Roadrunners Rally Sweeps Pensacola 4-3

by Andrew Nordmeier
February 4, 2006 - ECHL (ECHL)
Phoenix RoadRunners


The Phoenix Roadrunners keep finding ways to win but their 4-3 win over the Pensacola Ice Pilots Friday night at the Pensacola Civic Center may be the most impressive one of the year.

Phoenix (16-24-3) won its fifth straight game, all by one goal, and rallied back from a 3-0 deficit to do so. The Roadrunners were also saved by the horn at the end of the game as Pensacola's apparent game-tying goal was waved off as it came just after time expired.

"It was very close," Phoenix Assistant Coach J.J. Daigneault said, "they were a second away from tying it and we had a small breakdown in front of the net."

The rally started with Adam Kostichka's fourth goal of the season at 6:55 of the second period. He found a way to beat Pensacola netminder Todd Ford to get the Roadrunners on the board. It would be the only goal of the period. Phoenix was down by two goals despite outshooting the Ice Pilots 16-3 in the first period and 33-10 through 40 minutes.

Phoenix rebounded from the deficit by scoring three rebound goals in a span of 8:44 to take a lead they wouldn't relinquish.

Miguel Lafleche scored his third goal of the season off of a Justin Quenneville rebound at 3:12 to cut the deficit to 3-2. Joe Dusbabek's eighth goal of the season was a mop-up of a Ben Knopp rebound and tied the game at the 7:54 mark. Knopp himself cashed in on a rebound from J.F. Soucy at 11:54 and put Phoenix ahead to stay.

"Every win is really important," Daigneault said, "the guys are finding a way to win."

Pensacola (16-23-5) led 1-0 after the first period on Nicklas Lundberg's 11th goal of the season. Brendan Cook scored twice 14 seconds apart to give the Ice Pilots a 3-0 edge just 23 seconds into the middle period. As we all know, that lead wasn't safe.

Phoenix outshot Pensacola 47-16 and finished 0-for-1 on the power play. Pensacola converted on 1-of-6 power-play chances. Phoenix picked up its second win of the year when trailing after two periods (2-21-1) and raised its record to 10-5-3 in one-goal contests.

The Roadrunners will have a tough test next weekend as they battle the only team hotter than them, the 35-6-3 Alaska Aces. It's a three-game series on the Olympic-sized ice at the Sullivan Arena Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. Phoenix will come in having won five straight while Alaska has knocked off eight straight opponents.

Daigneault said the momentum of the winning streak is really important heading into the Alaska series as the Aces are the best defensive team in the league.

"They're going to be a good challenge for us." Daigneault said.

Three Stars

3. Fulghum-PEN Three assists in the loss.

2. Cook-PEN Two goals in 14 seconds for the Ice Pilots.

1. The entire Roadrunner team for never giving up when down by three and pulling out the win.

Notes: Kostichka's goal was the Roadrunners' 100th of the season, leaving just Stockton and Trenton as the only two teams still in double digits offensively...Roadrunner defenseman Shaun Riddle was given a game misconduct for being the third man in a fight at 6:26 of the opening period...Phoenix played the series without defenseman Brent Henley who was nursing a lower body injury...The Roadrunners set a season-high with 47 shots on goal...Michael Mole made his 12th straight start in goal for Phoenix...Pensacola scored two power play goals on home ice against Phoenix, raising their total to 11 in 146 chances...Phoenix is a -25 goal differential in the second period this season while a -7 in the third period...Phoenix surged just ahead of Trenton for 24th place on the goals per game list...Attendance was 3,196.



ECHL Stories from February 4, 2006


The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer(s), and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central