Roadrunners Experience Joy of Six, 4-3

by Andrew Nordmeier
Published on November 30, 2006 under ECHL (ECHL)
Phoenix RoadRunners


Jeff Kyrazkos' shorthanded goal with 8:02 left in the third period proved to be the difference as the Phoenix Roadrunners won their sixth straight home game by edging the Utah Grizzlies 4-3.

The winning goal came as Kyrzakos picked up the rebound of Todd Jackson's shot which hit Utah netminder Sean Fields in the pads and dribbled across the crease. Kyrzakos picked up the loose puck and roofed it from two feet out to provide the final margin.

"Jackson did most of the work going down to the wall and I don't know why I was falling him to the net," Kyrzakos said, "Lucky bounce I guess and I put it in."

Phoenix started the scoring with a pretty goal on the power play Brett Smith tipped a Brian Yandle pass between Fields' legs at the 15:59 mark for his fifth goal of the season.

The lead didn't last long as Utah struck back 20 seconds later. Ryan Kinasewich scored his seventh goal of the season off of a scrum in front of the net at 16:19 to knot the score. The Grizzlies took the lead when Matt Craig tipped home a picture-perfect feed from Kinasweich at 18:09 to beat Roadrunners' netminder Cody Rudkowsky and put Utah ahead 2-1.

Cam Paddock's fifth goal of the season came 51 seconds into the second period and knotted the score at 2-2. Brock Hooten's first goal at 6:41 gave Phoenix a 3-2 lead.

Utah clawed back and tied the score at 3-3 when Travis Rycroft scored his second of the season 2:33 into the third period.

"The emotion level wasn't as high as the last five games and the guys need to make sure their level of passion is here right from the get go," Phoenix Head Coach Ron Filion said, "Tonight wasn't the prettiest win, but we'll take it anyway."

For the game, Phoenix finished 2 of 9 on the power play while Utah went 1 of 8 with the man advantage. Rudkowsky stopped 33 of 36 Grizzlies shots in the win while Fields turned aside 40 of 44 Phoenix shots and picked up the loss.

These two teams lock horns again Thursday night at the US Airways Center.

Three Stars of the Night

3.Yandle-PHX Two assists

2.Demianiuk-PHX Two assists and hard-hitting play

1.Kyrzakos-PHX Game-winning shorthanded goal

Notes: Phoenix has scored a power play goal for the eighth straight game and 15 of 17 games this season...Phoenix played without defenseman Alexandre Rouleau as he was serving a one-game suspension for his role in the end of game fracas against Long Beach...Utah scored 10 goals in its last two games prior to this one, splitting a pair with the Victoria Salmon Kings. That's the same number of goals Utah scored in the nine prior games, combined...The Grizzlies power play scored for its third straight game and is 3-of-20 over the last three games. That comes on the heels of a 1-of-68 slump in the nine games prior...Every goal in the game had two assists...Attendance was 2,515.

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