Sundogs Notes: Week of February 21, 2011
Published on February 21, 2011 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Arizona Sundogs News Release
The Arizona Sundogs (19-26-6) maintained their grasp on the Berry Conference's eighth and final playoff spot, going 1-1-1 in three games last week.
On Tuesday, Craig Macdonald collected three assists in his Sundogs home debut and Morgan MacLean picked up his first goal of the season against his former club as the recently-acquired duo helped Arizona improve to 3-0-1 against the Odessa Jackalopes at Tim's Toyota Center this season with a 5-4 victory.
On Friday, the Sundogs jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first of five straight games away from Tim's Toyota Center but found themselves trailing late. Kyle Hood forced overtime with his 10th of the year with 3:43 to play in regulation but former Sundogs defenseman Matt Hanson netted the game winner on his club's 50th shot on the night with just 21 seconds to play in the extra frame as the Colorado Eagles skated away with the 4-3 victory.
On Saturday, Arizona trailed 3-0 midway through the game and 4-1 early in the third period but twice closed to within one in the final frame but the defending Ray Miron Presidents' Cup Champion Rapid City Rush extended their CHL season-long winning streak to 13 games with a 5-4 win.
Arizona remains three points ahead of the Laredo Bucks for the Berry Conference's eighth and final playoff spot and sits just two points back of seventh-place Odessa and three points behind sixth-place Rio Grande Valley.
The Sundogs close out their five-game road trip with three games in as many days this week, facing off against the Jackalopes in a pair of contests on Friday and Saturday night before ending the week with an afternoon meeting against Laredo on Sunday.
Arizona owns a 3-1-1 mark against Odessa this season and 4-3-1 in eight games against Laredo.
Quick Facts:
All-Time Record: 307 GP (143-139-25)
Season Record: 51 GP (19-26-6, 44 points)
Home Record: 26 GP (11-14-1, 23 points)
Road Record: 25 GP (8-12-5, 21 points)
Overtime: 4-3
Shootout: 1-3
Record Last 5: 1-3-1
Record Last 10: 2-7-1
Streak: L2
Berry Conference Standings: 8th Place
CHL Standings: 16th Place
Goals For/Goals Against: 155/195
Power Play: 56/313 (17.89%, 7th)
Penalty Kill: 64/298 (78.52%, 17th)
Sundogs Storylines:
- The Sundogs are winless in their last nine road games (0-7-2). Their last road win dates back to December 11, a 3-2 overtime win over the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees.
- Acquired at the trade deadline in a deal with the Bloomington PrairieThunder, veteran forward Craig Macdonald has tallied six points (1g/5a) in five games with Arizona after picking up 11 points (3g/8a) in 30 games with the Bloomington PrairieThunder to start the season. Macdonald is currently riding a four-game point streak.
- Morgan MacLean has already exceeded his three points (0g/3a) in 16 games with the Odessa Jackalopes, netting four points in just eight games with Arizona (1g/3a).
- Kyle Hood is currently riding a two-game point streak (2g/2a) and has recorded six points (2g/4a) in his last four games, moving him into the team's scoring lead with 54 points (11g/43a). His 43 assists, which also lead the team, are a career high and are tied for sixth-most in the CHL while his 26 power-play assists are second-most in the league, two back of Odessa's Sebastien Thinel. Hood is just three goals and two points away from matching his 2009-10 totals.
- Appearing in all three games last week, Levente Szuper faced a total of 119 shots, including 91 in two games against Odessa and Colorado. Szuper is 13-11-4 on the year with a 3.50 goals against average and a .901 save percentage. The netminder ranks 11th in the CHL among goaltenders in minutes played (1,714).
- Joey Sides co-owns the CHL lead with five shorthanded goals and eight shorthanded points. The second-year forward ranks third on the team in scoring with 51 points (22g/29a).
- The Sundogs own a 13-12-2 record against fellow Berry Conference opponents but are just a 6-14-4 against teams from the Turner Conference.
- Arizona is 10-2-4 when leading after one period, 11-2-3 when leading after two periods, 6-8-2 when tied after 20 minutes, 4-3-0 when tied after two periods, 3-16-0 when trailing after the first period and 4-21-3 when trailing after 40 minutes of play.
- The Sundogs are 7-16-1 when outshooting its opponent and 12-9-5 when being outshot in a game.
- Arizona owns a 12-4-6 record in one-goal games this season.
