Salmon Kings Withstand RoadRunners 6-4

February 18, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Phoenix RoadRunners News Release


PHOENIX, Ariz. - Nathan Gillies produced his first multi-goal game of the season with a pair of tallies but it was not enough as the Phoenix RoadRunners fell to the Victoria Salmon Kings 6-4 before 2,629 at US Airways Center in ECHL action Monday.

A very entertaining and offensive first period produced six total goals. Victoria (32-14-5) struck for the first three of the game in the opening eight minutes. Matt Kelly started the Salmon Kings scoring just 1:02 into the first on the power play when he picked up a rebound at the side of the net and stuffed it past RoadRunners goalie Dave McKee for a 1-0 lead. Dylan Yeo made it 2-0 minutes later at 5:44 scoring his eighth goal of the season from the high slot. Darryl Lloyd extended Victoria's advantage to 3-0 beating McKee on a breakaway at 7:03 turning the game into a possible runaway. But the RoadRunners (18-28-6) responded with a pair of goals 44 seconds apart to get right back into the contest. Mitch Carefoot collected his own rebound in front of the net and shot it over the left shoulder of Victoria goalie Billy Thompson at 7:44 to get Phoenix on the scoreboard. Nathan Gillies made it a 3-2 game just seconds later when Peder Skinner fed him the puck at the top of the crease and Gillies tapped it into an open net at 8:28. But Victoria would have the period's final say as Kyle McLeod tipped in his own rebound at 18:04 on the power play for a 4-2 edge after twenty minutes.

McLeod scored his second of the night to open the middle period beating McKee from the left wing circle with a snap shot at 5:01 on the power play to extend the Kings lead to 5-2. Phoenix got one back as Tom Sawatske's shot was re-directed by Gillies' stick in the slot and trickled past Thompson at 10:49. But Wes Goldie gave Victoria their second three-goal lead of the game with a shorthanded goal at 14:49.

Chris Stevens gave Phoenix some life in the third period when he deflected Reagan Rome's point shot over the head of Thompson, but despite some good chances at the finish the RoadRunners could not muster the tying goals.

Phoenix out-shot Victoria 36-34. McKee stopped 28 shots but fell to 6-10-3 on the season. The RoadRunners went 0-4 on the power play while Victoria was 3-6 with the man-advantage.

Notes: Phoenix dropped their first game in regulation this season to Victoria and suffered their first loss in regulation on home ice against the Salmon Kings since March 20, 2006...The RoadRunners have not scored a power play goal in their last 13 chances...Conversely, Phoenix has surrendered 12 power play goals on the opponents' last 42 power play attempts...Sawatske collected his first point in a RoadRunners uniform with an assist...Defenseman Brett Angel did not dress after receiving an automatic one-game suspension for an instigator penalty he received in the final five minutes of regulation Saturday at Idaho. Sean O'Connor's instigator penalty was rescinded by the ECHL and thus he was able to play.

The RoadRunners return to US Airways Center at 7:11 p.m. Thursday when they host the Utah Grizzlies in the opener of a two-game weekend series.

Great seats are still available beginning as low as $8 and can be purchased by calling Ticketmaster at (480) 784-4444, purchasing online at ticketmaster.com or visiting the US Airways Center Box Office. 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 18, 2008


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