January 31, 2010
Sundogs beat Odessa, 3-2
PRESCOTT VALLEY – Tallying a single-game season-high three power-play goals in a 6-5 shootout win over the Odessa Jackalopes Saturday night, the Arizona Sundogs added a pair of man-advantage markers Sunday afternoon on their way to a 3-2 win over the Amarillo Gorillas at the Amarillo Civic Center in Amarillo, Texas.
Arizona closed out its three-game road trip earning five of a possible six points.
Recording his seventh point in the last three games, Chad Hinz netted his second straight game-winner with an unassisted goal 4:11 into the third period, beating Tuomas Lohtander with a backhand-forehand move on an early-period breakaway chance.
Doug Groenestege, in his third consecutive start for Arizona, turned aside 24 of 26 shots to earn his second straight win and points in three straight. The goaltender dropped his first two starts with the Sundogs before going 2-0-1 in his last three contests, two against the league-leading Jackalopes.
The host Gorillas struck first with a power-play marker from rookie defenseman Andy Brennan with 3:31 to play in the opening frame, taking a 1-0 lead into the first intermission.
The Sundogs responded with a pair of man-advantage tallies three minutes apart late in the second period for a 2-1 lead after 40 minutes of play.
Marc Belanger recorded his fourth goal and 11th point in nine games with Arizona at the 15:18 mark, batting home a rebound through a scramble at the top of the Amarillo goalmouth. Hinz assisted on the play with Rob Lehtinen.
Linus Fagemo picked up his third goal in the last two games three minutes later, redirecting a Kyle Hood blast from the point over the shoulder of Lohtander with 1:47 to play in second period.
Trailing by two late, David Nimmo pulled his club back to within one with a power-play goal from the low circle on passes from Brennan and Erik Felde with 1:47 to play in the contest but Arizona and Groenestege held on for their second straight win.
Arizona outshot Amarillo by a 42-26 mark in the contest, including a 16-4 advantage in the second period. Both teams finished 2-for-7 on the power play.
With the win, the Sundogs (15-24-4) have closed the gap between themselves and the Southern Conference's final playoff spot to eight points. The Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees and the Corpus Christi IceRays are tied for fifth place with 42 points.
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