Sundogs Back In Sole Possession of First Place, Emond Earns First Win
February 15, 2008 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Arizona Sundogs News Release
PRESCOTT VALLEY, Ariz. - The Arizona Sundogs and Rocky Mountain Rage skated in the first of a two-game set Friday night at Tim's Toyota Center in Prescott Valley. Coming into the game, the Sundogs sat in a three-way tie for first place in the hotly contested Southwest Division, sharing the top spot with the New Mexico Scorpions and Odessa Jackalopes. Marco Emond stopped 34 of 36 shots faced and Arizona converted on two of five powerplay chances en route to a 4-2 win. With the win and Odessa and New Mexico losses Friday night, Arizona regained sole possession of first place in the Southwest Division.
The Arizona Sundogs opened the first period Friday night spending six of the first 14 minutes shorthanded. Strong play by the penalty kill unit and new goaltender Marco Emond helped keep the visiting Rage off the scoreboard in the opening frame. On its first powerplay of the game, Arizona converted to take a 1-0 lead into the first intermission as rookie defenseman David Schlemko fired a shot from the point that found its way past Rage netminder Terry Dunbar for his ninth tally of the year. Tyler Liebel collected an assist on the powerplay goal for his third point in two games.
Arizona increased their lead to 2-0 just 59 seconds into the second period on strong play down low. Olivier Latendresse and Barry Horman worked below the goal line to set up a wide open Chris Bartolone between the circles. The veteran defenseman pinched and fired a low shot through the legs of Dunbar for his tenth goal of the season. Late in the period the Sundogs grabbed their third goal of the game and second with the man advantage as Dan Laperriere lifted a shot over the glove of the Rage netminder on passes from Latendresse and rookie Mark Kolanos. Shots through two period remained nearly even with Rocky Mountain holding a slight 23-21 advantage.
The Sundogs continued to dominate the scoreboard in the third as Dusty Collins tallied his 16th of the year to give his club a commanding 4-0 lead at the 8:47 mark. Kolanos and Bartolone notched their second points of the night with helpers on the Collins marker. Rocky Mountain ended Emond's shutout bid with 8:05 to play in the period on a Daymen Rycroft powerplay goal from Pat Sutton and Nathan Rosychuk. The Rage followed the Rycroft tally with a 5-on-3 powerplay goal by Scott Wray to cut the Sundogs' lead in half. Wray fired a slapshot from the near circle past Emond at the 14:14 mark with Brent Cullaton and Trevor Weisgerber being credited with assists on the play. The Rage and Head Coach Tracy Egeland pulled Dunbar in favor of an extra attacker but the effort fell short as Arizona held off any ensuing opportunities.
Marco Emond appeared in his first game as a Sundog and blocked 34 of 36 shots for the win while Terry Dunbar deflected 24 of 28 shots in the loss. Arizona finished 2-for-5 on the powerplay while the Rage converted on two of seven man advantage chances.
The two teams face off again tomorrow night at Tim's Toyota Center. Game time is set for 7:05pm. Tickets are available by phone at 1-866-4-GET-TIX (1-866-443-8849), on the internet at www.gettix.net and in person at the Tim's Toyota Center Box Office.
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Central Hockey League Stories from February 15, 2008
- Rage Lose First of Two in Arizona - Rocky Mountain Rage
- Sundogs Back In Sole Possession of First Place, Emond Earns First Win - Arizona Sundogs
- Smith Gets Four, 'Bugs Score Nine in Shutout of Odessa - Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs
- Bes, Special Teams Lead Bucks Past Rayz 6-3 - Corpus Christi IceRays
- Brahmas' Scrappy Play Beats Scorpions - Fort Worth Brahmas
- Ice Bats Stung By Rio Grande, 5-2 - Austin Ice Bats
- Hounds Upend Blazers 4-2 - Youngstown SteelHounds
- Oilers destroy RiverKings 10-3 - Mississippi RiverKings
- Bes Nets Hat Trick: Bucks Sting Rayz 6-3 - Laredo Bucks
- Scorpions Stopped By Brahmas - New Mexico Scorpions
- Short-Benched Eagles Fall to Horrell, Thunder - Colorado Eagles
- Sundogs Add to Defense with Addition of Adam Wood - Arizona Sundogs
- Aikins Headed to the AHL - Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs
- Rage Ready for a Pair Against the Sundogs - Rocky Mountain Rage
- Skate With The Gorillas Tonight - Amarillo Gorillas
- Scorpions Rise To Sixth In CHL Coaches Poll - New Mexico Scorpions
- Sundogs Climb to Fourth Spot in CHL Coaches Poll - Arizona Sundogs
- Mudbugs Stay on Top of CHL Coaches Poll - CHL
- Bucks Take To Road Tonight In Corpus, Saturday In Rio - Laredo Bucks
- Southwest Division Race Sees A Three-Way Tie - CHL
- Ryan Bennett To Return To Hounds - Youngstown SteelHounds
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