Sundogs Earn Point in 4-3 Overtime Loss

Published on February 25, 2011 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Arizona Sundogs News Release


PRESCOTT VALLEY, Ariz. - The Arizona Sundogs' road winless streak reached 10 games in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Odessa Jackalopes Friday night at the Ector County Coliseum in Odessa, Texas.

Arizona trailed by a pair of goals early and 3-1 midway through the second period but found themselves in a position to earn two points on the road for the first time in more than two months after goals by Luke Erickson and Mark Kolanos in the second half of the middle frame.

The Sundogs last won on the road on December 11, a 3-2 overtime victory over the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees.

Converting on more than 20 percent of their power play chances against the Jackalopes coming into the contest, Arizona was unable to capitalize on two separate man advantage opportunities in overtime, eventually giving up a shorthanded goal to Mike Ramsay 2:40 into the extra session. The Sundogs converted just once on 11 power plays in the loss.

Scoring for the first time in six games, Erickson picked up his first of two markers late in the first period, cutting Arizona's deficit in half with a turnaround shot from the slot on a lengthy 5-on-3 power play. Kyle Hood and Tyler Butler assisted on the play, exchanging passes along the blue line before the tally.

Butler and Hood each had quality scoring chances in the first period but David McKee denied each opportunity to maintain his team's lead. Butler blasted a shot from the point that came to rest in the goal crease after McKee got a piece of the shot while Hood had a shorthanded breakaway attempt steered into the corner by the Odessa goaltender.

Mike Lesperance converted on a delayed penalty against Arizona to give the Jackalopes an early 1-0 lead, slapping a second-chance effort past Levente Szuper at the top of the goal crease at the 4:30 mark after sending a backhand effort into the pads of the Sundogs netminder.

Mark Ehl stretched Odessa's lead to two less than three minutes later, collecting the puck deep in his own end and skating through neutral before beating Szuper near side with a wrist shot from just inside the blue line.

Todd Robinson reclaimed a two-goal cushion for the Jackalopes at 8:15 of the second period, lifting a rebound over Szuper from the right dot for his club's second power-play goal of the contest but back-to-back goals by Kolanos and Erickson pulled Arizona even at three after 40 minutes of play.

Kolanos, skating in his first game since being sidelined by an injury suffered on January 21, closed the Sundogs to within one with his 13th of the year at the game's midway point. Defensemen Jamie VanderVeeken and Maxime Renaud assisted on the play, cycling with possession before finding Kolanos in the slot.

Erickson's second of the game at 16:27 of the middle frame knotted the score at three.

The Jackalopes outshot the Sundogs, 37-22, in the contest.

Despite the loss, Arizona (19-26-7) remains in the Berry Conference's eighth and final playoff spot, just three points back of seventh place Odessa. The two clubs face off again tomorrow at 6:05pm (Arizona time). 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 February 25, 2011


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