Sundogs Drop Fourth-Straight, Lose 5-2

Published on January 17, 2009 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Arizona Sundogs News Release


PRESCOTT VALLEY, Ariz. - Looking to rebound after being shutout for the first time since their inaugural season in 2006-07, the Arizona Sundogs fell to the Corpus Christi IceRays by a 5-2 score Saturday night at the AmericanBank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas. The visiting Sundogs were held scoreless on the power play for the second-straight game, finishing 0-for-4 with the man advantage. Joel Irving registered two assists in the loss to lead Arizona in scoring.

After being held scoreless the previous night, Arizona wasted little time finding their way onto the score sheet Saturday night as defenseman Matt Suderman gathered his second of the year from Irving and Adam Perry for the early 1-0 lead 3:49 into the contest. The IceRays responded with goals separated by just 56 seconds to take a 2-1 lead into the first intermission. Jeff Grant tied the game with his fifth of the year from defenseman Matt Smyth just past the period's halfway mark. Netminder Kris Tebbs was also credited with an assist on the play. Jeremy Leroux gave his club its first lead of the game less than a minute later with a power play tally from John Halverson and Chris Richards to close out scoring in the opening period. Shots were an even 9-9 after 20 minutes of play.

Justin Quenneville stretched Corpus Christi's lead to 3-1 with the IceRays' second man-advantage marker more than 14 minutes into the second period following a Kyle Hood hooking infraction. Down by two in the closing seconds of the period, Hood made good on his earlier penalty, pulling his club back to within one with his third of the season with less than a minute to play in the frame. Martin Gascon and Irving assisted on the late-period effort. The IceRays tripled Arizona in shots in the middle frame, 18-6.

Corpus Christi and the veteran Richards opened a three-goal advantage, their biggest lead of the game, seven minutes into the third period. On his club's sixth man-advantage opportunity, Richards collected his first of two goals from Adam Powell and Quenneville at the 4:30 mark. He grabbed his third point of the game less than three minutes later, again from Quenneville for a 5-2 cushion.

Joel Gistedt fell to 4-10-0 on the season after allowing five goals on 35 shots. Kris Tebbs appeared in net for the IceRays and turned aside 19 of 21 shots in the win. The Sundogs were held scoreless on four power play chances while allowing Corpus Christi three goals on six man-advantage opportunities. With the loss, the Sundogs fall three games under .500 at 17-20-2 and sit four points ahead of Corpus Christi and New Mexico for the Southern Conference's fifth and final playoff spot.

The Sundogs return home for eight-straight home games beginning on Friday, Jan. 23 against the Colorado Eagles. The season-long three-week home stand will see clubs Colorado, Rocky Mountain and Amarillo visit Tim's Toyota Center. Friday's game is set for 7:05pm (Arizona time). 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.

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Central Hockey League Stories from January 17, 2009


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