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Sundogs Fall on Opening Night 7-2

October 18, 2008 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Arizona Sundogs News Release


PRESCOTT VALLEY, Ariz. - The Central Hockey League Ray Miron President's Cup Champion Arizona Sundogs celebrated their 2008 championship season with a sell-out crowd of 4,810 fans on Friday night by raising Southwest Division and President's Cup Championship banners prior to opening the 2008-09 campaign against Southwest Division foe the Odessa Jackalopes. Despite the pregame ceremonies, the visiting Jackalopes cast a shadow on the night, topping the defending champion Sundogs 7-2.

Odessa controlled the opening 20 minutes of play Friday night and skated into the first intermission with a commanding 3-0 lead. Jackalopes rookie forward Jeff Pierce was credited with his club's first goal of the frame, redirecting a Brian Swiniarski shot past Sundogs goaltender Joel Gistedt. Mario Joly was also awarded an assist on the early tally. Kory Karlander pushed Odessa's lead to 2-0 at the 14:00 mark with his first goal of the season on passes from Sebastien Thinel and Philippe Plante. Just 59 seconds later, Jean Borbeau netted the Jackalopes' second tally with the man advantage to give his club a three-goal cushion. Pierce and Collin Circelli helped on the play to close out scoring in the period.

The Jackalopes needed less than two minutes to push the score to 5-0 in the middle stanza as Thinel grabbed Odessa's third-straight power play marker from Dominic Leveille and Karlander just 26 seconds in. A minute-and-a-half later would see Borbeau tally his second and his club's fourth goal with the man advantage from Circelli, his second helper of the night. Odessa's special teams play continued to dominate as Mark Johnson netted an unassisted shorthanded tally just past the midway point of the period, ending Gistedt's night in net for Arizona. The Sundogs finally worked their way onto the score sheet with a power play goal at the period's 13:32 mark as Chris Bartolone fired a shot from the point that found its way past Jackalopes netminder Juha Toivonen off a Karl Sellan redirect. Along with Bartolone, Jon Landry also collected an assist on the Sundogs' first goal of the 2008-09 season.

Arizona killed off a two-minute 5-on-3 Odessa power play early on in the third period, but as the two-man advantage expired, Mario Joly pinched from his defensive position and collected his first goal and second point of the game on a Circelli centering pass from behind the net. Borbeau was also credited with an assist, his first helper and third point of the night. Veteran forward Joel Irving notched his first goal of the season with less than seven minutes to play in regulation, slamming a rebound over a sprawled out Toivonen. Returning forward Cory Stillman and Landry helped on the play.

Coyotes draft pick Joel Gistedt started in net for Arizona but was pulled partway through the second period after allowing six goals on 18 shots. In relief effort, Marco Emond stopped eight of nine shots faced. Juha Toivonen appeared in goal for Odessa and blocked 20 of 22 shots in the win. The Sundogs finished 1-for-13 on the power play while the Jackalopes converted on four of 13 chances with the man advantage. Odessa outshot the defending champion Sundogs 27-22.

The Sundogs and Jackalopes square off again tomorrow at Tim's Toyota Center in Prescott Valley. Game time is set for 7:05pm. Tickets 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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