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Sundogs Unbelievable Comeback Too Much for Rage, Win 7-6 in Overtime

March 20, 2008 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Arizona Sundogs News Release


PRESCOTT VALLEY, Ariz. - One day after clinching the CHL's Southwest Division title against the New Mexico Scorpions in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, the Arizona Sundogs returned to Prescott Valley Wednesday night to battle the Rocky Mountain Rage at Tim's Toyota Center. The Sundogs carried a season-high six-game win streak into the contest, a must-win game for a Rage club looking to advance to their first-ever post season. The Rage opened a five-goal lead through two periods of play and held a 6-3 lead with less than two minutes to play in the game, but Arizona's six goals in the third and three tallies in the final minute-and-a-half carried the Southwest Division champs to their seventh-straight victory, topping the Rage 7-6. Cory Urquhart collected three goals for his second hat trick of the season and CHL leading scorer Alex Leavitt tallied one goal and three assists to increase his scoring streak to 15 games.

The visiting Rage tallied the first period's lone goals Wednesday evening to take a 2-0 lead into the second period. Colt King opened scoring with his 14th of the season at the 14:07 mark to give his club a 1-0 lead. Clay Plume and David Morelli offered up passes to King who found the back of the net through a screened Marco Emond. Former Sundog Ladislav Kouba pushed the lead to two-goals with his club's first powerplay tally of the night just 2:37 later. Kouba's tenth of the season came from teammates Pat Sutton and Morelli, his second helper of the period. Rocky Mountain doubled-up Arizona in shots, 16-8 in the opening 20 minutes of play.

Less than four minutes would expire in the second period before the Rage would match their first period offensive production to open a four-goal lead. Daymen Rycroft collected his 48th of the season from Tyler Butler just 13 seconds into the middle frame. While on the penalty kill, Rocky Mountain followed the Rycroft marker with its fourth of the game at the 3:06 mark as Kouba was credited with his second of the game, an unassisted effort. The Rage pushed its lead to 5-0 as defenseman Rob Chappell found the back of the net past Emond with a forehand-to-backhand maneuver in close. Kouba grabbed his third point and first assist of the game, helping on the play. After allowing five goals on 27 shots, Sundogs Head Coach and General Manager Marco Pietroniro replaced starting goaltender Emond with backup Rob McVicar. Through two periods, the Rage held a 37-17 advantage in shots.

Sundogs second-year forward Karl Sellan gave his club new life early in third, getting under the skin of the Rage's Pat Sutton, causing Sutton to take a four-minute double-minor for roughing. The league's top powerplay took advantage, collecting goals in a 13-second span. Cory Urquhart collected the Sundog's first goal for his 16th tally in just 14 games with Arizona this season to break Scott Reid's shutout bid at 5:06 of the period. CHL leading scorer Alex Leavitt assisted on the play along with veteran defenseman Dan Laperriere. Rookie forward Dusty Collins cut Rocky Mountain's lead to three with his 20th of the year from fellow rookie Mark Kolanos and newly acquired Steve Rymsha. With 7:33 to play in regulation, Kolanos gathered his second point and first goal of the game to pull his club back to within two, a deficit they had not seen since the first period. Kolanos controlled a pass from Collins and snuck a shot inside the near post past Reid for his 31st of the year. Rymsha also helped on the play for his second assist of the period. The Rage regained a three-goal lead as Bill Newson battled in front of the Sundogs net and pushed home a loose puck for his second goal since signing with Rocky Mountain. Rycroft and Trevor Weisgerber assisted on their club's second powerplay tally of the night. With a three-goal cushion in hand, Rocky Mountain seemed to be en route to their 36th victory of the season, but the Sundogs used three goals separated by just 65 seconds to force overtime. Urquhart gathered his second of the game from Chris Bartolone and Leavitt at 18:37 of the third, followed by a Bartolone tally from Rymsha and Collins at the 19:23 mark, with the comeback effort capped off by Urquhart's third from linemates Jason Visser and Leavitt with just 18 seconds remaining.

With three assists already in the game, Leavitt collected a cross-ice pass from Bartolone and lifted the puck into an unprotected net as Rocky Mountain's Reid was screened and unable to see the puck. Forward-turned-defenseman Rob Lehtinen also assisted on the overtime game-winning goal 3:38 into the extra session.

Marco Emond started in net for Arizona and made 22 saves on 27 shots before being replaced by backup netminder Rob McVicar. In his relief effort, the former NHL goaltender made 15 saves on 16 shots, garnering the win and improving to 9-4-2 on the season. Scott Reid appeared in goal for the Rage and blocked 28 of 35 shots in the overtime loss. Both teams tallied two powerplay goals Wednesday night as Arizona finished 2-for-4 with the man advantage while Rocky Mountain converted on just two of eight chances.

With the win, Arizona improves to 37-19-6 on the season and matches a franchise-high seven-game win streak. The Sundogs look to extend their streak on Friday as the Odessa Jackalopes travel to Prescott Valley for two games to conclude the 2007-08 regular season. Tickets are available 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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