Sundogs Control Game but Fall in Overtime to Rush
October 24, 2009 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Arizona Sundogs News Release
PRESCOTT VALLEY, Ariz. - The Arizona Sundogs controlled most of the game and seemed to be on their way to a second-straight win Saturday night but the Rapid City Rush rallied late, tallying twice in the third period's final two and a half minutes to force overtime. Scott Wray converted 1:15 into the extra session for the 4-3 come-from-behind victory. Arizona earned a point in the loss.
Despite quality scoring chances by both clubs early on in the opening period of Saturday's contest, neither team was able to solve the opposing goaltender, keeping the game scoreless after 20 minutes of play. Rapid City's Colt King was awarded a penalty shot with 11:51 to play in the frame for his team's best scoring chance but Arizona netminder Kyle McNulty turned aside the forehand effort. The Sundogs were recipients of three power play opportunities in the first including a two-man advantage for 1:03 at the period's midway point but rookie backstop Danny Battochio remained perfect to keep Arizona off the scoreboard. Konrad Reeder gathered Arizona's best chance of the period at the 9:42 mark, sending a shot past Battochio and off the crossbar. For the fourth-straight period, the Sundogs outshot Rapid City, holding a 13-7 advantage after the game's opening 20 minutes.
After a scoreless first in which it controlled most of the play, Arizona came out and dominated the second, limiting the Rush to a season-low four shots while offering 19 on Battochio for a two-period 32-11 advantage. The Sundogs converted twice in the frame for a two-goal lead after 40 minutes of play. Reeder was robbed by a Battochio leg pad save four minutes into the middle frame but would later convert to give his club a 2-0 lead. Kevin Gardner opened scoring - the first time Arizona had done so this season - with a power play tally at the 6:18 mark from Torren Delforte and Matt Hanson. Collecting a pass from Delforte behind the cage, Gardner lifted a shot over Battochio who tripped on a teammate's stick sliding post to post. Reeder netted his second of the season with just over six minutes to play in the period as a Rich Hansen holding penalty came to a close, knocking a rebound out of the air and into the net for the two-goal advantage. Taking the initial shot from the top of the circle, Hanson collected his second helper of the game.
With his club on its third power play opportunity of the night following a Steve Potvin hooking penalty to start the period, Les Reaney cut the Sundogs lead in half on Rapid City's 12th shot of the game, crossing up a defender down low before sneaking a shot five-hole past McNulty. Jason Visser reclaimed a two-goal cushion for Arizona at the 9:37 mark, redirecting a centering feed past Battochio on an odd-man rush with linemates Gardner and Reeder, both recording their second points of the contest. With their backs against the wall, Rapid City stepped up pressure and scored the first of two goals inside the game's final three minutes to force overtime as Hansen slapped home a loose puck that found its way through the crease from behind the net. Already on a power play and skating 6-on-4 with Battochio pulled in favor of an extra attacker, Wray tied the game at three goals apiece with just 39 seconds remaining on the clock.
In overtime, King controlled the puck below Arizona's end line and found Wray streaking between the circles for his second goal in less than two minutes, capping off the come-from-behind win 1:15 into the extra frame.
McNulty was perfect in net through 40 minutes Saturday, turning aside 11 shots before allowing four goals on 12 shots in the game's final 21-plus minutes to fall to 0-1-1 on the year. Battochio allowed three goals on 43 shots to earn his first professional win. Arizona nearly doubled Rapid City in shots, 43-23 in the loss. The Sundogs converted once on seven power play opportunities Saturday while the Rush finished 1-for-5 with the man advantage.
Arizona (1-3-1) next takes on the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees (1-2-0) at 5:35pm (Arizona time) on Friday, Oct. 30 in Hidalgo, Texas. The game can be heard live on KDDL âCattle Country' 94.3FM, the Official Radio Home of Arizona Sundogs Hockey, and online at www.cattlecountryradio.com.
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