Wall Earns First Shutout in Sundogs History with 1-0 Win
March 11, 2007 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Arizona Sundogs News Release
PRESCOTT VALLEY, Ariz. - The Arizona Sundogs and netminder Mike Wall made history Sunday afternoon against the Amarillo Gorillas as Wall garnered the Sundogs' first-ever shutout, stopping 20 shots in the 1-0 win. Forward Karl Sellan would collect the game's lone goal. With the win the Sundogs move back into a tie for second place in the Southwest Division and fourth in the Southern Conference playoff race with the Gorillas. The Sundogs return to Prescott Valley to close out the 2006-07 regular season with six straight home games.
Arizona would find itself shorthanded early in the contest as defenseman David Lizotte would be tagged with a five-minute kneeing major. The Sundogs and Mike Wall would be up to the task keeping Amarillo off the scoreboard. With four minutes to play in the first period Karl Sellan would tally his 19th goal of the season squeezing the puck past Gorillas' netminder Jamie Vandespyker. Dmitri Leonov and Chris Greene would assist on the eventual game winner.
In a portion of the season that doesn't see too many fights, Sundogs' defenseman Jonathan Bernier was involved in his second in as many days as he and David Silverstone would exchange blows at the 7:34 mark. Both clubs would see power play chances in the period but neither would be able to convert with Arizona going 0-for-3 in the middle frame and Amarillo going 0-for-1.
Play would tighten in the third period as both teams saw just one penalty each. The Sundogs would hold Amarillo to just four shots in the final frame while at the same time tallied 12 on the Gorillas and Vandespyker. Arizona would outshoot the Gorillas 33-20 in the contest. As regulation time winded down, Amarillo would look to pull Vandespyker in exchange for an extra offensive skater but Arizona would apply pressure never allowing the Gorillas to gain the Arizona zone.
Netminder Mike Wall improves to 2-2-0 with a 1.96 goals against average (GAA) and .927 save percentage since joining the Sundogs. Wall deflected all 20 shots faced to collect the franchise's first-ever shutout. Vandespyker stopped 32 of 33 shots in the loss.
With the win the Sundogs improve to 29-27-2 for 60 points and second place in the Southwest Division. The 1-0 win closes out the Sundogs' 2006-07 regular-season schedule as they now return home for six-straight contests. Arizona finishes with a road record of 13-18-1 in their Inaugural Season in the CHL.
The Sundogs next take on the Lubbock Cotton Kings on Wednesday, March 14 at Tim's Toyota Center in Prescott Valley. Game time is set for 7:00pm. Tickets are still available by calling 1-866-4-GET-TIX (1-866-443-8849), visiting www.gettix.net or by stopping by the Tim's Toyota Center Box Office. 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 March 11, 2007
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