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January 23, 2010

Sundogs drop another one-goal game

ArizonaSundogs.com

PRESCOTT VALLEY – Despite a pair of goals each by Marc Belanger and Konrad Reeder, the Arizona Sundogs dropped their league-leading 13th one goal loss of the season Saturday night at Tim's Toyota Center in Prescott Valley, falling 5-4 to the visiting Odessa Jackalopes.

Arizona found themselves down 1-0 early Saturday night despite carrying play and out-chancing Odessa throughout the first period but Belanger continued his torrent play since being acquired by the Sundogs in a trade with the Wichita Thunder and pulled his club even at one on a strong individual effort late in the frame.

Weaving through Odessa players from inside his own zone, Belanger skated the length of the ice before lifting a backhand effort past Joel Martin with 3:18 to play in the first for his first goal and seventh point overall in six games since joining Arizona.

Kenny Bernard opened a one-goal lead for Odessa 4:33 into the contest on just the second shot the visiting club sent on net.

Taking a pass from Mike Ramsay, Bernard sent a backhand shot along the ice that beat Kyle McNulty five-hole for his 18th of the year.

The Sundogs nearly doubled the Jackalopes in shots in the opening period, 18-10.

Odessa broke a 1-1 tie with a pair of goals just over 14 minutes into the second period after referee Ryan Hersey handed out 16 minutes in penalties to the Sundogs in a 59-second span.

Skating 5-on-3, Sebastien Thinel connected on an Alex Dunn rebound chance from the far post to make it 2-1 before Dunn picked up his second point of the contest 1:17 later, sending a wrist shot off the stick of Collin Circelli past McNulty for a two-goal lead.

Arizona responded with steady pressure and Reeder cut his club's deficit to one, collecting a Kevin Gardner pass between the circles before delaying a wrist shot past Martin with just eight seconds remaining in the middle frame.

The Jackalopes stretched their lead to 5-2 with a pair of markers in the third period's first seven minutes before Reeder and Belanger each collected their second of the game to pull back to within one with seven minutes to play in the contest.

Intercepting a pass between the circles at the 8:07 mark, Reeder shelved a backhand shot short side for his second of the game and team-leading 18th of the year.

Belanger netted his second of the game and eighth point in six games with the Sundogs on a delayed penalty, connecting on a Kyle Hood pass from the corner low stick side after being interfered with on a breakaway with 6:44 to play.

Shorthanded in the closing minute, Odessa held off Arizona's comeback bid to secure the win.

The Jackalopes finished 2-for-8 with the man advantage while the Sundogs were unable to convert on 10 power-play chances.

Arizona fell to 10-16-2 when outshooting its opponent as shots were 40-30 in favor of the Sundogs.