New Mexico holds off Amarillo

By Eric Maddy
The SCORE

Talk about getting off on the right Foote.

New Mexico forward Jordan Foote started both the first and second periods with a goal, and the New Mexico Scorpions held on for a 5-4 victory over Amarillo to pull within two points of a playoff position in the Central Hockey League.

Chris Robertson and Seth Leonard each added shorthanded goals, but it was Adam Knight’s goal with 9:10 left in the game that proved to be the game-winner as New Mexico nearly blew a 4-0 second period lead. Knight’s goal, off assists from Robertson and Neill Trimm, gave New Mexico a 5-2 lead, which was just enough as Gordon Bell and Stuart MacRae scored in a 53-second span to cut the margin to one goal.

But in the end New Mexico continued its domination of the Gorillas this season. The Scorpions have won seven times in eight games this season, with one more left on March 19 in Amarillo.

Foote scored on the team’s second possession of the game, taking a pass from Mike MacDonald and slamming home a goal with just 26 seconds elapsed. Ross McCain also earned an assist on the play.

Even when the Scorpions made a mistake it turned in their favor. Robertson scored a shorthanded goal, with the assist going to Torren Delforte, after New Mexico was called for its only penalty of the period. Robertson’s goal came 41 seconds after Craig Macdonald was whistled for elbowing, leaving New Mexico a man short.

New Mexico outshot Amarillo 11-7 in the period and was 0-for-2 on the power play. Amarillo couldn’t convert on its only power play opportunity.

The second period seemed like déjà vu all over again. Foote scored 16 seconds into the second period, with Tom Maldonado and Mike MacDonald getting assists, before Leonard tacked on his shorthanded goal with 16:08 remaining in the period. Maldonado also earned an assist on that goal.

Amarillo responded with two goals in the second half of the second period to trim the margin. Sam Ftorek scored with 9:08 remaining in the period and assisted on first MacRae’s goal with 3:09 left to make the score 4-2.

After tonight New Mexico has 11 games left – six at home and five on the road – in their late-season push for the playoffs.

After winning two of three contests on its last road trip, New Mexico is now within four points of a playoff spot. The top five teams in the conference make the postseason, and the Scorpions have a 22-29-2 record, good for 46 points.

Fifth-place Corpus Christi is 22-27-4 (48 points) and sixth-place Arizona (22-28-3) has 47 points.New Mexico doesn’t play Corpus Christi again this season, but has four games left against the defending league champion Sundogs.

After a two-game road trip to Odessa and Tulsa, the Scorpions return home for games against Colorado (March 3) and Rapid City (March 6). For ticket information, call 881-PUCK or go to www.ScorpionsHockey.com.

Complete statistics and standings are available at www.CentralHockeyLeague.com.