Thunderstruck: Stockton Smacks Phoenix 6-3

by Andrew Nordmeier
Published on January 31, 2007 under ECHL (ECHL)
Phoenix RoadRunners


The start time of Phoenix Roadrunner home games is 7:11pm for every game except those on Sundays. Fans who showed up a few minutes late missed the Stockton Thunder blitz the Roadrunners with three goals in the first five minutes and never look back en route to a 6-3 win Tuesday night at the US Airways Center.

"We come out flat and the most disappointing part of it is how we've played up to this point," Phoenix Assistant Coach Brad Church said, "It's night and day from the team we had there on the road (Friday at Fresno, a 3-0 win) and the team that showed up tonight."

Tyler Spurgeon jammed a loose puck past Roadrunner starting netminder Mike Morrison just 29 seconds into the game to put Stockton up 1-0 with his 13th goal of the year. Off the ensuing face-off, the Thunder raced down the ice and Mike Lalonde beat Morrison just six seconds later to make it a 2-0 lead on his 16th tally of the season.

Jim Dahl scored a power-play goal from the middle of the slot at 4:54, his fourth of the season, to establish a 3-0 lead for the visiting Thunder. That would be more than enough for Phoenix Head Coach Ron Filion who gave Morrison the hook and sent Cody Rudkowsky out to finish the rest of the opening period. Morrison made just one save on the four shots he saw before getting pulled.

Dahl scored again with 3:26 left in the second period to make it 4-0 for Stockton. Tim Verbeek scored a power-play goal at 7:49 of the third period to open the gap to 5-0.

Rudkowsky made several acrobatic saves over the 55:06 he played to keep the score respectable. Phoenix hit the goalpost at least four different times in the game.

Dave Pszenyczny scored a power play goal with 5:20 left for Phoenix to break Devyn Dubnyk's shutout bid. Phoenix scored again 78 seconds later when Justin Aikins found the net but it was too little too late. Liam Reddox scored an empty-netter with 1:54 left to make it 6-2 and snap his 29-game goal less drought. Phoenix got a late power play goal from Cam Paddock with eight seconds left to close the scoring.

Shots favored Stockton 42-37. Phoenix went 2-for-8 on the power play and continued a run of five straight games with a power play goal when they went 10-of-34 during that span. Stockton finished 1-of-7 on the man advantage.

Phoenix heads out on the road to battle the Utah Grizzlies in a three-game series Wednesday, Friday and Saturday before hosting the Thunder again next Tuesday night.

"They're hungry for a playoff spot and we have to be just as hungry to keep them below us," Chruch said.

Three Stars of the Night

3. Young-STK Two assists in the win

2. Rudkowsky-PHX 30 saves to keep his team in it in relief

1. Dahl-STK Two goals in the win

Notes: The first period goals are the two fastest goals in Stockton team history...Phoenix traded Jake Ortmeyer to the Trenton Titans Sunday for Chris Cava in a swap of defensemen...Dahl was recently acquired by the Thunder in a trade with the Alaska Aces...Dubnyk holds second place on the wins list amongst rookie goaltenders with 13, only Cedrick Desjardins of Cincinnati has more with 16...Stockton is 14-2-2-1 when leading after two periods; Phoenix is 1-11-1-0 when trailing after 40 minutes...Attendance was 3,246.

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ECHL Stories from January 31, 2007


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