Sundogs Top Odessa, Regain Top Spot in Southwest

Published on November 3, 2007 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Arizona Sundogs News Release


PRESCOTT VALLEY, Ariz. - The Arizona Sundogs and Odessa Jackalopes skated in game two of their weekend series Saturday night at Tim's Toyota Center in Prescott Valley. After a dismal showing Friday night, the Sundogs rebounded to beat Odessa 5-2, regaining first place in the Southwest Division. After going more than 167 minutes with a power play goal, Arizona converted on 50% of their chances to finish 3-for-6 with the man advantage.

Arizona came out a different team Saturday night, controlling play and dominating time of possession throughout the first period. At the 7:01 mark the Sundogs hard work paid off with Tyler Redenbach and Chris Greene teaming up to give their club a 1-0 lead. Redenbach gained the offensive zone and pulled the defense to the far side before sliding a cross ice pass to an open Greene who found the back of the net past Odessa goaltender Mike Gorman for his second goal of the season. Redenbach's assist gives him at least a point in each of the Sundogs first eight games of the 2007-08 season.

After taking a 1-0 lead into the locker room following the opening period, the Sundogs took the ice for the second, picking up where they left off. At 7:04 of the middle frame, Karl Sellan tallied the Sundogs' first power play goal in more than 167 minutes on passes from Alex Leavitt and Redenbach to take a 2-0 lead. Just past the midway point, Arizona added to its lead, grabbing its second goal of the night with the man advantage. Defenseman Dan Laperriere rifled a shot from the point that missed wide, but a pinching Chris Bartolone snuck in below the Jackalopes' defense to one-time the puck past Gorman as it bounced off the half boards for a 3-0 advantage.

With 6:20 expired in the third period, Odessa tallied its first goal of the night to spoil Sundogs netminder Andrew Gallant's shutout effort in his first professional start. Jackalopes' defenseman Alex Dunn picked up a loose puck in front of the net and pushed it home past Gallant. The Sundogs answered back with 10:21 to play in the final period, regaining a three-goal lead as Redenbach and Leavitt skated in two-on-one. Redenbach held the puck before feeding Leavitt who went forehand to backhand and lifted the puck over a sprawling Gorman. With less than six minutes to play, Odessa found the back of the goal for the second time as Jay Latulippe grabbed an unassisted marker to cut into the Sundogs' lead. Arizona wasn't finished however as Sean Sullivan tallied his second marker of the season on passes from Olivier Latendresse and Jason Visser to close out the game's scoring.

Andrew Gallant grabbed his first win in his first professional start, stopping 22 of 24 shots, while Odessa goaltender Mike Gorman blocked 28 of 33 shots in the loss. Arizona improved on special teams, finishing 3-for-6 with the man advantage while holding Odessa scoreless on its eight power plays. With the win, the Sundogs improve to 5-2-1 on the season and move back into first place in the Southwest Division with a one-point advantage over second-place Odessa.

The team now begins a two-week road trip with games against Colorado, New Mexico and Odessa before returning home to take on the Austin Ice Bats on Wednesday, November 21. Be sure to catch all the Sundogs action live on 96.7 FM The Wolf, the Official Broadcast Home of the Arizona Sundogs.

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Central Hockey League Stories from November 3, 2007


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