Scorpions Hold on to Even Up Series

Three Stars:
1. Konrad Reeder (NMX)
2. Craig Macdonald (NMX)
3. Jon Landry (ARZ)

New Mexico-Arizona Game Four Box Score

Rio Rancho, NM – The New Mexico Scorpions evened up their best of seven series with the Arizona Sundogs on Friday night with a 5-4 win at the Santa Ana Star Center.  New Mexico had to hold off a late charge by Arizona to even up the series at two wins apiece with game five set for Saturday night in Rio Rancho.

The Scorpions built a 2-0 first period lead thanks to goals just 22 seconds apart from Dominic Osman and Craig Macdonald.  Arizona outshot the Scorps 10-8 in the period but all-star netminder Andrew Martin looked sharp in the early going.

An Aaron MacInnis power play goal in the second made it look as if the Scorps would cruise to the win like they did in game two in the series (a 5-2 win) but Cory Urquhart quickly answered scoring his seventh goal of the season at the 2:33 mark of the middle frame making the score 3-1.  Konrad Reeder pushed the advantage back to three goals by scoring a goal in his fourth consecutive game making the tally 4-1 after two period.

At the 12:24 mark of the third period, Mitch Stephens scored a power play goal making the score 5-1 in favor of the Scorpions but a goal by Karl Sellan just 16 seconds after the Stephens goal seemed to get the Sundogs offense rolling as Jon Landry and Tyler Leibel would each add late goals giving Arizona a chance trailing by one with a couple of minutes left in regulation but Martin and the Scorpions would weather the storm and come out on top.

Martin finished the night making 27 saves and earning the win, while Marco Emond made 28 saves and took the loss.