Sundogs Top Rage 5-4 in Overtime, Latendresse Has Four-Point Night
February 16, 2008 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Arizona Sundogs News Release
PRESCOTT VALLEY, Ariz. - The Arizona Sundogs and Rocky Mountain Rage battled in the second game of their weekend series Saturday night at Tim's Toyota Center in Prescott Valley. The two clubs traded leads throughout the game and would need overtime for the third time in five meetings this season. Olivier Latendresse collected two goals and two assists and Mark Kolanos proved to be the hero, grabbing the game-winning goal with less than a minute to play in the overtime session. At game's end, a total of nine Sundogs appeared on the final scoresheet.
Arizona struck first early in the first period Saturday night as Olivier Latendresse collected passes from Barry Horman and Dan Laperriere and fired a wrist shot past the arm of Rage netminder Terry Dunbar for a 1-0 lead just 4:25 into the game. The Sundogs failed to convert on two 5-on-3 powerplay chances later in the period and the Rage evened the score at the 15:02 mark on a two man advantage of their own as Daymen Rycroft deflected a centering pass through the legs of Sundogs goaltender Rob McVicar. Brent Cullaton and Nathan Rosychuk were credited with assists on the Rycroft powerplay tally.
Rocky Mountain grabbed its first lead of the weekend with its second goal of the game four minutes into the middle period. Colt King and David Morelli teamed up to help Pat Sutton notch his 13th marker of the year for a 2-1 lead. Arizona answered back just shy of five minutes later as Latendresse tallied his second of the game, deflecting a Chris Bartolone shot from the blue line past Dunbar. Alex Leavitt also helped on the play for his 53rd assist of the season. Skating 4-on-4 following Alex Leavitt and Tyler Butler penalties, the Sundogs wasted no time regaining a one-goal lead as Jon Landry pinched from his defensive position and fired a low shot over the leg of the Rage netminder for his seventh tally of the year. Latendresse gathered his third point and first assist of the game along with linemate Tyler Liebel. With 5:42 to play in the second, Rocky Mountain tied the game at three goals apiece with its second goal on the man advantage. Rycroft was left alone on the doorstep and Rosychuk fed a centering pass to the open forward who slipped the puck past McVicar. Cullaton collected his second assist of the night on the game-tying goal. At the 16:54 mark, the Rage used a Morelli shorthanded tally to take a 4-3 lead. The goal would be Morelli's second point of the night. Cullaton secured his playmaker status with his third helper of the night along with Matt Frick. Shots through two periods were nearly even with the Rage holding a slight 20-17 advantage.
The Sundogs evened the score at 4-4 with their first powerplay goal of the night at 7:08 of the third period. Rookie forward Jason Visser slapped at the uncovered puck and finally pushed it across the goal line for his 13th of the 2007-08 season. Latendresse was credited with his second helper and fourth point of the game on the equalizer. Neither team was able to score for the rest of the period forcing overtime for the third time in five games between the two clubs.
With 42 seconds remaining in the extra frame, CHL rookie-leading scorer Mark Kolanos picked up a loose puck in the slot and lifted it over Dunbar to give the Sundogs the 5-4 win. The game-winning goal was Kolanos' 25th of the year, one back of team scoring leader Alex Leavitt's 26.
Rob McVicar played between the pipes for Arizona and stopped 25 of 29 shots to earn the win, while Terry Dunbar dropped his second straight against Arizona, blocking 24 of 29 shots in the loss. Both clubs saw six powerplay chances Saturday night, with Arizona converting on one and Rocky Mountain converting on two.
With the win and New Mexico and Odessa losses, the Sundogs improve to 28-15-5 and now hold a four-point advantage for the Southwest Division's top spot. The Scorpions come to Tim's Toyota Center next week for three-straight divisional meetings beginning on Wednesday night. Game time is set for 7:05pm. Tickets are available for all three games by phone at 1-866-4-GET-TIX (1-866-443-8849), on the internet at www.gettix.net and in person at the Tim's Toyota Center Box Office.
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Central Hockey League Stories from February 16, 2008
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