RoadRunners' return home garners win

February 4, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Phoenix RoadRunners News Release


'RUNNERS REWIND: Playing four games in five nights and returning home from a season-long 12-game road trip, the Phoenix RoadRunners took just two of a possible eight points last week. With a record of 16-24-6 and 38 points, the RoadRunners are currently fifth in the West Division and eighth overall in the National Conference.

Tuesday, Peder Skinner tallied a pair of goals and extended his points' streak to a career-best and a team-high six games, but it was not enough as the Fresno Falcons defeated the Phoenix RoadRunners 4-2 before 3,084 at the Save Mart Center.

Fresno (24-11-5) opened the scoring 5:37 into the hockey game when Matt Quinn broke free into the slot and snapped a wrist shot over the left shoulder of RoadRunners' goalie Cody Rudkowsky for a 1-0 lead.

A wild second period saw four goals scored in a span of 4:31 seconds. Matt Stefanishion gave the Falcons a 2-0 lead at 2:48 of the period when he shot the puck along the end-line from the right-wing corner, and it deflected off a skate and trickled into the net behind Rudkowsky. Tyler Kindle made it 3-0 at 6:03 when he beat Rudkowsky on a two-on-one rush with a slap shot from the right-wing circle. The RoadRunners (15-22-6) finally broke through Falcons' goalie Jake Moreland as Peder Skinner beat the net-minder with a one-time slap shot from the high slot set up by Gino Guyer at 7:11 to cut the deficit to 3-1. But off the ensuing face-off, Luke Curtin fired the puck through Rudkowsky's pads from the left-wing circle eight seconds later at 7:19 giving Fresno their three-goal lead back at 4-1 and ending Rudkowsky's night.

Skinner added his second of the game at 17:13 of the third period to complete the scoring.

Fresno out-shot Phoenix 31-30. Rudkowsky stopped 13 shots earning the decision as he fell to 8-15-3 on the season. The RoadRunners went 0-4 on the power play while Fresno was 0-6 with the man-advantage.

Wednesday, veteran Chris Ferraro tallied a goal and added three assists to lead the Las Vegas Wranglers past the Phoenix RoadRunners 7-4 before 2,942 at US Airways Center.

The RoadRunners (15-23-6) came out strong building a 2-1 first period lead. Las Vegas (28-8-7) opened the scoring in the first two minutes when Adam Cracknell's shot from the left wall trickled off RoadRunners' goalie Dave McKee's glove and into the net at 1:17. Phoenix quickly responded as Gino Guyer tied the game at 1-1 when he collected Bryan Nathe's rebound and twisted a shot through Las Vegas goalie Daniel Manzato at 5:32. The RoadRunners later took their first lead of the night at 18:56 on the power play. Scott Kelman scooped up a rebound in front of the net and drove the puck by Manzato for a 2-1 advantage.

Chris Ferraro tied the contest at 2-2 at 2:24 of the second period when he re-directed a shot from the high slot over the shoulder of McKee and into the cage.

A wild third period produced a total of seven goals. The Wranglers started the period with a bang scoring twice in the opening three minutes off goals from Peter Ferraro at 1:10 and Mike Madill at 2:03 on the power play. Mitch Carefoot responded for the RoadRunners scoring on his own rebound at 6:52 on the man-advantage to cut the deficit to 4-3. But a goal by Tyler Mosienko at 8:41 and a shorthanded tally from Aki Seitsonen at 9:28 blew the game wide open and made it 6-3. Daniel Sisca added a final tally for the RoadRunners at 11:09 and Las Vegas' Ryan Donally completed the third period scoring at 16:30.

Phoenix out-shot Las Vegas 37-34. McKee stopped 27 shots but fell to 4-7-3 on the year. The RoadRunners went 2-5 on the power play while Las Vegas was 1-4 with the man-advantage.

Friday, Scott Kelman snapped a 2-2 tie with 7:31 remaining in regulation and the Phoenix RoadRunners overcame a two goal deficit to defeat the Idaho Steelheads 3-2 before 3,592 at US Airways Center.

Idaho (24-14-7) jumped all over the RoadRunners in the first period as they out-shot Phoenix 19-12 and took a 2-0 lead into the first intermission. Marty Flichel opened the scoring at 7:43 when Lance Galbraith fed a backdoor pass from the side of the net and Flichel tapped it into the empty cage behind RoadRunners goalie Cody Rudkowsky for a 1-0 lead. John Lammers upped the Steelheads advantage to two when he beat Rudkowsky from the slot 2:07 seconds later at 9:50.

The RoadRunners (16-23-6) fully responded in the second as they out-shot the Steelheads 16-4 in the middle frame and tied the score with a pair of tallies. Justin Maiser got Phoenix on the scoreboard at 3:48 on the power play when Scott Kelman's drive deflected off a stick right to Maiser in the slot, and Maiser snapped it under the left pad of goalie Kellen Briggs. Gino Guyer netted the equalizer minutes later at 6:47 when the rookie made a nifty move around the defense and tucked a backhander through Briggs' pads.

