Sundogs and Gistedt Win Third-Straight

February 6, 2009 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Arizona Sundogs News Release


PRESCOTT VALLEY, Ariz. - Looking to win their third-straight at home and strengthen the hold on a Southern Conference playoff spot, the Arizona Sundogs battled the Amarillo Gorillas in the second of a three-game set Friday night at Tim's Toyota Center in Prescott Valley. Joel Gistedt turned aside 31 of 34 shots for his and his team's third-straight win as Arizona topped the visiting Gorillas 5-3.

After needing almost 40 minutes to register their first goal Wednesday night, Amarillo came out a different team and took a 1-0 lead less than a minute into the contest. Forward Jon Snowden collected a Mark Carragher pass inside the blue line and skated in alone forcing Gistedt to the ice before out-maneuvering the netminder for his eighth of the year. Trailing almost the entire period, A.J. MacLean pulled his club even with his second goal in as many games with 2:05 to play in the opening frame. Below the hash marks on the far boards, MacLean sent an innocent shot along the ice that snuck past A.J. Bucchino for his tenth of the season. Peter Cartwright tallied his sixth point in the last five games with an assist in the play along with Derek Legault. The Sundogs doubled-up visiting Amarillo 18-9 in shots through the first 20 minutes of play.

The Sundogs stretched their lead to 3-1 with goals separated by five minutes midway through the middle frame. While on the power play, Chris Bartolone netted his sixth of the year with a shot from the point that cleanly found its way through traffic and past the outstretched leg of Bucchino to give Arizona its first lead of the game. Dwayne Hay collected his first of two assists on the power play tally. Skating in alone after a Hay through pass, Rob Lehtinen handed the Sundogs a two-goal cushion with his ninth of the year with less than three minutes to play in the period. With the puck bouncing, Lehtinen fanned on his first shot but converted on the second chance for the 3-1 lead. Karl Sellan and Snowden dropped the gloves immediately after the ensuing faceoff, resulting in a two-minute power play opportunity for Amarillo after Sellan was tagged with an additional unsportsmanlike conduct infraction. Forward Joe Guenther took advantage, cutting Arizona's lead back to one late in the period. Shots were 15-14 in favor of the Sundogs in the second.

Cartwright recorded his second point of the night with a clean breakaway on Bucchino three minutes into the third period to give his club a commanding 4-1 lead. Gloving a Matt Hanson pass out of the air, Cartwright threw the puck to the ice before beating the Amarillo goaltender five-hole. Andre Selander registered his fifth of the year two-and-a-half minutes later, directing a Bartolone back door pass across into the net. Selander missed the initial shot wide but the errant shot rode the boards to Bartolone at the point. Hanson was credited with his second helper of the night on the play. Sam Ftorek pulled his club back to within two with Amarillo's second power play goal of the game with just under four minutes to play but the visiting club was unable to capitalize late with their goaltender pulled in favor of an extra attacker.

Gistedt improved to 7-11-0 on the year with his third-straight win, stopping 31 of 34 shots Friday night. Bucchino allowed five goals on 43 shots in the loss. The Sundogs converted on 1-of-7 man-advantage opportunities while Amarillo finished 2-for-5 on the power play. Arizona remains three points ahead of Corpus Christi for the Southern Conference's fifth and final playoff spot and sits three points back of Rio Grande Valley and fourth place overall.

Arizona concludes an eight-game home stand with their third-straight tilt against Amarillo tomorrow night at Tim's Toyota Center. Game time is set for 7:05pm. Tickets start at just $14 and are available by phone at 1-866-4-GET-TIX (1-866-443-8849), online at www.gettix.net and in person at the Tim's Toyota Center Box Office.



Central Hockey League Stories from February 6, 2009


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