RoadRunners Rally Past Falcons 4-3
November 6, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Phoenix RoadRunners News Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. - Colin Sinclair scored the game-winning goal with 2:26 left in the game and lifted the Phoenix RoadRunners past the Fresno Falcons 4-3 Thursday night in front of 2,817 fans at US Airways Center.
The Falcons (5-3-0) got on the board first when Jarrett Konkle fed a pass to Matt Stefanishion who scored at 5:30 of the first period, giving Fresno a 1-0 lead. Stefanishion scored again at 16:47 of the first from the bottom of the left circle, putting the Falcons up 2-0. Brennan Turner had the assist as Fresno outshot the RoadRunners (6-2-2) 16-7 and took the two-goal lead into the locker room first intermission.
The Falcons took a 3-0 lead early in the second period when Kenny MacAulay set up Josh Prudden who scored top-shelf on RoadRunners' goalie Craig Kowalski at 3:25.
"I was disappointed with the effort in the first half of the game," Head Coach Brad Church said. "We were outshot badly and the guys seemed disinterested."
The RoadRunners were finally able to get on the board at 14:56 of the second period when Mitch Carefoot scored a power play goal from the left circle, narrowing the score to 3-1. Michael Wilson had the assist. Then less than a minute later Brett Peterson scored five-hole on Fresno goalie Joe Fallon on a penalty shot that resulted from a hooking call on Turner at 15:31, making the score 3-2 Fresno.
"I challenged them between periods," Church said, adding that capitalizing on the penalty shot was important. "(Kowalski) made some huge saves and we took over the momentum."
Phoenix tied up the game at 3-3 at 6:57 of the third period when Matt Burke rifled a shot from the high slot past Fallon on the power play. Peder Skinner and Kimbi Daniels had the assists. Then at 17:34 Sinclair scored a goal from the left circle off a pass from Carefoot, making the final score 4-3 RoadRunners.
"Colin Sinclair realized going into the third we needed to be motivated," Church said, adding that Sinclair's fight in the first period gave the team some momentum. "He works hard all game and then gets that goal and that was huge."
Kowalski had 42 saves in the win while Fallon had 27 saves.
The RoadRunners open a three-game road trip at 8:30 p.m. Saturday when they visit the Las Vegas Wranglers at the Orleans Arena. Catch all the action live on Independent 1310 KXAM beginning with "RoadRunners Countdown" at 8:15 p.m.
Phoenix returns to US Airways Center for a three-game home-stand at 7:05 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 18 when they welcome the Las Vegas Wranglers.
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