Sundogs Power Play Not Enough in 5-4 Loss
December 4, 2008 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Arizona Sundogs News Release
PRESCOTT VALLEY, Ariz. - Looking to snap a season-high three-game losing streak, the Arizona Sundogs faced off against the Corpus Christi Ice Rays in their second of seven consecutive road games on Thursday night at the American Bank Center. The visiting Sundogs played well with the man advantage with all four goals coming on the power play but it wasn't enough as Corpus Christi escaped with the 5-4 win, handing Arizona its fourth-straight loss. Adam Perry collected his eighth goal of the year, extending his point streak to eight games. With the loss, the Sundogs fall to 8-12-1 on the season but remain in second place in the Southwest Division, two points ahead of rival the New Mexico Scorpions.
Corpus Christi found the back of the net twice in the opening frame to take a 2-0 lead into the first intermission Thursday night. Veteran forward Chris Richards tallied his 10th goal of the season with his club on a 5-on-3 power play seven minutes into the contest following penalties to Jon Landry and A.J. MacLean. Justin Quenneville and John Adams assisted on the play to give their team an early 1-0 lead. The home club opened a two-goal cushion with just 21 seconds remaining in the period as Adam Powell skated in low from the near circle and lifted a shot past the glove of Marco Emond. Bob Rapoza and Ryan Bennett collected assists on the late-period tally. The Ice Rays outshot Arizona by a 15-10 mark in the first 20 minutes of play.
The Sundogs cut Corpus Christi's lead in half early in the second period with their first power play goal of the game. Veteran defenseman Chris Bartolone recorded his second of the year from Rob Lehtinen 3:20 into the frame. The Ice Rays would respond for the game's next two tallies to open a three-goal lead, their biggest of the night. Bennett and Richards combined to register their second points of the game two minutes after the Sundogs pulled to within one as Bennett beat Emond for his 10th of the season. Richards then grabbed his team-leading 11th goal of the year at the 13:04 mark pushing Corpus Christi's lead to 4-1. Bennett was credited with his second helper and third point of the night while Powell notched his second point and first assist of the game on the Richards marker. The visiting Sundogs pulled back to within one following a string of Ice Rays penalties late in the period. With his club on a 5-on-3 power play, Adam Perry extended his current point streak to eight games with 2:34 to play in the period, knocking a shot past Ice Rays goaltender Kris Tebbs for his eighth tally of the year from Martin Gascon and Bartolone. Still on a 5-on-4 man advantage, Arizona leading scorer Joel Irving walked in from the half boards for his 13th of the season with just 23 seconds to play in the middle period. Gascon collected his second assist in a two-minute span. Picking up play in the second, Arizona outshot Corpus Christi 15-12.
Corpus Christi regained a two-goal lead early in the third period as Jeff Grant slipped a backhand effort through the legs of Emond after a Sundogs turnover in their own zone. Mark Tobin intercepted a pass attempt up the middle and found Grant between the circles 1:57 into the final period. With their fourth power play goal of the game, the Sundogs pulled to within one following a Jozef Sladok cross checking penalty at the period's halfway point. Jon Landry found the back of the net for his fifth goal of the season and team-leading 13th power play point of the year. Gascon assisted for his third helper of the night along with Irving.
Emond appeared in net for Arizona, stopping 35 of 40 shots in the loss while Tebbs turned aside 30 of 34 shots, improving to 4-4-1 on the year. Arizona converted on four of 12 power play chances while holding the Ice Rays to just one goal on nine man advantage opportunities. The Sundogs continue their longest road trip of the season tomorrow night as they take on the Laredo Bucks in Southern Texas. Game time is set for 6:30pm (Arizona time) but can be heard via tape-delay starting at 7:00pm on 96.7 FM The Wolf, the Official Broadcast Home of the Arizona Sundogs.
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