Sundogs Move Into Tie for Final Playoff Spot with Shootout Loss
Published on February 26, 2009 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Arizona Sundogs News Release
PRESCOTT VALLEY, Ariz. - In the first of three games in as many days in South Texas, the Arizona Sundogs battled the Laredo Bucks Thursday night at the Laredo Entertainment Center in Laredo, Texas. Trailing by two in the second, Arizona tallied twice to force overtime before eventually falling in a shootout, 5-4. Despite the loss, the Sundogs collected a much-needed point in the standings, moving them into a tie for the Southern Conference's fifth and final playoff spot with Corpus Christi, a team they face tomorrow night. Karl Sellan tallied twice in the loss and now sits just two goals back of the league lead. Veteran Joel Irving was held scoreless in his 700th professional contest.
After being held scoreless through the first 45 minutes of Tuesday night's 6-2 loss to the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees, Arizona needed just 2:18 Thursday night to find the back of the net and open a 1-0 lead. Sellan netted his first of two goals on the night on a Tyler Liebel centering feed from the corner. Veteran defenseman Chris Bartolone extended his current point streak to 10 games, also tallying an assist on the play. Igor Agarunov pulled his club even at 1-1 two-and-a-half minutes later with the Bucks on their first man-advantage opportunity of the night following a Kyle Hood tripping penalty. Darryl Smith collected his rookie-leading 59th point of the year with an assist on the early equalizer. With 3:06 to play in the opening period, Mark Kolanos found a streaking Adam Perry behind the Bucks' defense but the rookie forward was interfered with during the breakaway chance and was awarded a penalty shot. Skating in, Perry faked backhand to forehand before lifting a shot over netminder Sebastien Centomo to give Arizona a 2-1 advantage late in the frame. The visiting Sundogs outshot Laredo 11-9 through the first 20 minutes of play.
Trailing by one, Laredo recorded three goals in less than three minutes to take a 4-2 lead early in the second period. Alex Goupil opened scoring 2:27 into the frame with an unassisted marker, his 20th of the season, to tie the game at two goals apiece. Matt Miller gave the Bucks their first lead of the game 75 seconds later, converting on a pass from Agarunov, his second point of the night. Newly-signed rookie forward Mickey Gilchrist capped-off the scoring burst just past the five-minute mark, stretching his club's lead to 4-2. Goupil registered his second point of the period with the lone assist on the play. Sellan climbed to within two goals of the CHL lead with his 29th of the year to close out scoring in the second, cutting the Bucks' lead back to one with 12 minutes to play in the period. Liebel notched his second assist of the night in just his second game since returning from the 30-day I.R. The Sundogs again held Laredo to just nine shots in the frame while throwing 15 towards Centomo and the Bucks' net.
Matt Hanson gathered the third period's lone goal, an unassisted power play tally at the 13:51 mark, to force overtime and the eventual shootout.
Sellan, Kyle Hood and Mark Kolanos were all turned away by Centomo in the shootout while Jason Dixon, Jaye Judd and Brent Cullaton each converted for Laredo.
Gistedt (8-13-1) gathered his first shootout loss of the season, stopping 24 of 28 shots while Centomo earned his 18th win of the season with 29 saves on 33 shots Thursday night. The Sundogs finished 1-for-5 on the man-advantage while the Bucks converted on 1-of-3 power play opportunities.
In the midst of a four-game, five-day road trip through South Texas, the Sundogs square off against the Corpus Christi IceRays tomorrow night at 6:05pm (Arizona time). The two teams come into the contest tied for the Southern Conference's fifth and final playoff spot with 48 points. The game can be heard via tape-delay beginning at 7:00pm on 96.7 FM The Wolf, the Official Broadcast Home of the Arizona Sundogs.
Central Hockey League Stories from February 26, 2009
- Sundogs Move Into Tie for Final Playoff Spot with Shootout Loss - Arizona Sundogs
- Bucks Burn Sundogs In Shootout 5-4 - Laredo Bucks
- Oilers at Camp Read A Lot - Tulsa Oilers
- RiverKings - Oklahoma City Preview - Mississippi RiverKings
- Gilchrist Officially A Buck - Laredo Bucks
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