Sundogs Play Catch Up, Fall 7-4 to Expansion Rush

Published on November 15, 2008 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Arizona Sundogs News Release


PRESCOTT VALLEY, Ariz. - The Arizona Sundogs fell to the Rapid City Rush 7-4 on Saturday at Tim's Toyota Center, one night after topping the expansion club 7-1. The Sundogs played catch-up the entire second period but failed to pull even with the Rush as R.G. Flath converted twice to close out scoring and give his club its third win of the young season. Five Sundogs had multiple-point outings in the loss.

With emotions still fresh on the minds of both clubs following Friday night's contest, Arizona's Karl Sellan and Rapid City's Luke Fritshaw came to blows just 37 seconds into the first period Saturday night. The expansion Rush collected just one goal in that same game but needed only 2:35 to find their way onto the score sheet in the weekend series' second game as Chris Lipsett notched his team-leading tenth goal of the year. Defenseman Paul Holder fed Lipsett who sent a wrist shot past the glove of a screened Joel Gistedt. Rich Hansen also registered an assist on the early goal. After being held scoreless of five power play chances the previous night, Rapid City converted on its second opportunity of the night with the man advantage to take a 2-0 lead at the 12:38 mark. Blair Manning and Mark DeSantis combined for the assists, setting up second-year forward Chris Di Ubaldo's sixth marker of the season. For the second-straight night, Arizona tallied a goal inside the final minute of the first period. While on a 4-on-3 power play, Jon Landry collected a cross-ice pass from Martin Gascon and sent a wrist past Rush netminder Miguel Beaudry, cutting the visiting team's lead to 2-1. Chris Bartolone was also credited with an assist on the late power play goal. Rapid City held a 14-10 advantage in shots through the first 20 minutes of play Friday night.

Arizona trailed by two goals three separate times throughout the second period but rallied to pull back within one each time before R.G. Flath regained a two-goal cushion with 53 seconds to play in the frame. Holder opened scoring in the middle period, sending a shot past Gistedt 1:49 in. Luke Fritshaw and Manning tallied helpers to make the score 3-1 in favor of Rapid City. Joel Irving netted his club's second power play goal of the night from Landry and Cory Stillman two-and-a-half minutes later to pull his club back within one. Garret Prosofsky found the back of the net at 7:26 of the period for his third goal of the year to give the Rush its second two-goal advantage of the period. Hansen and Fritshaw both collected their second assists of the game on Prosofsky's third of the year. Just past the midway point, Karl Sellan grabbed the Sundogs' first even-strength goal of the game from Gascon and Bartolone to cut Rapid City's lead to 4-3. Less than two minutes later, Hansen recorded his first goal and third point of the night from defenseman John Neal to push the score to 5-3. With 5:59 to play, Tyler Liebel skated in 2-on-1 with Irving and sent a one-timer over the blocker of Beaudry, pulling his club back to within one. Stillman was credited with an assist, chipping the puck out of the Sundogs' defensive zone prior to the 2-on-1 break. Flath's goal from Prosofsky and Neal with 53 seconds remaining in the period gave Rapid City its fourth two-goal lead of the period. Arizona outshot the Rush 15-10 in the second period for a 25-24 advantage through 40 minutes of play.

Closing out scoring in the second, Flath collected his second goal of the game to open scoring in the third, giving his club a 7-4 lead with 8:27 to play. Manning assisted on the power play tally for his third helper of the game. Rapid City protected their three-goal cushion in the final eight minutes for the win.

Gistedt dropped to 1-4-0 on the year, stopping 27 of 34 shots while Beaudry turned aside 28 of 32 shots to improve to 2-2-3 in eight appearances. Arizona converted on 2-of-11 power play chances while the Rush finished on 2-of-7 man advantage opportunities. With the loss, Arizona falls to 5-7-1 on the season and remains tied with New Mexico for second place in the Southwest Division and sits four points back of division-leader Odessa.

Arizona now heads on the road for three-straight games against division opponents beginning on Tuesday against the Jackalopes. Game time is set for 6:05pm (Arizona time) but will be tape-delayed until 7:00pm on 96.7 FM The Wolf, the Official Broadcast Home of the Arizona Sundogs.

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Central Hockey League Stories from November 15, 2008


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