Arizona Snaps Scorpions' 3-Game Winning Streak

For complete CHL standings and information, click here.

By Eric Maddy
The SCORE

Th visiting Arizona Sundogs used two power play goals to establish a lead and an empty net score to clinch a 4-2 victory over the New Mexico Scorpions in a Central Hockey League game Saturday night.

The first-place Sundogs jumped to an early lead, scoring 46 seconds into the game on the first of two goals Alex Leavitt. That power play opportunity was set up by a a penalty on New Mexico defenseman Jay Holladay.

The Scorpions evened the the game five minutes later on a slapshot by defenseman Aaron MacInnis, and the tie lasted until 70 seconds into the second period when David Schlemko converted another Arizona power play opportunity. Dusty Collins' goal at 8:56 of the period moved Arizona ahead 3-1.

The Scorpions pulled within a goal when Konrad Reeder scored his sixth goal of the season at 11:29, but the empty-netter by Leavitt was the only tally of the period.

New Mexico has five days off before playing three straight games: At home against Amarillo on Friday, at Amarillo on Saturday and a 3:15 p.m. rematch with Arizona, the first-place team in the division.

On Friday night, the Scorpions reached the .500 level, using a third-period goal from left winger Kevin Harvey to hold off the Amarillo Gorillas 3-2.

Harvey’s goal at 4:44 of the final period gave the Scorpions a 3-1 lead. Amarillo, last in the division with a 1-5-2 mark, tried to rally on a shorthanded goal by center Grant Selinger – the league-high seventh shorthanded goal allowed by New Mexico this year.

But Amarillo could not score the rest of the way on New Mexico goalie Mike Minard, who stopped 27 of 29 shots on goal for the night. Amarillo’s Dan Bauer was nearly as good, posting 30 saves against 33 shots.

Amarillo jumped to a 1-0 lead at 16:44 of the first period on a power-play goal by Matt Miller, but the Scorpions regrouped after intermission at got goals from  Reeder and Blair Stayzer to take the lead into the final period.

The Scorpions’ Craig Macdonald could face league sanctions after earning a game misconduct penalty at 15:19 of the first period for entering Amarillo’s bench and fighting.