The games with the Sundogs start at 7:35 each night. After those games, the Scorpions have just five more home games in the regular season. New Mexico and Amarillo were tied atop the Southwest Division of the Central Hockey League's Southern Conference before Amarillo played at Wichita on Tuesday.
Arizona was eight points behind the Scorpions while Odessa was a distant 15 points back.
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Austin 5, Scorpions 4: Friday's visit to Austin was quite offensive, with the Scorpions losing their second game in a row for the first time since mid-January.
Converting on power-play opportunities was the difference, as the Ice Bats scored on three of their 10 such opportunities and the Scorpions were but 1 of 7.
Things started quickly inside the Chaparral Ice Arena with Austin jumping out to a lead. Ray Smegal scored his second goal of the year just 1:29 into the contest.
The Scorpions fought back to tie the game with a hard working goal. Mike Prpich carried the puck deep into the zone and fought off multiple body checks. He found an open Craig Macdonald, who took a wrist shot, but it was saved by former Scorpions goaltender Miguel Beaudry.
Prpich came back to the front of the net and knocked the rebound home tying the game.
Almost immediately after the puck was dropped Austin returned to the power play. Just as the power play expired, J.F. Picard threw a shot through traffic and into the Scorpions' net, giving his team a 2-1 lead.
Offense was the name of the game in the second period. The teams combined for five goals, three on the power play.
The Scorpions started the middle period scoring outburst when Josh Garbutt lit the lamp for the fourth time this season. Once again after play resumed, the Ice Bats were given another power play, with Prpich in the box for hooking, plus a five-minute stretch for fighting.
Terry Virtue made New Mexico pay with his seventh goal of the year at the 3:57 mark, and he scored another power-play goal almost 10 minutes later, giving the Ice Bats a two-goal lead.
New Mexico wasted no time getting back in the game. On the very next shift, and just 13 seconds after Virtue's second goal, Prpich picked up his second goal of the night.
Konrad Reeder tipped in a power play goal tying the score again; it was the final goal of the second period.
The third period was a whole lot quieter than the first two, with - what else? - a power-play goal by John Ronan 5:48 into the period, this time with Reeder serving time for high-sticking, for the game-winner.
Austin had three more power-play opportunities, twice with Ryan McLeod and another time with Prpich in the penalty box, but was unable to grab a two-goal lead.
David Cacciola played goal for the Scorpions, making 24 saves.
Amarillo 3, Scorpions 2: In a battle for first place, the Scorpions came out on the wrong side with a overtime loss to Amarillo Saturday night. The extra session loss dropped the Scorpions two points behind the first place Gorillas.
Kevin Wilson proved to be the hero, as his overtime goal at the 1:55 mark sent the Amarillo Civic Center crowd into a frenzy.
For the second straight night the Scorpions were forced to come from behind in the first period. Austin Sutter's power play goal gave Amarillo the early lead.
The second period went the Scorpions way with dominating play.
New Mexico spent most of the second period in the offensive zone turning a one-goal deficit into a two-goal lead.
Ryan McLeod tied the game when he put a rebound goal home. Vladimir Hartinger started the play with a shot that went wide, but the rebound hit the end boards and ended up perfectly on McLeod's stick.
The Scorpions used another rebound goal to take their first lead of the game. Craig Macdonald knocked the puck out of the air and into the back of the net, and Prpich picked up the assist, his fourth point in the last two games.
The Gorillas re-tied the game in a whistle filled third period. Needing a goal, Amarillo got it when Bill Vandermeer tied the game with his 30th goal of the season.
Scorpions 5, Lubbock 3: The Scorpions stopped their three-game losing streak and vaulted back into first place with their win over the Cotton Kings Sunday at the Star Center.
It didn't take long for the announced crowd of 2,722 to come to its feet, as Lance Herauf took a perfect pass from Vladimir Hartinger and scored just 23-seconds into the contest.
The Scorpions continued to light the lamp late in the period. Jamie Herrington dropped a pass to Ryan McLeod who ripped a one-timer into the net sparking the Santa Ana Star Center crowd. A late power play chance continued the scoring. Craig Macdonald slipped past the Lubbock defenders and scored his team leading 23rd goal of the season, giving the Scorpions a three-goal lead after the first period.
Offense gave way to defense in the second period. Lubbock would be the only team to register a goal. Patrick Levesque tipped in a Troy Neumeier shot cutting the lead to two.
Lubbock battled in the third period giving the Scorpions all they could handle. Simon Watson cut the lead to one with his 22nd goal of the season at the 4:11 mark.
Herauf gave the Scorpions back some breathing room at the 8:45 mark. Mike Falk took the initial shot that was saved by goalie J.F. Perras. Herauf charged towards the net, missed the puck with his stick but was able to bank the shot off his pants and into the net.
The Cotton Kings once again cut the lead in half. Corey Rutt used a wrist shot late in the period quieting the Santa Ana Star Center crowd.
Cacciola stood tall in the final minute. The Cotton Kings threw a barrage of shots towards the net looking for the tie, but Cacciola closed the door. Garbutt added an empty-net goal to seal the two-goal victory. The win gave the Scorpions victories in all five games against Lubbock this season.
Stingers: Austin's head coach is Bill McDonald, who coached the Scorpions from 2002-05.
Comments
1 comment(s)Jon Bailey wrote on Oct 8, 2008 12:06 PM:
WHat NFL team do they root for and what MLB team do they root for? "