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Sundogs Fall to Scorpions 7-4 in Penalty-Plagued Game

February 23, 2008 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Arizona Sundogs News Release


PRESCOTT VALLEY, Ariz. - An over-capacity sellout crowd of 4,826 fans, the second over-capacity crowd of the 2007-08 season, traveled to Tim's Toyota Center in Prescott Valley Saturday night to see the Arizona Sundogs take on Southwest Division rival the New Mexico Scorpions in the third of three-straight games between then two clubs. In a penalty-plagued game - the two teams shared in 141 total penalty minutes - New Mexico used five powerplay goals to skate past the Sundogs by a 7-4 mark. For the second time in the three-game mini series, all of Arizona's goals came with the man advantage. The Sundogs tallied four powerplay goals in a 6-4 loss to New Mexico on Wednesday. With the loss and an Odessa win Saturday night, the Sundogs sit in a two-way tie for first place in the Southwest Division. With the win, New Mexico sits just two points back of the division-leading clubs.

As was the case in the previous games on Wednesday and Friday night, New Mexico would tally the game's first goal. Christopher Robertson found the back of the net for his 24th of the year on passes from Konrad Reeder and Craig Macdonald 8:13 into the game to give his club a 1-0 lead. Arizona answered back with its first powerplay tally of the night 1:47 later to tie the game at 1-1. Cory Urquhart grabbed his second goal since joining the Sundogs on passes from Alex Leavitt and Dan Laperriere. New Mexico regained a one-goal lead less than two minutes later as Reeder collected his second point and first goal of the contest. Vladimir Hartinger put a shot on net that wriggled free from Marco Emond allowing Reeder to slap home the rebound. Mitch Stephens also collected an assist on the go ahead tally. The Scorpions increased their lead to 3-1 with their first powerplay goal of the game with less than a minute to play in the opening stanza. Reeder skated behind the Sundogs net but not before dropping a pass to Robertson who lifted the puck over Emond for his second marker of the period. Rookie Dominic Osman grabbed his 18th helper of the year, assisting on the late goal. Arizona held a four-shot advantage in the first period, outshooting the visiting Scorpions by a 14-10 mark.

Arizona found itself with an extended man advantage to open the second period and the league's top-rated powerplay cut New Mexico's lead to 3-2 at the 4:33 mark as Laperriere fired a one-timer from the blue line past Scorpions netminder Mike Minard for his 12th goal of the season. Rookie forward Mark Kolanos sent the setup pass to the veteran d-man for his 26th assist of the season. New Mexico then used three-straight powerplay goals over a 62 second span as Tyler Liebel and Chris Bartolone were sent to the penalty box, each with four-minute penalties just 17 seconds apart. The Scorpions Converted twice on the Liebel penalties, the first by Robertson for his club's second hat trick in three games against Arizona. Aaron MacInnis and Hartinger were credited with assists on Robertson's third of the game. Hartinger then found the back of the net at the 7:43 mark from Robertson and Macdonald to push the Scorpions' lead to 5-2. Reeder grabbed his second of the contest 35 seconds later for a four-goal lead with Hartinger and Macdonald gathering assists. After New Mexico's consecutive 5-on-3 advantages, referee Paul DePuydt penalized the Scorpions with a total of 14 minutes in calls over a four minute span. The Sundogs found the back of the net twice to pull to back within two heading into the third period. Leavitt took passes from Laperriere and Bartolone and squeezed a slapshot through Minard's legs for his club's third of the game. Exactly one minute later, Bartolone fired a shot top shelf to close out second period scoring. Urquhart and Laperriere assisted in the Bartolone tally for their second and fourth points on the night respectively. The Sundogs put 20 shots on net in the middle period to increase their advantage in shots to 34-22 through 40 minutes of play.

New Mexico took a 7-4 lead at 7:51 of the third period as MacInnis beat Emond with a shot from the point on a pass from Robertson. After ten goals between the two teams in the first two periods of play, the MacInnis tally would be the only third period marker.

Marco Emond appeared in net for Arizona and stopped 25 of 32 shots in the loss while Mike Minard got his second-straight victory against Arizona blocking 41 of 45 shots on net. The Sundogs finished 4-for-15 with the man advantage while New Mexico converted on five of 12 powerplay chances.

Arizona now prepares to take to the road for six-straight games beginning on Thursday, February 28 against the Amarillo Gorillas. Game time is set for 6:05pm (Arizona time). but will be tape-delayed until 7:00pm on 96.7 FM The Wolf, the Official Broadcast Home of the Arizona Sundogs.

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