RoadRunners Shoot Down Condors 4-1
April 3, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Phoenix RoadRunners News Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. - Peder Skinner and Gino Guyer each tallied a goal and added two assists and goalie Taylor Dakers stopped 29 shots to lift the Phoenix RoadRunners to a critical 4-1 win over the Bakersfield Condors before 4,647 at US Airways Center in the regular season home finale in ECHL action Thursday.
The win coupled with Stockton's loss in regulation tonight catapults the RoadRunners into the eighth and final playoff spot in the National Conference with 57 points, one more than the Thunder. Stockton dropped a 5-3 decision to the Utah Grizzlies at the "E"-Center in West Valley City, Utah in the first game of a season-ending three-game series.
The RoadRunners (24-38-9) struck first when Skinner beat Bakersfield goalie Yutaka Fukufuji to the short side with a long shot from the left-wing boards at 17:07 of the first period for a 1-0 lead.
Phoenix increased the margin to 3-0 after forty minutes with a pair of second period goals. Sean O'Connor stretched the lead to two when he received a pass from Guyer behind Fukufuji and tapped the puck into the net at 1:36 of the period for the tally. Guyer then jumped into the scoring act himself at 6:45 on the power play as he collected Rob Dmytruk's rebound and fired the puck back over Fukufuji and into the cage for a 3-0 advantage.
Bakersfield (25-37-9) broke into the scoring column early in the third period as Mark Derlago tipped a loose puck behind Dakers into the net at 2:50 on the power play to cut the Phoenix lead to 3-1. But the RoadRunners responded less than a minute later when Dusty Jamieson found newcomer Mathieu Melanson, and Melanson ripped a shot over Fukufuji's left shoulder and in at 3:36 to complete the scoring.
Bakersfield out-shot Phoenix 30-29. Dakers improved to 6-6-2 on the season. The RoadRunners went 1-4 on the power play while Bakersfield was 1-5 with the man-advantage.
Notes: O'Connor's 27th goal of the year tied the RoadRunners' ECHL single season record set by Justin Aikins in 2006-07...Skinner's opening tally was the RoadRunners' first opening period goal in eight games...Melanson made his RoadRunners debut after agreeing to terms on a standard player's contract prior to the game. A 2008 ECHL All-Star, he was claimed off of waivers from Florida Wednesday...Phoenix completed their eight-game season series against Bakersfield with a record of 5-3.
The RoadRunners visit the Las Vegas Wranglers at 7:05 p.m. Saturday in the 2007-08 regular season finale. Catch all the action live on Independent 1310 KXAM beginning with "RoadRunners Countdown" at 6:45 p.m.
ECHL Stories from April 3, 2008
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