Sundogs Extend Winning Streak to Three, Top Defending Champs, 4-2
December 16, 2010 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Arizona Sundogs News Release
PRESCOTT VALLEY, Ariz. - Luke Erickson tallied a pair of markers against his former club and the Arizona Sundogs extended their winning streak to three, downing the defending Ray Miron Presidents' Cup Champion Rapid City Rush, 4-2, Wednesday night at Tim's Toyota Center in the first of nine meetings between the two clubs this season.
Kyle Hood also collected a pair of goals while rookie defenseman Jim Driscoll picked up two assists in the win.
Levente Szuper turned away 38 of 40 shots, improving to 6-4-3 on the year with his second consecutive win and third in four starts.
Arizona is 4-1-0 in its last five contests and has earned points in 12 of its last 15, going 10-3-2 over that span.
In an evenly-contested first period, the visiting Rush struck late in the opening frame to build a 1-0 lead heading into the first intermission. Shots were knotted at 13 apiece through 20 minutes of play.
Riley Weselowski picked up his first goal of the year with 2:18 to play in the first, firing a slap shot from the top of the circles over Szuper two seconds after a Kyle Hood interference penalty had come to an end. Derek LeBlanc and Scott Wray assisted on the even-strength goal.
A strong individual play by Joey Sides less than a minute into the second period pulled Arizona even at one.
Intercepting an outlet pass at center ice, Sides sidestepped around a Rapid City player at the blue line and found Hood streaking through the slot 21 seconds into the middle frame.
Karl Sellan nearly gave Arizona its first lead of the contest midway through the period, rattling a backhand effort off the crossbar.
Erickson tallied the first of two goals on the night with just 8.4 seconds remaining in the second period to give the Sundogs a 2-1 lead after 40 minutes of play, lifting a rebound over former teammate Danny Battochio at the near post.
Hood stretched the Sundogs' lead to two at the third period's 7:12 mark with his second of the game, redirecting a Tyler Butler shot from the near boards past Battochio for his fourth of the year.
Already shorthanded and down two skaters with Battochio off the ice in favor of an extra attacker, Erickson sealed the win with an empty net marker, firing the puck the length of the ice for his team-leading 12th goal of the season with 2:04 to play in the contest.
Grant Farrell added a late power-play goal for the Rush.
The Sundogs were held without a power-play goal for the second straight game, finishing 0-for-2 with the man advantage while Rapid City converted once on five power play chances.
With the win, Arizona (11-10-3) climbs above the .500 mark and moves into a two-way tie for third place in the Berry Conference with the Texas Brahmas. The Sundogs and Rush face off again Friday at 7:05pm (Arizona time). Tickets start at just $12 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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