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Williams' Four Points Help Sundogs Open Season with Win for First Time in Since 2007-08 Season

October 15, 2010 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Arizona Sundogs News Release


PRESCOTT VALLEY, Ariz. - Winning their season opener for the first time since their championship season in 2007-08, the Arizona Sundogs topped the Colorado Eagles, 5-3, Friday night at the Budweiser Events Center in Loveland, Colorado on the strength of a four-point night from forward Jason Williams.

Colorado dressed only 13 skaters and two goalies in the contest as a result of suspensions handed down from the Central Hockey League following a preseason game against the Odessa Jackalopes.

Williams collected three assists and added an insurance goal with 1:53 to play in the contest, skating in along on Andrew Penner and beating the Colorado netminder with a low shot, five-hole after Steve Kaye chipped the puck out of the Sundogs' defensive zone and over an Eagles defenseman.

Trailing 3-2 after 40 minutes of play, Kaye pulled Arizona even with his first goal of the 2010-11 campaign just 59 seconds into the third period on assists from Williams and Chase Watson.

Seven minutes later, the trio of Joey Sides, Jason Visser and Mark Kolanos connected on a 3-on-1 break to regain a one-goal lead for Arizona, 4-3. After a save by rookie netminder Bobby Jarosz at the other end, Sides gained the offensive zone along the near boards and fed a pass across to Visser who left the puck for Kolanos trailing the play. Kolanos collected the puck and snapped a shot past Penner for his first of the season.

Arizona controlled the first half of the opening frame, building a 2-0 lead on goals by Watson and Sides in the game's first 11 minutes. The Sundogs outshot the Eagles 12-8 in the first period and held a 12-4 advantage until late in the frame.

Watson opened scoring in the contest at the 8:22 mark, redirecting a Clayton Barthel shot from the point through traffic and past Penner after a Williams effort from between the circles pulled the Colorado goaltender out of position.

With the Sundogs shorthanded, Williams picked up his second assist of the first period two-and-a-half minutes later, intercepting a pass at center ice before setting up Sides on an uncontested breakaway chance. Skating in alone, Sides lifted a backhand effort under the crossbar with 8:57 to play in the period for a two-goal lead.

Riley Nelson cut Arizona's lead in half with a power-play goal with just over four minutes to play in the first, firing a slap shot from the top of the near circle through traffic and past rookie netminder Bobby Jarosz.

Daymen Rycroft evened the score at two with a slap shot high glove side following a neutral zone turnover by Arizona less than a minute into the second period and Scott May recorded the Eagles' second power-play goal of the game with one second remaining in the middle frame for Colorado's first lead of the contest.

Sundogs goaltender Doug Groenestege was held out of the lineup due to last-minute immigration issues. Defenseman Samuel Grenache dressed as Arizona's backup netminder.

Jarosz turned aside 28 of 31 shots for his first win of the season and second as a pro in as many games while Penner allowed five goals on 23 shots to earn the loss.

Arizona (1-0-0) finished 0-for-3 on the power play and netted a shorthanded tally while holding Colorado (0-1-0) to two goals on eight man advantage opportunities.

The two clubs face off again tomorrow night in the second of nine regular season meetings in 2010-11. Game time is set for 6:05pm (Arizona time). Listen to the game live online at www.cattlecountryradio.com or on KDDL ‘Cattle Country' 94.3FM, the Official Radio Home of Arizona Sundogs Hockey.



Central Hockey League Stories from October 15, 2010


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