Sundogs Fall to Gorillas, 7-5, in Offensive Battle
March 6, 2010 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Arizona Sundogs News Release
PRESCOTT VALLEY, Ariz. - The Arizona Sundogs and Amarillo Gorillas combined to score 12 goals in their final meeting of the regular season Saturday night at Tim's Toyota Center including seven in the opening frame as the visiting Gorillas snapped the Sundogs' three-game win streak, 7-5.
With two tallies in the first period, Jake Morissette completed the hat trick effort with an empty-net marker with 13 seconds remaining in the contest.
Doug Groenestege finished with 24 saves on 30 shots in his 12th straight start for the Sundogs.
Arizona jumped out to an early 2-0 lead on goals by Joey Sides and Steve Potvin in the game's first nine minutes before the two teams traded tallies in the second half of the period.
On a 3-on-2 break just over four minutes in, Sides and Linus Fagemo traded passes at the Amarillo blue line before Fagemo re-connected with Sides in the slot as the rookie forward snapped a shot high glove side past Mike Brown extending his points streak to four games with his 15th goal of the year.
Veteran Steve Potvin stretched his club's lead to two at the 8:14 mark redirecting an Andrew Winnik centering feed past Brown at the far post as Winnik rushed up the ice catching the Gorillas in a line change.
Morissette continued the scoring trend less than a minute later, trickling a shot past Groenestege as the netminder got a piece of the initial shot.
With Potvin in the penalty box for interference midway through the frame, Gordon Bell pulled the Gorillas even at two with a shot from the point through traffic past a screened Groenestege. The goal would be the first given up by the Sundogs in the last 18 opposition man-advantage chances.
Fagemo reclaimed a one-goal lead for Arizona 45 second later with a wrap-around effort from Sides and Belanger at 11:35 before Morissette and Joe Guenther each converted for a 4-3 Amarillo lead after 20 minutes of play.
Anthony Battaglia opened a two-goal lead for Amarillo 7:23 into the middle period with a one-timer from the far circle high past Groenestege but Potvin responded with his second goal of the game three minutes later, skating in from the far faceoff dot and sneaking a shot five-hole past Brown.
David Nimmo pushed the score to 6-4 in favor of the Gorillas with a rebound goal at the near post just over a minute later.
Kyle Hood pulled Arizona back to within one at 12:18 of the third as he collected a Evan Shaw zone-to-zone pass behind the Amarillo defense and deked Brown to the ice before beating him with a wrist shot.
The Sundogs allowed seven goals in a game for the first time since an 8-2 loss to the Colorado Eagles on November 28.
Arizona finished 0-for-1 with the man-advantage while Amarillo converted twice on six power-play tries.
The Sundogs close out the road portion of their 2009-10 season with their final three contests away from Tim's Toyota Center beginning Tuesday at 6:05pm (Arizona time) against the Corpus Christi IceRays. Listen live on KDDL âCattle Country' 94.3FM, the Official Radio Home of Arizona Sundogs Hockey, and online at www.cattlecountryradio.com.
Central Hockey League Stories from March 6, 2010
- Greg Pankewicz and Mike Mastovich featured on this week's Puska on Pucks - OSC Original by Denis Puska
- Americans clinch home ice for Conference Semi-Finals in 2-1 SO loss to RiverKings - Allen Americans
- Mavs Lose Tight Game to Oilers in Shootout, 3-2 - Kansas City Mavericks
- Sundogs Fall to Gorillas, 7-5, in Offensive Battle - Arizona Sundogs
- Five-Goal Second Period Dooms Rush in 7-3 Loss to Brahmas - Rapid City Rush
- Eagles Gain Ground With 4-2 Win - Colorado Eagles
- RiverKings Claim Shootout Win In Allen - Mississippi RiverKings
- Morissette's hat-trick leads Amarillo to victory - Amarillo Gorillas
- Eagles Edge Thunder - Wichita Thunder
- Mudbugs Drop Third Straight - Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs
- Jacks Top Laredo in Marathon Shootout, 5-4 - Odessa Jackalopes
- Bucks Let One Slip in Shootout, Fall To Fourth - Laredo Bucks
- Goals Come A Plenty; Brahmas Beat Rush 7-3 - Fort Worth Brahmas
- Mavericks Sign D Blake Forsyth, Place Bochek On Suspension - Kansas City Mavericks
- Mangos Named CHL Award Finalist - Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs
- RiverKings Continue Weekend Series In Allen Tonight - Mississippi RiverKings
- Three Rush Players Nominated For Year-End Awards - Rapid City Rush
- Oilers Preview - Tulsa Oilers
- Bucks On Playoff Door Step Tonight - Laredo Bucks
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