Sundogs Notes
February 14, 2011 - Central Hockey League (CHL) - Arizona Sundogs News Release
The Arizona Sundogs (18-25-5) dropped a pair of contests to the defending Ray Miron Presidents' Cup Champion Rapid City Rush last week, falling in each game by a 4-2 score.
Skating in their first game away from Tim's Toyota Center in nearly a month after a season-long nine-game homestand, the Sundogs saw their road winless streak reach six games in a 4-2 loss to the Rush Friday night.
On Saturday, Ryan Menei added to his league-leading goal total and Rapid City handed Arizona its seventh straight road loss, again by a 4-2 final. Craig Macdonald, acquired at the trade deadline in a deal with the Bloomington PrairieThunder and skating in his second game in a Sundogs uniform, tallied his first goal with Arizona.
Arizona last won on the road on December 11, earning a 3-2 victory over the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees in Hidalgo, Texas.
The Sundogs face off against the Odessa Jackalopes (20-22-6) on Tuesday, Feb. 15 at 7:05pm (Arizona time) at Tim's Toyota Center in Prescott Valley before returning to the road for a pair of contests against Turner Conference opponents the Colorado Eagles on Friday, Feb. 18 (7:05pm Arizona time) and Rapid City on Saturday. Feb. 19 (7:05pm Arizona time).
Sundogs Storylines:
- The Sundogs are winless in their last seven road games. Their last road win dates back to December 11, a 3-2 win over the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees.
- Collecting just one goal and 11 points in his first 37 games to start the season, veteran forward Joel Irving has picked up three goals and two assists in his last four games.
- With a pair of assists in a 4-2 loss to Rapid City on Saturday, Feb. 11, Kyle Hood now has 50 points on the season and has moved into a tie for the team's scoring lead with Luke Erickson. Hood's 41 assists lead the team and are seventh most in the CHL while his 25 power-play assists are second-most in the league, two back of Odessa's Sebastien Thinel. Hood is on track to surpass his points total from the 2009-10 season in which he finished as the team's leading scorer with 56 points (14g/42a).
- Arizona sits in eighth place in the Berry Conference, two points back of seventh-place Rio Grande Valley and two points ahead of last-place Laredo.
- Luke Erickson's 29 goals are tied for third-most in the CHL, three back of Rapid City's Ryan Menei. His 11 power-play goals are tied for the most in the CHL along with teammate Cam Keith, Tulsa's Derek Eastman and Mississippi's Matt Summers.
- Adam Smyth continues to lead the league in penalty minutes (239) and major penalties (21).
- Acquired at the trade deadline in a deal with the Bloomington PrairieThunder, veteran forward Craig Macdonald tallied his first goal in his second game in a Sundogs uniform in a 4-2 loss to the Rush on Saturday, Feb. 11.
- Arizona paces the league in minor (365) and major (59) penalties and power-play goals for (54) and against (62).
- The Sundogs own a 12-12-2 record against fellow Berry Conference opponents but are just a 6-13-3 against teams from the Turner Conference.
- Arizona owns the third-best home power-play in the CHL at 22.4%. Conversely, the team's road power play ranks 16th in the league at 14.1%.
- The Sundogs are 10-2-4 when leading after one period, 10-2-3 when leading after two periods, 5-8-1 when tied after 20 minutes, 4-3-0 when tied after two periods, 3-1-5-0 when trailing after the first period and 4-20-2 when trailing after 40 minutes of play.
- Arizona is 7-15-1 when outshooting its opponent and 11-9-4 when being outshot in a game.
- The Sundogs are 11-3-5 in one-goal games this season.
Scoring Streaks:
POINTS
GOALS
ASSISTS
Irving - 5 points (3g/2a) in 4 games
Visser - 2 assists in 2 games
Visser - 2 points (0g/2a) in 2 games
Statistical Leaders:
Goals: Erickson (29)
Assists: Hood (41)
Points: Erickson, Hood (50)
Plus/Minus: Driscoll (+3)
Penalty Minutes: Smyth (239)
Power-Play Goals: Erickson, Keith (11)
Power-Play Assists: Hood (25)
Shorthanded Goals: Sides (4)
Shorthanded Assists: Sides (3)
Game-Winning Goals: Erickson (5)
Goaltending Leaders:
Games Played: Szuper (27)
Minutes Played: Szuper (1,530)
Wins: Szuper (12)
Shutouts: n/a
Goals Against Average: Szuper (3.41)
Save Percentage: Szuper (.902)
Upcoming Games:
- Tuesday, Feb. 15 (7:05pm) vs. Odessa Jackalopes
- Tickets start at just $12
- By phone: 1-866-4-GET-TIX (1-866-443-8849)
- Online: www.GetTix.net
- In person: Tim's Toyota Center Box Office
- Friday, Feb. 18 (7:05pm) at Colorado Eagles
- Radio: KDDL 'Cattle Country' 94.3FM
- Online: www.cattlecountryradio.com
- TV: http://chltv.neulion.com
- Saturday, Feb. 19 (7:05pm) at Rapid City Rush
- Radio: KDDL 'Cattle Country' 94.3FM
- Online: www.cattlecountryradio.com
- TV: http://chltv.neulion.com
Upcoming Promotions/Appearances:
- Tailgaters Sports Grill/Il Primo's Pizza Postgame Player Appearance - Tuesday, Feb. 15
- Stop by Tailgaters Sports Grill and Il Primo's Pizza on Tuesday after the team's game against the Odessa Jackalopes to meet your favorite Sundogs player.
- Players will be on hand for one hour to talk with fans, sign autographs and take photos.
- Heritage Middle School Career Day Player Appearance - Thursday, Feb. 17 at 12:00pm
- A Sundogs player will visit Heritage Middle School in Chino Valley on Thursday to talk with students as part of the school's 'Career Day'.
• Discuss this story on the Central Hockey League message board...
Central Hockey League Stories from February 14, 2011
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- Mudbugs to Host Three Games this Week - Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs
- Sundogs Waive Delforte - Arizona Sundogs
- Mavericks' Mike Berry Named Player of the Week - Kansas City Mavericks
- Mallards Weekly Update - Quad City Mallards
- Oakley CHL Player of the Week Announced - CHL
- "Rock the Puck for Stars" March 8th - Laredo Bucks
- Komets Complete Week 18 with Two Shutouts - Fort Wayne Komets
- Mavericks Weekly - Kansas City Mavericks
- Gems Player Kyle Bochek Has His Date with a Fan Tuesday Evening - Dayton Gems
- Jackalopes Weekly Update - Odessa Jackalopes
- Americans Weekly - Allen Americans
- Oilers Home Stand Continues - Tulsa Oilers
- Dayton Gems Weekly Review - Dayton Gems
- Bucks Close out Home Stand Tuesday - Laredo Bucks
- Sundogs Notes - Arizona Sundogs
- Killer Bees Weekly - Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees
- RiverKings Weekly - Mississippi RiverKings
- Thunder Wins One, Drops Two - Wichita Thunder
- Strong Third Period Leads Mavs to Weekend Win - Colorado Eagles
- Mavericks Score Three in Third to Beat Eagles, 7-4 - Kansas City Mavericks
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