Sundogs Chase Pechurskiy, Deal RiverKings 7-4 Loss

Published on March 6, 2011 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Arizona Sundogs News Release


PRESCOTT VALLEY, Ariz. - A season-high 3,145 fans were in attendance Saturday night at Tim's Toyota Center in Prescott Valley as the Arizona Sundogs handled the Mississippi RiverKings, topping the visiting club by a 7-4 mark.

The Sundogs chased Alexander Pechurskiy from the contest with five goals on 21 shots through two periods a night after the netminder allowed just one goal on 28 shots. Backup goaltender Larry Sterling allowed two goals on seven shots in 20 minutes of relief action.

Trailing by a goal after the first period, the RiverKings claimed a 2-1 lead on a pair of goals by Matt Summers and Andrew Lackner in a two-minute span early in the middle frame but Arizona responded with a season-high four goals through the remainder of the second period.

Kyle Hood pulled Arizona even at two at the 5:27 mark, tapping a Craig Macdonald shot-pass into the back of the net after the two crossed the blue line skating 2-on-1. Hood finished with three points (1g/2a) and a plus-2 rating on the night.

Tyler Butler reclaimed a one-goal lead with his 10th of the year midway through the second period, blistering a slap shot past Pechurskiy from between the circles for the Sundogs' power-play marker of the game.

Corey Laurysen stretched Arizona's lead to 4-2 less than a minute later with a strong individual effort. Collecting a loose puck to the right of Levente Szuper, Laurysen out-skated a Mississippi player for an end-to-end breakaway before shoveling a backhand-to-forehand effort over a sprawling Pechurskiy.

Mark Kolanos capped scoring in the second period with his 16th of the season, circling from below the goal line and sliding the puck along the ice and between the legs of the RiverKings' backstop for a commanding three-goal lead.

Luke Erickson and Cam Keith each extended their point streaks to seven games. Erickson converted on a lengthy 5-on-3 power-play early in the third period, one-timing a Butler setup feed past the glove of Sterling for his 35th goal of the season.

Samuel Grenache, activated earlier in the day, tapped in a Morgan MacLean centering feed from behind the net with 5:44 remaining in contest, pushing the score to 7-2 in favor of Arizona.

Brennan Sarazin and Derek Landmesser added power-play markers for Mississippi in the game's final three and a half minutes.

Chippy play highlighted a first period in which 32 minutes in penalties were handed out amongst two clubs.

Joey Sides opened scoring with a power-play goal 3:26 into the contest, slapping at a loose puck from the top of the goal crease.

Arizona finished 3-for-7 with the man advantage.

Rookie defenseman Jim Driscoll was placed on 10-day injured reserve prior to the game.

With the win, Arizona moves three points ahead of the Laredo Bucks for the Berry Conference's eighth and final playoff spot.

Next up for the Sundogs (21-27-9) is a five-game road trip featuring contests against the Bucks, Killer Bees and Jackalopes, teams separated by just six points. Arizona trails seventh-place Rio Grande Valley by a single point and sits just three points back of sixth-place Odessa. The Sundogs open the trip Tuesday at 6:00pm (Arizona time) against Laredo. Listen to the game live online at www.cattlecountryradio.com and on KDDL ‘Cattle Country' 94.3FM, the Official Radio Home of Arizona Sundogs Hockey.

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Central Hockey League Stories from March 6, 2011


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