Sundogs Win Third Straight at Home, Down Jackalopes, 5-3
January 20, 2011 - Central Hockey League (CHL) - Arizona Sundogs News Release
PRESCOTT VALLEY, Ariz. - Luke Erickson pulled to within one goal of Tulsa's Jack Combs and the CHL goal scoring lead with two tallies and the Arizona Sundogs won their third straight at Tim's Toyota Center Wednesday night, topping the visiting Odessa Jackalopes, 5-3.
Winners of five of their last seven home games, the Sundogs improved to 10-4-3 when outshot by their opponent. Shots were 46-33 in favor of Odessa.
Erickson staked Arizona to an early 1-0 lead, redirecting a Patrick Schafer centering attempt past Michel Robinson 2:47 into the contest.
Mark Kolanos' second goal in three games after going 12 games without a goal extended the Sundogs' lead to two midway through the opening frame. Adam Smyth gloved down a clearing attempt at center ice and skated around an Odessa player at the blue line before leaving the puck for Kolanos at the near dot.
Dominic Leveille trimmed Arizona's lead to 2-1 3:44 into the second period with a man advantage tally, trickling the puck between the legs of Levente Szuper from the right post.
Arizona extended its lead to 4-1 halfway through the third period on goals by Jason Williams and Erickson but the Jackalopes battled back to within one with four and a half minutes to play.
Jeff Pierce cut the Sundogs' lead to two with his 14th of the season 12:56 into the final frame, circling behind Szuper and wrapping the puck inside the far post.
Leveille recorded his second of the game less than three minutes later to close his club within one, converting on a penalty shot attempt after referee Jon McIsaac ruled Billy Bezeau covered a loose puck in the goal crease.
Williams leads all CHL rookies in power-play goals after tallying his eighth man advantage marker of the season with 11:35 to play in the final frame. Skating through the slot, Williams one-timed a Jason Visser feed from behind the cage past Robinson.
Cam Keith extended his scoring streak to a league-best 12 games with two assists in the contest, his second of the night coming on a tic-tac-toe play with Bezeau and Erickson at the 12:27 of the third. Keith entered the zone and left a pass for Bezeau trailing the play before the defenseman found Erickson for a far post tap-in.
Rookie Patrick Schafer all but secured the win with his fourth of the year with nine seconds remaining in the contest, slapping a center ice faceoff into the empty net.
Arizona (16-18-4) and Odessa (18-15-4) continue a three-game set Friday at 7:05pm (Arizona time). Tickets start at just $12 and are available by phone at 1-866-4-GET-TIX (1-866-443-8849), online at www.GetTix.net and in person at the Tim's Toyota Center Box Office.
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