Sundogs Look for First Trip to Finals

April 25, 2008 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Arizona Sundogs News Release


The Arizona Sundogs can earn a berth in the Ray Miron President's Cup Finals tonight when they play Game Six of the Southern Conference Finals versus the Laredo Bucks. Face-off is scheduled for 7:30 PM (CST) at the Laredo Entertainment Center. The Colorado Eagles/Texas Brahmas are awaiting the winner of the Southern Conference Finals.

Arizona won a classic playoff game on Monday at Tim's Toyota Center by a final score of 2-1. Karl Sellan scored his second goal of the post-season with 12:00 remaining in the third period. Cory Urquhart also scored for Arizona giving him 12 goals in the playoffs (tied with Scott Sheppard for the most in the CHL). Each of the last three games in the series have been decided by a goal.

The Bucks have made it to the Southern Conference Finals in each of the last six seasons and have been to the CHL Finals in each of the last four seasons. Chris Stanley is leading the Bucks with 13 points in the post-season (six goals, seven assists). In Monday's game, Stanley was moved off the line with Jeff Bes and James Hiebert and struggled with a -2 plus/minus rating.

Arizona goaltender Rob McVicar has won each of the last two games in the series and dating back to the regular season has won 12 straight games.

Southern Conference Finals (best-of-7, all times local) Game 1 - Mon., Apr. 14 - Arizona 6 at Laredo 4 Game 2 - Tue., Apr. 15 - Arizona 1 at Laredo 3 Game 3 - Fri., Apr. 18 - Laredo 4 at Arizona 3 (OT) Game 4 - Sat., Apr. 19 - Laredo 3 at Arizona 4 Game 5 - Mon., Apr. 21 - Laredo 1 at Arizona 2 (Sundogs lead series 3-2) Game 6 - Fri., Apr. 25 - Arizona at Laredo, 7:05 PM *Game 7 - Sat., Apr. 26 - Arizona at Laredo, 7:05 PM * -if necessary

Series Notes -Arizona has outscored Laredo 16-15 in the series -Laredo penalty killers have held the potent Sundogs power play (26.8% in regular season) to just four PP goals in 39 chances (10.3) -Arizona's Tyler Redenbach leads all players with eight points in the series (all assists); dating back to the regular season, he has points in 34 of 36 games he has played

EAGLES SIT AND WAIT The Colorado Eagles will sit and wait watching tonight's Sundogs/Bucks game to see who their opponent in the CHL Finals will be. The Eagles defeated the Texas Brahmas 3-2 on Wednesday night winning their best of seven conference finals series in seven games. Colorado will be without Captain Greg Pankewicz when their finals series opens as he and defenseman Jay Birnie have two games remaining on their three game suspensions levied by the CHL after their part in a post-game altercation following Game Six. Colorado is the defending Ray Miron President's Cup champs and are in the finals for the third time in four years.

CHL TIES IN LONGEST AHL GAME On Thursday night in the AHL's Calder Cup playoffs, the Philadelphia Phantoms defeated the Albany River Rats 3-2 in the longest game in AHL history. Ryan Potulny scored the game winning goal at 2:58 of the fifth overtime giving Philly a 3-2 series lead (best of seven). Former New Mexico Scorpion defenseman David Cornacchia played in the game for Albany and former CHL referee Frederic L'Ecuyer officiated the game. L'Ecuyer was with the CHL for four seasons and on October 11, 2007 he made his NHL debut.

Other Alumni News: Former San Angelo Saint forward Chris Minard is second in the AHL playoffs with four goals (five points). He, along with former Laredo Buck David Gove, has the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins just one win away from advancing in their series versus Hershey who have former Wichita Thunder Head Coach Mark French as an assistant. Also, former Arizona Sundog defenseman Sean Sullivan has dressed in one game with San Antonio in their series with Toronto.



Central Hockey League Stories from April 25, 2008


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