Sides Tallies Assist as CHL All-Stars Top Rapid City, 11-6

January 12, 2011 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Arizona Sundogs News Release


PRESCOTT VALLEY, Ariz. - The Central Hockey League All-Stars, comprised of players from 17 CHL member clubs, topped the host Rapid City Rush, 11-6, in the 2011 Central Hockey League All-Star Game Wednesday night at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center Arena in Rapid City South Dakota

Arizona Sundogs forward Joey Sides, appearing in his first all-star game, finished with one assist and three shots, helping the CHL All-Stars to their first win over the host team since the format was first introduced in three years ago.

The Colorado Eagles topped a team of all-stars, 8-4, in the 2009 CHL All-Star Game and a team made up of players from the Laredo Bucks, Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees and now-defunct Corpus Christi IceRays outscored players from the league's remaining teams, 9-4, in last year's mid-season showcase.

Sides' best scoring opportunity came late in the first period as the second-year forward skated in alone on Rapid City's Danny Battochio, failing to squeeze a backhand effort past the starting netminder from the right side of the cage.

The CHL All-Stars struck first for 1-0 lead just over three minutes into the contest as a centering attempt ricocheted off the skate of Odessa's Sebastien Thinel and onto the stick of eventual All-Star Game MVP Jason Dale (Bloomington) at the top of the crease.

Dale finished with two goals, five assists and a plus-7 rating.

Wichita Thunder forward Matt Robinson tallied the game's next three goals in a four-minute span of the opening frame, earning the night's first of two hat tricks.

Skating down the near boards before cutting behind a Rush defenseman and across the top of the goal mouth, Robinson lifted a backhand past Battochio for a 2-1 lead.

Robinson earned his second of the frame 35 seconds later, one-timing a Dale centering feed past Battochio before completing first-period hat trick at the 10:31 mark, redirecting a pass from far boards across the goal line for 4-1 lead. Nick Sirota (Missouri) and Sides assisted on the play.

The hosts jumped out to 5-4 lead on three goals in a CHL All-Star Game record 36 seconds to open the middle frame.

Ryan Menei scored a pair of goals 44 seconds into the period before former Sundog Konrad Reeder gave his club its first and only lead of the contest less than a minute into the frame.

The CHL All-Stars countered with three unanswered goals, including a pair by Evansville's Brian Bicek, to reclaim two-goal lead.

After giving up three goals on three shots to start the period, Missouri goaltender Robby Nolan responded to steer clear the next 17 shots faced, backing the all-stars to a 7-5 lead heading into the third period.

Bicek recorded his third goal in less than 10 minutes of combined second and third-period play 21 seconds into the final frame, notching the game's second hat trick.

Brendon Hodge pulled the Rush within two midway through the third period but the CHL All-Stars went on to add three more goals in the game's final three and a half minutes.

A total of 87 shots were offered in the contest with the Rush outshooting the CHL All-Stars, 46-41.



Central Hockey League Stories from January 12, 2011


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