Sundogs Drop Penalty-Filled Contest, 6-4

Published on November 15, 2009 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Arizona Sundogs News Release


PRESCOTT VALLEY, Ariz. - Referee Mike Wiegert handed out a total of 114 minutes in penalties between the Arizona Sundogs and Corpus Christi IceRays Saturday night including 69 minutes in roughing and fighting-related infractions in a game that lasted three hours and 15 minutes, due in large part to multiple delays while sorting out numerous penalties.

Trailing 3-0 early on, Arizona battled back to within one late but was unable to close out the comeback effort as the visiting IceRays escaped with a 6-4 win on the strength of an empty net goal in the last minute of play.

Looking to secure a 6-4 win with an empty net chance with 26 seconds remaining in the contest, Ryan Garbutt was hauled down by Chris Bartolone before finding the back of the net but was awarded his second goal and third point of the night despite never having actually scored. The hooking infraction ignited yet another melee to close out the game with 12 penalty minutes being distributed among five players.

Opposite Friday night, Corpus Christi would tally early and often in Saturday's opening period for a 3-1 lead after 20 minutes of play. The IceRays opened a three-goal lead on goals by Jereme Tendler, Morgan MacLean and Chad Wollard before the Sundogs cut the deficit to two on a Kyle Hood power play goal midway through the frame.

Skating 5-on-4, Torren Delforte circled low before slipping a pass across the goal crease through traffic to Hood on the far post at the 8:34 mark.

Tendler opened scoring just 16 seconds into the contest, slamming home a rebound from between the circles for his tenth of the year as J.F. Perras was unable to steer away a Ryan Bennett shot. A scuffle erupted immediately following the goal in a preview of frustrations to come.

MacLean opened a two-goal cushion at 3:50 with a shorthanded marker from Garbutt and Chris Mei and Wollard added a power play tally less than two minutes later, sneaking a low shot past Perras on the near post.

Despite being down by a 3-1 mark, Arizona doubled-up Corpus Christi in shots in the first period, 17-6.

Chris Richards reclaimed a three-goal lead for the IceRays 1:23 into a middle frame full of back and forth action with his club's second power play goal of the game.

The Sundogs continued to pepper Kris Tebbs in the second, building a two-period 35-14 shot advantage.

Delforte colected his second point of the contest just over three minutes later, cutting Corpus Christi's lead back to two. On a strong individual effort by Joey Sides to gain the offensive zone, Delforte skated out of the corner with possession of the puck and circled to the hash marks before firing a wrist shot past the glove of the IceRays netminder.

Garbutt made the score 5-2 with his second point and first goal of the game 68 seconds later as Arizona turned the puck over at its own blue line.

Kevin Gardner pulled Arizona back to within two with 5:28 to play in the second, striding beneath an IceRays defenseman before cutting across the front of Tebbs for his fifth of the season from Konrad Reeder.

Scott Thauwald cut Corpus Christi's lead to one 13:49 into the final frame, collecting a pass from Bartolone and sliding a low shot past Tebbs from inside the far circle.

Arizona finished 1-for-11 with the man advantage Saturday while Corpus Christi converted twice on nine chances in the win.

The Sundogs open a three-game road trip on Thursday, Nov. 19 against the expansion Allen Americans at 6:30pm (Arizona time). The game can be heard live on KDDL 'Cattle Country' 94.3FM, the Official Radio Home of Arizona Sundogs Hockey, and online at www.cattlecountryradio.com.

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Central Hockey League Stories from November 15, 2009


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