During an up-and-down third period in which both teams had chances, the RoadRunners would be the team to convert as Kelman beat Briggs with a low slap shot to the blocker side at 12:21 on the power play for the winning score.

Idaho out-shot Phoenix 39-36. Rudkowsky stopped 37 shots to improve to 9-15-3 on the year. The RoadRunners went 2-4 on the power play while Idaho was 0-4 with the man-advantage.

Saturday, Lance Galbraith tallied a goal and added two assists, and rookie goalie Matt Zaba turned aside all 29 shots he faced to collect his first professional shutout as the Idaho Steelheads blanked the Phoenix RoadRunners 3-0 before 4,177 at US Airways Center in ECHL action Saturday.

Idaho (25-14-7) out-shot Phoenix (16-24-6) 31-17 through two periods, but neither team could find the back of the net.

Marty Flichel snapped the scoreless tie 2:34 into the third when John Lammers found the Steelheads' captain wide open in the slot, and Flichel snapped the puck over the right shoulder of RoadRunners' goalie Cody Rudkowsky. Galbraith added to the lead minutes later with a power play goal from the right-wing circle at 7:28 beating Rudkowsky along the ice for a 2-0 advantage. Taggart Desmet scored an empty-net power play goal at 19:22 to complete the Idaho attack.

Idaho out-shot Phoenix 40-29. Rudkowsky stopped 37 shots but fell to 9-16-3 on the year. The RoadRunners went 0-4 on the power play while Idaho was 2-6 with the man-advantage.

SKINNER'S STREAK ENDS: Center Peder Skinner's career-best and team-high eight-game scoring streak came to an end in Saturday's shutout loss. Skinner collected seven goals and four assists in the eight games from Jan. 16-Feb. 1. Skinner is second on the RoadRunners and 13th among ECHL rookies in scoring with 14 goals and 36 points through 46 games.

ONE-GOAL SUCCESS: Friday's 3-2 win improved the RoadRunners record in one-goal games to 7-4-6 with 20 points, their best winning percentage to date through three seasons. Phoenix was 9-14-5 last year in one-goal games and 11-9-5 during their inaugural 2005-06 campaign.

ANGEL LANDS IN PHOENIX: Defenseman Brett Angel made his RoadRunners' debut Saturday and registered his first fighting major in a Phoenix uniform. Angel was re-assigned to the club from Norfolk of the American Hockey League by way of the Mississippi Sea Wolves. The six-foot-six, 230-pound defenseman came to Phoenix with career numbers of two goals, 11 points, and 462 penalty minutes in 115 games. Angel's insertion in the line-up gave the RoadRunners six defensemen for the first time in 15 games dating back to Dec. 31 right before Brian Yandle was traded to Augusta.

MILESTONES ON DECK: Forward Ryan Walsh is 14 games short of 100 for his professional career...Center Daniel Sisca is 16 games away from 200 for his career and 19 points shy of the 200 plateau...Forward Nathan Gillies is five games away from 300 for his career...Forward Jeff Smith is nine games shy of 300 for his career...Goalie Cody Rudkowsky appeared in his 333rd career game Saturday.

NEWS & NOTES: With two power play goals Friday, the RoadRunners enjoyed their 14th multiple power play goal effort of the season. Phoenix had an ECHL club-best 27 multiple power play goal games in 2006-07.

FACE-OFF AGAINST KIDS CANCER BEGINS TONIGHT: The Phoenix RoadRunners' second "Face-Off Against Kids Cancer" begins at 6:00 p.m. tonight with a special Meet and Greet Party at Phoenix Children's Hospital's Melvin L. Cohen Conference Center located inside the Rosenberg Children's Building on the hospital's main campus.

"Face-Off Against Kids Cancer" is a program that will pair RoadRunners' players with 20 children from across Arizona who suffer from pediatric cancer. For the next two months, the players and children will participate in a series of four social events with the hopes of creating a lasting relationship and increased awareness about childhood cancer in the community.

The "Face-Off Against Kids Cancer" will culminate at 7:11 p.m. Friday, March 14 when the RoadRunners take the ice against the Victoria Salmon Kings wearing special commemorative jerseys dedicated to those Phoenix Children's patients participating in the program. These jerseys will be auctioned off immediately after the game with the proceeds benefiting the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at Phoenix Children's Hospital and Caps For Kids, a national non-profit organization which provides hats autographed by athletes and celebrities to children who lose their hair due to the effects of chemotherapy.

WATCH THE 'RUNNERS LIVE IN '07-08: The RoadRunners have teamed up with B2 Networks to bring you live action of Phoenix RoadRunners hockey in 2007-08. 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 36 RoadRunners home broadcasts will be available in addition to over 25 road games in Alaska, Idaho, Las Vegas, Stockton, Utah, and Bakersfield. A cable or DSL Internet connection and Windows Media Player 9 are required to view the games.

UP NEXT: The RoadRunners continue their five-game home-stand with a two-game series at 7:11 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday against the Las Vegas Wranglers. Catch the action of both games live on Independent 1310 KXAM and 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 2007-08 season of Phoenix RoadRunners Hockey are available by calling (602) 462-GOAL.



ECHL Stories from February 4, 2008


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