Roadrunners Rebound, Beat Grizzlies 2-1

by Andrew Nordmeier
January 22, 2006 - ECHL (ECHL)
Phoenix RoadRunners


The Phoenix Roadrunners rebounded from a 7-3 dismantling by the Utah Grizzlies less than 24 hours earlier by hanging on and squeezing out a 2-1 win in Saturday night's rematch between the teams.

Phoenix (12-24-3) survived a flurry of Utah power plays as the Grizzlies (21-16-3) went 0-for-8 on the man advantage. The Roadrunners also got some help from the goal posts as Utah forward Barrett Ehgoetz rang a shot off the pipe in the final ten seconds of regulation time.

Utah came back to life with a controversial goal that got behind Phoenix netminder Michael Mole when Chad Starling's shot at 11:53. The goal light went on but referee Jason Nissen waived it off.

Nissen consulted with both of his linesmen and the goal judge before ruling it was good. Jeff Miles and Louis Dumont picked up helpers on the play and Utah was back within a goal at 2-1 with plenty of time left for the high-octane Grizzlies' offense. The game turned physical and chippy late with several sets of penalties called and a couple players getting checked into the benches.

After the final horn sounded, Mole slammed his stick against the glass in front of the goal judge to express his displeasure with the controversial Grizzlies' goal.

Both Phoenix goals came in a three-minute span in the second period. First, Mike Ouellet got Phoenix on the board at 5:37 when he took a centering pass from Miguel LaFleche and jammed the puck past Utah goaltender Justin Eddy to put Phoenix on the board first. Ouellet's goal was a rare power play goal for Phoenix, just their eighth in the last seven weeks.

Brad Woods picked up the second assist on the play and then notched a tally of his own at 8:24. Woods took the puck in the high slot and ripped a laser through Eddy's legs to give Phoenix a 2-0 edge. Shaun Fisher tallied the lone assist on the game-winning goal.

Phoenix finished 1-of-7 on the man advantage but was outshot by Utah 30-26 as the Roadrunners closed to within nine games of a playoff spot.

After the All-Star break, Phoenix continues its Homer-like Odyssey of a road trip with a pair of games against the Victoria Salmon Kings next Saturday and Sunday.

Three Stars

3. Ouellett-PHX First goal (6)

2. Mole-PHX Stops 29 of 30 shots for the win

1. Woods-PHX Goal (3) and an assist

Notes: Phoenix scored the first goal for an ECHL-low 10th time this season. The Roadrunners are 7-3-0 when they strike first...Mole is second in the ECHL in minutes played with 1691 and saves with 849...Woods' two point night is first professional multiple-point game...Of Phoenix's five road wins, two have come against Utah. They came exactly three months apart as the other one was October 21st, the season-opener for both teams...Phoenix is 6-15-1 within the West Division...The Roadrunners have been outshot 30 times this season and are 10-17-3 when they are...Attendance was 5,436.



ECHL Stories from January 22, 2006


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