Hartinger gets hat trick in Scorpions win

PRESCOTT VALLEY, Ariz. – Dr. Jekyll, meet Mr. Hartinger.

New Mexico Scorpions team captain Vladimir Hartinger scored his first career hat trick to help the Scorpions move within two points of first place Arizona with a 6-4 victory over the Sundogs.

Wednesday’s game was the first of four straight the teams will play against each other. He next two also at Arizona on Friday and Saturday before the final contest at the Santa Ana Star Center in Rio Rancho on Feb. 29.

Hartinger gave the Scorpions a 1-0 lead just 23 seconds into the game and had his first three-goal game after 1:44 of the second period. Line mate Konrad Reeder had two goals, including a shorthanded score with 15:44 left broke a 4-4 tie.

Wednesday’s results moved New Mexico into second place with 59 points on a record of 27-18-5 in 50 games, ahead of Odessa (24-16-7, 57 points in 48 games). Arizona sits on top of the Southwest Division with 61 points and a 28-16-5 mark in 49 games. Odessa could make the race even closer with a victory Thursday night at Laredo.

The New Mexico victory snapped a three-game losing streak that followed a six-game winning streak that followed a four-game losing streak that followed an eight game winning streak that followed … well, you get the picture.

New Mexico has had only one set of games that were not a streak – and that goes back to the ninth through 11th games of the year when the Scorpions defeated Amarillo, lost at Arizona and then beat Amarillo again.

Every other game has been part of a streak of at least two consecutive wins or losses, which would seem to bode well for New Mexico entering Friday’s contest. New Mexico has been on 12 streaks this year, and only three stopped at two games.

After the current four-game stretch with Arizona, New Mexico will seven six games left against division opponents: three against last-place Amarillo, and two each against Arizona and Odessa. New Mexico also has two games left against defending league champion Colorado and road contests against Rocky Mountain and Wichita.

Overall, New Mexico has 14 games left, only five of which are at home.

MORE TO COME ON THIS STORY.

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