

"Game after game and night after we're trying to win one game at a time," Soucy said.

Phoenix has little time to relish the win as they embark on a nine-game road trip Friday as they visit Utah, Victoria, Pensacola and Alaska before returning home on Valentine's Day to take on the Long Beach Ice Dogs. Shots favored Phoenix 42-28. Mole improves to 7-17-3 while Magliarditi falls to 18-6-2 despite stopping 40 shots. Both teams finished 0-for-4 on the power play.

"Our system and our team is a road system and a road team," Filion said "The guys are going to spend so much time together non-stop is a plus."

Three Stars

3. Quenneville-PHX Two assists

2. Dusbabek-PHX Game-winner in shootout

1. Soucy-PHX Two goals in the win

Notes: The win is Phoenix's first when trailing after 40 minutes (1-20-1) and is Las Vegas' first loss (20-0-1) when leading after two periods and second when netting the first goal (19-1-1)...Three of O'Connor's five goals this season have come against Phoenix...Phoenix is one of four teams in the ECHL to score less than 100 goals this season; Vegas is one of four teams to allow fewer than 100 this season...Dan Tudin is tied for second in the league in plus-minus at +22...Vegas is 0-5 in overtime this season...The last four meetings between these two teams have been one-goal games late in the final period...Las Vegas leads the season series 4-0-1...Las Vegas is 8-4-3 against the West Division but a jaw-dropping 21-2-1 against the other divisions...Attendance was 3,402.



ECHL Stories from January 20, 2006


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