RoadRunners off to fast start

October 20, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Phoenix RoadRunners News Release


'RUNNERS REWIND: The Phoenix RoadRunners opened the 2008-09 season by taking two of three from the Victoria Salmon Kings during a three-game Opening Weekend series. With a record of 2-1-0 and 4 points, the RoadRunners are currently tied for 1st in the West Division and 1st in the National Conference with the Alaska Aces.

Friday, the Phoenix RoadRunners opened up the 2008-2009 ECHL season with a bang in front of 4,434 fans as Matt Fornataro had two goals and an assist to help lead the team to a 7-1 win over the Victoria Salmon Kings at US Airways Center

The RoadRunners (1-0-0) opened up scoring on a power play at 12:12 of the first period when Rory Rawlyk centered a pass to Ashton Rome who scored from the slot. Fornataro had the other assist as Phoenix took a 1-0 lead.

The Salmon Kings (0-1-0) tied the game at 17:26 when Sean O'Connor scored right after a face-off from the right circle. Shaun Landolt and Tim Wedderburn had the assists as Victoria evened up the game going into the first intermission.

Mitch Carefoot showed the Salmon Kings he was in it 29 seconds into the second period with a goal from Kimbi Daniels to give Phoenix a 2-1 lead. Fornataro scored his first goal of the game 5-hole on Victoria goalie Jonathan Boutin at 13:20 of the second from the right circle off a pass from Rome as the RoadRunners took a 3-1 lead. Less than two minutes later Fornataro scored again, this time unassisted as he stole the puck from a Salmon King defender.

Phoenix winger Colin Sinclair finished off scoring in the second period when he scored a 4-on-4 goal off a pass from Rawlyk. Gino Guyer had the other assist as the RoadRunners went up 5-1 heading into the locker room.

At 7:42 of the third period Sinclair scored his second of the game as he banked the puck of the back of Boutin. Wes Clark and Guyer set up the play that gave the RoadRunners a commanding 6-1 lead. Daniel Sisca capped off scoring at 11:27 when he took a pass from Daniels and scored glove-side on Boutin, making the final score 7-1 Phoenix.

Kowalski had 40 saves on 41 shots in his debut with the RoadRunners. Boutin had 22 saves on 29 shots while backup Todd Ford had two saves on two shots after replacing Boutin at 11:27 of the third.

Saturday, Andrew Desjardins and Matt Fornataro each collected goals and the Phoenix RoadRunners held off the Victoria Salmon Kings 2-1 before 3,356 at US Airways Center.

Despite surrendering the first seven shots of the game, the RoadRunners (2-0-0) opened the scoring when Desjardins tipped a centering pass by Rob Dmytruk past goaltender Todd Ford at 8:25 of the first period on the power play for a 1-0 lead.

It would remain that way until the opening minutes of the third period as Fornataro picked up his own rebound in front of the net and put a backhander through Ford at 3:52 for a 2-0 edge and the eventual game-winning goal. Victoria (0-2-0) got within a goal following a Matt Kelly tally at 4:47 of the third period, but that's as close as the Salmon Kings would come.

Phoenix out-shot Victoria 29-26. RoadRunners goalie Gerald Coleman made 25 saves to improve to 1-0-0 on the season. The RoadRunners went 1-4 on the power play while Victoria was 0-6 with the man-advantage.

Sunday, Kimbi Daniels collected his first two goals of the season but it was not enough as the Victoria Salmon Kings upended the Phoenix RoadRunners 4-2 before 2,762 at US Airways Center.

The Salmon Kings (1-2-0) opened the scoring just 3:22 into the first period with a goal from Olivier Labelle and never looked back.

Dylan Yeo scored at 3:15 of the second and Labelle added his second goal of the game at 8:08 of the middle frame to give the Salmon Kings a commanding 3-0 lead. However, the RoadRunners (2-1-0) stormed back with two second period power play goals from Daniels 3:26 seconds apart to cut their deficit to one. Daniels struck first with a power play tally at 13:15 and then followed that up with a second goal on the man-advantage at 16:41 to make it 3-2 Victoria after two periods.

Phoenix would get no closer and the Salmon Kings sealed the victory with a shorthanded empty-net goal from Wes Goldie at 19:58 of the third.

Phoenix out-shot Victoria 27-26. RoadRunners goalie Craig Kowalski stopped 22 shots but suffered the loss to drop to 1-1 on the season. The RoadRunners went 2-10 on the power play while Victoria was 0-8 with the man-advantage.

PERFECTION STILL IN PLACE: With their 7-1 victory Friday, the RoadRunners extended their opening night winning streak to four games. The RoadRunners are now a perfect 4-0-0 in season openers and 3-1-0 in home openers. In fact, Phoenix has actually trailed for just a total of 26:14 seconds in those four season openers. This year's opening night marked the first time in four seasons that the RoadRunners played an opponent other than the Utah Grizzlies.

SIBLING RIVALRY: RoadRunners' forward Ashton Rome had a busy opening weekend with a goal and an assist Friday followed by a team-high 13 penalty minutes that included his first fighting major of the season Saturday. Rome is the younger brother of former RoadRunners' defenseman Reagan Rome who skated with the 2007-08 team. The Rome's are the second set of brothers that have donned a RoadRunners sweater during the club's four-year ECHL history. In 2006-07, Andrew and Daniel Winnik each suited up for the RoadRunners at different points in the year.

COMPLETELY SPECIAL: The RoadRunners excelled on special teams' over the weekend going 4-19 (21%) on the power play and killing off all 19 of Victoria's power play attempts including a season-high eight on Sunday. Phoenix ranked 14th in the ECHL on the play in 2007-08 converting at a 17.2% efficiency rate with the man-advantage and finished 12th in the league on the penalty kill at 83.2%.

MILESTONES: Center Daniel Sisca collected his 200th career point with an assist Sunday...center Peder Skinner skated in his 75th professional game Sunday...defenseman Andrew Andricopoulos skated in his 50th professional game Friday...Wes Clark notched his first professional point with an assist Friday...Goalie Craig Kowalski is eight wins short of 100 for his career.

NEWS & NOTES: Center Kimbi Daniels is fourth in the ECHL scoring race with two goals and three assists after the first three games and now has 785 career points...Rookie center Matt Fornataro enjoyed his first multi-goal and three-point effort of his career Friday with two goals and an assist and now has scored at least one point in four of his first five professional games...After allowing 41 shots on goal Friday, the RoadRunners limited Victoria to 52 combined shots Saturday and Sunday.

WATCH THE 'RUNNERS LIVE IN '08-09: The RoadRunners have teamed up with B2 Networks to bring you live action of Phoenix RoadRunners hockey in 2008-09. RoadRunners fans will be able to click the "Watch Online" link at www.phxroadrunners.com to view and listen to the game. These broadcasts are available to fans for a charge of $6 per game. All 72 RoadRunners broadcasts will be available on-line. A cable or DSL Internet connection and Windows Media Player 9 are required to view the games.

UP NEXT: The RoadRunners continue their six-game season opening home-stand as they welcome the Idaho Steelheads to US Airways Center for a two-game series at 7:05 p.m. Wednesday and Friday. Great seats are still available beginning as low as $8 and can be purchased by calling Ticketmaster at (480) 784-4444, purchasing online at ticketmaster.com or visiting the US Airways Center Box Office. Catch both games live at www.phxroadrunners.com beginning with "RoadRunners Countdown" twenty minutes prior to face-off. Information on season tickets, half-season packages, and flex plans for the 2008-09 season of Phoenix RoadRunners Hockey are available by calling (602) 462-GOAL.



ECHL Stories from October 20, 2008


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