Roadrunners Reel in First Win in Nine Games

by Andrew Nordmeier
November 22, 2005 - ECHL (ECHL)
Phoenix RoadRunners


Peter Trovato's shorthanded goal 1:13 into the third period proved to be the difference as the Phoenix Roadrunners snapped an eight game winless streak with their 3-2 triumph over the Victoria Salmon Kings Monday night at America West Arena.

With Dave Cousineau in the box for interference, Phoenix scored the streak-breaking goal. Phoenix forward Cory Pecker came in on a breakaway and was stopped by Victoria netminder B. J. Boxma. The puck was under Boxma's glove but Phoenix rookie forward Peter Trovato continued to hustle and poked the puck out of Boxma's glove and into the net.

At first, the referee didn't signal a goal and the light never came on behind the net. After a short conference with the goal judge, the officials ruled it counted.

"Playing with Pecker, he always gets it to the net. Anytime you get a shot on net you should go for a rebound," Trovato said, "That was the only thing going through my mind was there might be a rebound laying around and I helped it go in."

Victoria had Phoenix hemmed in its own zone for the final 1:20 but failed to pull Boxma until 35 seconds remained in a puzzling move. Victoria had a couple shots to tie the game but they failed and Phoenix had the win.

"The beautiful thing about this win is that it really came from the locker room. I don't know who organized it but the guys had their own meeting before the game," Phoenix Head Coach Ron Filion said, "Guys came out and they were doing exactly what we wanted. I don't know what was said between those walls but it worked."

Trovato had his own angle on the players-only meeting.

"Today when we came to the rink a few of the guys spoke up. Being a young guy, it's important to hear the older guys tell you what you think should go on out there," he said, "It was a good wake-up call."

Phoenix (4-8-2) scored three straight goals after being down 2-0 to rally back for their first win since October 29, a span of 24 days, and give Roadrunner netminder Michael Mole his first professional win. The win came despite a season-low 19 shots on goal for the Roadrunners while the Salmon Kings (5-9-1) only managed 26 themselves. Phoenix is now just one point behind Victoria for fifth place and three points behind fourth-place Las Vegas.

Shawn Snider started the Roadrunners' rally with his fourth goal of the year at the 11:00 mark. Capitalizing on a Salmon Kings' turnover, team captain Dean Tiltgen hit Snider with a pass. Snider's first shot was stopped by Boxma but his second effort deflected off of Boxma's mask and got Phoenix on the board.

The game was knotted at 2-2 when B.J. Gaustad beat Boxma and proved which team has the better B.J. Gaustad found a loose puck at the blue line and raced in on Boxma. Gaustad went glove side and beat Boxma at 15:35 for his fifth goal of the season.

Mole, making his sixth start in a row, gave up the first two goals of the game in the second period.

First, Dustan Heintz beat Mole with a redirected shot from the point at 5:41 of the second period. Heintz's redirection caught Mole off balance and found the back of the net.

The Salmon Kings went up 2-0 at the 9:17 mark when Chad Dameworth's first goal of the year hit the back of the net. Dameworth let go a cannon of shot from the blue line that found its way over Mole's left shoulder and put the Roadrunners in an all-too familiar spot.

Neither team was successful on the power play as Victoria went 0-for-6 while Phoenix went 0-for 3. The Roadrunners won the game with resiliency and timely goals and maybe a little help from above. Filion said his mother was praying for a win tonight and hat could have helped get the win.

The Roadrunners have a few days off before hosting the Long Beach Ice Dogs Saturday night at America West Arena. It will be "Turn Back the Clock Night" as the ‘Runners will wear vintage uniforms from the 1977-78 Pacific Hockey League title team. Also, the Stanley Cup will be at the arena as part of the ECHL's Cup tour.

"We have to go back to work. Long beach has a great hockey club," Filion said "We're going to have big, hard practices all week long to get ready for Long Beach."

Three Stars

3. Gaustad-PHX Game-tying goal

2. Mole-PHX First professional win

1. Trovato-PHX Game-winning goal

Notes: Blake Robson and John Fieweger didn't dress for the game for the Roadrunners...Phoenix is 2-0-1 when tied after two periods...Roadrunner center Miguel LaFleche is about 14 days away from making his season debut. He has been sidelined with a knee injury since training camp...Mike Ouellet came back into the lineup after serving a five-game suspension for leaving the bench to get involved in an altercation November 5 vs. Idaho...Victoria's Pat Sutton picked up an assist on the Salmon Kings' first goal for his first professional point...Attendance was 3,243.



ECHL Stories from November 22, 2005


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