Scorpions Playoff Hopes Still Alive After Overtime Loss

[AMARILLO, Texas]—Sam Ftorek’s overtime goal gave the Gorillas a 5-4 victory over the Scorpions.  New Mexico’s playoff hopes are still alive if they win their two games this weekend and Corpus Christ loses both their games in regulation.

NMX/AMA Box Score

The fans barely had time to sit down before the visitors lit up the scoreboard.  Chris Robertson scored on the game’s very first shift to give New Mexico the 1-0 lead.

The Gorillas rattled off three straight goals in the second period to grab the lead.  Joe Guenther used a screen in front of the Scorps’ net to tie the game at one.

Jamie McKinven’s slap shot right off the draw on the power play gave Amarillo a lead 14:03 into the middle period.  Gordon Bell extended the lead, to 3-1, when he walked from the corner to the front of the net and stuffed the puck home.

The Scorpions fought back late in the frame.  A Jordan Foote power play goal hit the net so hard it popped the water bottle about 10 feet into the air, making it 3-2 after 40 minutes.

The game see-sawed in the third period.  Seth Leonard tied the game at three with a tip in goal at the 5:14 mark.  Amarillo took back the lead on an Austin Sutter slap shot.  Back came the Scorpions as Andrew Smale’s shot hit an Amarillo skated and trickled into the net for a power play goal.

The New Mexico Scorpions regular season will conclude with home games Friday and Saturday against their rivals from Arizona.  The Scorpions need to win both games to continue their hopes for a playoff birth.