Sundogs Hold on for 5-4 Victory, Maintain One-Point Cushion for Fifth Playoff Spot
February 1, 2009 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Arizona Sundogs News Release
PRESCOTT VALLEY, Ariz. - Donning special âState of Arizona' themed jerseys, the Arizona Sundogs closed out their six-game regular season series against the Rocky Mountain Rage Saturday night at Tim's Toyota Center. Trailing 5-2 late in the game, Rocky Mountain stormed back to within one but Arizona held on for the 5-4 victory, maintaining their one-point cushion over Corpus Christi for the Southern Conference's fifth and final playoff spot. Joel Gistedt turned aside 27 shots for his fifth win of the year.
Both teams traded quality scoring chances in opening period of play Saturday night but neither found the back of the net as each goaltender turned aside every shot faced. Arizona held a 16-9 advantage in shots in the frame. The Sundogs looked to have taken a 1-0 lead at the 12:33 mark as Karl Sellan corralled a loose puck and sent a backhand past Scott Reid but a quick whistle negated the play as referee Kevin Graber lost sight of the puck.
After a scoreless first, the two teams combined for five goals in the middle period as Arizona skated into the second intermission with a 3-2 lead. Rookie forward Peter Cartwright opened scoring 2:34 into the period with his ninth of the year after a Rocky Mountain turnover in its own zone. Picking the puck off at the near halfboards, Cartwright skated to the faceoff dot and sent a low shot past Reid for the 1-0 lead. Kai Magnussen tied the game at 1-1 two-and-half minutes later with his club's first of two power play tallies in the period, redirecting a Mark Smith shot from the point over Joel Gistedt. The Sundogs regained a one-goal lead 27 seconds later off an offensive zone faceoff as a Rage player turned and fired a clearing attempt into his own net. Matt Craig was credited with the goal. Skating 5-on-4, Jarred Mohr pulled his club even at two goals apiece at the 7:23 mark with a low shot along the ice from Simon Watson and David Morelli. With ten minutes to play in the second, Cartwright netted his second of the game on a strong forecheck by Kyle Hood. First to the puck, Hood sent a no-look backhand pass from behind the net to Cartwright at the top of the circle. A.J. MacLean was also credited with an assist on Arizona's third go-ahead marker of the night. Shots were an even 24 apiece after 40 minutes of play.
Jason Lawmaster gave Arizona its biggest lead of the game six minutes into the third period, shelfing a shot from the point over Reid for his first goal and second point since being traded to Arizona earlier in the week. Matt Suderman collected his eighth assist on the year while Perry notched his eighth point and third assist in three games against the Rage. Hood recorded his second point of the game with seven minutes to play in regulation on passes from Matt Craig and Mark Kolanos to give the Sundogs a commanding 5-2 lead. Rocky Mountain made it interesting, storming back to within one with power play goals separated by just 55 seconds late in the period. Magnussen grabbed his second man-advantage goal of the game from Watson and Morelli at the 15:03 mark and Scott Wray registered his 17th of the year less than a minute later to pull the Rage back to within one. Colt King was tagged with an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty with less than a minute to play in the game, all but securing Arizona's 5-4 win as Rocky Mountain was unable to replace Reid with an extra attacker.
Gistedt grabbed his fifth win of the season, stopping 27 of 31 shots on net while Reid fell to 13-10-2 on the year, allowing five goals on 36 shots. Arizona continued its recent struggles on special teams, allowing four power play goals on 10 chances while converting on just one of nine man-advantage opportunities.
With the win, Arizona improves to 19-22-3 on the year and maintains a one-point lead over the Corpus Christi IceRays for the Southern Conference's fifth and final playoff spot. Arizona closes out its season-long eight-game homestand with three-straight against the Amarillo Gorillas starting next Wednesday at Tim's Toyota Center. Game time for all three contests is set for 7:05pm. Tickets start at just $14 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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Central Hockey League Stories from February 1, 2009
- Rush Slowed By RiverKings 4-0 - Mississippi RiverKings
- Sundogs Hold on for 5-4 Victory, Maintain One-Point Cushion for Fifth Playoff Spot - Arizona Sundogs
- Rage's Spirited Comeback Falls Just Short - Rocky Mountain Rage
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