Scoring Streaks:
POINTS
GOALS
ASSISTS
Macdonald - 6 points (1g/5a) in 4 games
Hood - 2 goals in 2 games
Macdonald - 5 assists in 3 games
Hood - 4 points (2g/2a) in 2 games
Hood - 2 assists in 2 games
Statistical Leaders:
Goals: Erickson (29)
Assists: Hood (43)
Points: Hood (54)
Plus/Minus: Driscoll (+4)
Penalty Minutes: Smyth (245)
Power-Play Goals: Erickson, Keith (11)
Power-Play Assists: Hood (26)
Shorthanded Goals: Sides (5)
Shorthanded Assists: Sides (3)
Game-Winning Goals: Erickson (5)
Goaltending Leaders:
Games Played: Szuper (30)
Minutes Played: Szuper (1,714)
Wins: Szuper (13)
Shutouts: n/a
Goals Against Average: Szuper (3.50)
Save Percentage: Szuper (.901)
Upcoming Games:
- Friday, Feb. 25 (6:05pm) at Odessa Jackalopes
- Radio: KDDL 'Cattle Country' 94.3FM
- Online: www.cattlecountryradio.com
- TV: http://chltv.neulion.com
- Saturday, Feb. 26 (6:05pm) at Odessa Jackalopes
- Radio: KDDL 'Cattle Country' 94.3FM
- Online: www.cattlecountryradio.com
- TV: http://chltv.neulion.com
- Sunday, Feb. 27 (3:00pm) at Laredo Bucks
- Radio: KDDL 'Cattle Country' 94.3FM
- Online: www.cattlecountryradio.com
- TV: http://chltv.neulion.com
Upcoming Promotions/Appearances:
- Arizona Sundogs Coaches Show - Tuesday, Feb. 22 from 5:00-7:00pm
- Defensemen Jim Driscoll and John Wessbecker will appear on the Arizona Sundogs Coaches Show.
- Stop by Tailgaters Sports Grill/Il Primo's Pizza Tuesday from 5:00-7:00pm. Players will be available for photos and autographs and will talk with fans from 5:00-6:00pm before going on the air from 6:00-7:00pm.
- Listen to the show live on KQNA 'News-Talk-Sports' 1130AM and www.KQNA.com.
- BackBurner Family Restaurant Meet and Greet - Wednesday, Feb. 23 from 12:30-2:00pm
- Stop by BackBurner Family Restaurant in Prescott Valley from 12:30-2:00pm and meet the entire Arizona Sundogs team.
- Players will be available for photos and autographs and will talk with fans during the event.
- BackBurner Family Restaurant is located off Robert Road at 8400 E. Long Mesa Drive in Prescott Valley.
- Buffalo Wild Wings Player Appearance - Wednesday, Feb. 23 from 6:00-8:00pm
- Stop by Buffalo Wild Wings in Prescott Valley from 6:00-8:00pm and meet defenseman and team captain Tyler Butler and recently-acquired forward Craig Macdonald.
- Butler and Macdonald will be available for photos and autographs and will talk with fans during the appearance.
- Buffalo Wild Wings is located in the Prescott Valley Entertainment District across from Harkins Theatres.
Central Hockey League Stories from February 21, 2011
- PrairieThunder Defeats Quad City 3-2 on Monday Night - Bloomington PrairieThunder
- Bloomington Powers Past Mallards 3-2 - Quad City Mallards
- Mudbugs Weekly - Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs
- Brahmas Stay Hot in Sixth Straight Win - Fort Worth Brahmas
- Brahmas Power Past Thunder - Wichita Thunder
- Shots from the Point for February 21, 2011 - CHL
- RiverKings' Hearts Beat for Good Heart Health - Mississippi RiverKings
- Join the Mudbugs for Pink in the Rink Weekend - Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs
- Hogeboom Snags 'Player of the Week' Honors - Fort Worth Brahmas
- RiverKings Weekly - Mississippi RiverKings
- Texas' Greg Hogeboom Named Oakley CHL Player of the Week - CHL
- Gems Release Schwartzbauer, Sign Jake Pence - Dayton Gems
- Komets Cap Three-Game Weekend Sweep - Fort Wayne Komets
- Bucks Host Amerks Tuesday - Laredo Bucks
- Mallards Weekly Update - Quad City Mallards
- Dayton Gems: Weekend Review - Dayton Gems
- Key Road Series For Oilers - Tulsa Oilers
- Sundogs Notes: Week of February 21, 2011 - Arizona Sundogs
- Jackalopes Weekly Update - Odessa Jackalopes
- IceMen Weekly Notes - Evansville IceMen
- IceMen Weekly - Evansville IceMen
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