arizonasundogs.com: Sundogs News

'Dogs Suffer 6-2 Loss to 'Bees in Annual Kids' Day Game

03/11/2010 11:34 AM

PRESCOTT VALLEY, Ariz. – Eliminated from playoff contention with a 4-1 Corpus Christi IceRays win over the Laredo Bucks on Wednesday, the Arizona Sundogs dropped just their third road game in the last 10 contests away from Tim’s Toyota Center, 6-2, to the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees during their annual Kids’ Day Game Thursday at State Farm Arena in Hidalgo, Texas.

Doug Groenestege suffered just his fifth regulation loss in his 14th consecutive start, making 41 saves.

The Sundogs allowed three power-play goals on six man-advantage chances Thursday, including a pair by former Sundog Joel Irving, after surrendering just five power-play goals in the previous nine games coming into the contest.

Irving, Nathan Ansell and Stacey Bauman built a commanding 3-0 lead for the Killer Bees in the game’s first 27 minutes before rookie forward Joey Sides extended his points streak to six games with his 16th goal of the season just over seven minutes into the second period.

Collecting a Konrad Reeder pass in the neutral zone, Sides skated in alone on Andy Franck before beating the netminder with a backhand-to-forehand move for his ninth point in half-a-dozen games.

Holding the Sundogs without a shot in the game’s first seven minutes, Rio Grande Valley carried play in the opening frame outshooting Arizona 18-8 and taking a 1-0 lead after 20 minutes of play.

Already on a power play and skating 6-on-4 after a delayed penalty to Linus Fagemo late in the first, Irving sent a shot from the point past Groenestege at the first period’s 18:50 mark.

Ansell stretched the lead to two with his eighth of the season 4:35 into the second.

Gaining the offensive zone on a 2-on-1, Aaron Lee skated down the right wing and found Ansell alone in the slot who lifted a shot high glove side over Groenestege.

Bauman made it 3-0 in favor of Rio Grande Valley two minutes later with a shot from the near blue line along the ice that looked to have changed direction before crossing the goal line.

Lee tallied his second point of the contest with 6:09 to play in the middle period, blasting a Sundogs’ turnover past Groenestege from between the circles for a 4-1 Killer Bees lead.

For the second time in the period, Arizona responded less than a minute later to cut the Killer Bees’ lead to two as Rob Lehtinen picked up his third goal in the last four games and fourth point in the last five games, chipping a shot past Franck at the far post.

Hood collected his second assist of the game on the play along with Jason Visser.

Visser cut the deficit to one 6:36 into the final period knocking a rebound past Franck but referee Kevin Graber waived off the goal, ruling Reeder interfered with Franck in the goal crease.

On the ensuing power play, Irving batted home a back door pass for his second man-advantage goal of the game and a 5-2 Killer Bees lead at 7:59.

Shaun Landolt added a third power-play marker for Rio Grande Valley five minutes later, one-timing a centering pass at the top of the crease.

Outshot 47-38 in the contest, the Sundogs were held scoreless on three man-advantage chances.

Looking to match a franchise-record set during the 2007-08 season, Arizona will try for its 16th road win of the season as it closes out its away portion of the 2009-10 schedule Saturday at 6:30pm (Arizona time) against the Laredo Bucks. Listen live on KDDL ‘Cattle Country’ 94.3FM, the Official Radio Home of Arizona Sundogs Hockey, and online at www.cattlecountryradio.com.

Electronic box score: http://www.pointstreak.com/prostats/boxscore.html?gameid=1067860

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