11/29/2009 12:10:00 AM Sundogs: Arizona takes giant step backwards with latest loss
The Arizona Sundogs' Matt Foy, far left, falls to the ice as teammate Scott Thauwald, and Colorado Eagles players Felipe Larranaga and Adam Hogg look on in Prescott Valley on Saturday. Colorado won 8-2.
Matt Hinshaw/The Daily Courier
PRESCOTT VALLEY - After suffering so many close defeats through the first quarter of the season, the Arizona Sundogs finally played down to their last-place spot in the standings on Saturday night.
A night after losing 2-1 to Colorado - Arizona's seventh one-goal loss of the season - the Eagles embarrassed the 'Dogs with an 8-2 rout at Tim's Toyota Center.
"No heart," Arizona coach Marco Pietroniro said. "We have everything it takes. That's what we missed tonight."
Through the first 16 games of the season, the Sundogs' 10 losses were by a combined 16 goals. Saturday's six-goal margin tied for the most lopsided home loss in franchise history. The other was in November of 2006.
"If you're not ready, a night like this is going to happen," Arizona center Kevin Gardner said. "Obviously we weren't ready to play."
Gardner said they allowed Colorado to gain the zone too easily. The Eagles scored six minutes in when Alex Penner split the defense and scored from the slot.
Gardner tied it up with a power play goal a little more than a minute later, but it took all of three minutes for Colorado to strike again.
The Eagles tacked on another before the intermission and three more in the second. One was a short-handed 2-on-1 break. Another was a play where Colorado defenseman Aaron Schneekloth skated right down the side against a set-up Sundogs' defense for an uncontested goal.
Chris Bartolone scored for Arizona on the power play in the third to make it 6-2, but the Eagles again came right back 43 seconds later when Kevin Ulanski tracked a puck down in the corner and centered in front to Riley Nelson, who the defense lost.
Another 2-on-1 break made it 8-2.
Adding insult to injury, it was the Eagles going after the Sundogs in the latter stages when things got chippy.
"It's definitely not fun right now," Bartolone said.
He added that they hadn't played a team as good as Colorado until this weekend. He said they put all their eggs in last night's basket.
On Saturday, they laid an egg.
"First of all, I don't think our fans deserve this type of performance," Pietroniro said. "...To come out like this and show no heart...it's disturbing."
It was the fifth time in team history they have lost by six goals. The Sundogs have lost two times by seven. Both were in the playoffs and in one case they actually won the series.
Now at 5-9-2 and still in last place in the Southern Conference, a blowout loss is tough to swallow for a team that thought it was on the cusp of breaking through.
"I need to make some adjustments," Pietroniro said. "I believe in the boys we have in that room. But when you come out like this - it's not like we're 10-2-2 and we can drop one like last night. That would have been acceptable but we're not 10-2-2. We're far away from a winning record right now and we can't accept where we're at."
Summing it up
The Courier's Three Stars
1 - Ed McGrane, Colorado: a four-point night, including a first-period goal on a deflection to put his team up 3-1.
2 - Jim Jackson, Colorado: another four-point night recording four assists, including three primaries.
3 - Riley Nelson, Colorado: a pair of goals, giving him 12 on the season.
Key Stats
6: margin of defeat, the worst for Arizona this season and tied for worst home loss in franchise history.
11: losses (including overtime and shootout) for the Sundogs through the first 17 games this season.
Turning point
After the Sundogs had tied the score at 1-1 in the first on a power play goal by Kevin Gardner, there was a pile-up in front of the Arizona goal and Brett Lutes collected the puck to the side and put away the easy tally. Colorado never looked back.
It is tough to watch a warrior like Bernier sit in the stands when the eagles challenge us without a response. Marco lived off of some great talent handed him from the affiliates. Now that he is on his own we see his true colors. He recruits a bunch of soft euros who can't play on a smaller ice surface and certainly cannot hit anyone. What a disgrace. PV deserves better.
Posted: Sunday, November 29, 2009
Article comment by:
Time for a Change
Ownership, do you really think your fan base will continue to support the product your coach has trotted out these past two seasons? If nothing else we should expect a quality effort, if not an occasional home win. A change is clearly needed, and for the coach to make the comment that his team played with no heart is absurd. That's part of his job description isn't it! The Eagles seemed to show plenty of heart as they whipped up the Dogs in every manner possible, as have most other teams who have come in for their easy two points. Between a brutal home record, awful special teams, and a lack of leadership and discipline, this team in its current state isn't worth supporting. Make a change now and show us fans that you really do care about the product. Unfortunately, this coach doesn't appear to be able to rectify the problems he's created through poor recruiting and a woeful lack of coaching ability.
Posted: Sunday, November 29, 2009
Article comment by:
No name provided
IT IS NO FUN WATCHING A BUNCH OF WHIPPED DOGS.
Posted: Sunday, November 29, 2009
Article comment by:
Randy Wolfe
My wife and I have been season ticket holders from the very beginning of Sundogs hockey. While I do not believe winning is the only way for fans to have fun at a game, effort and heart is. While the organization has gentrified the arena to the point of nauseum, the coach and his apparent system has erased all emotion from our team. It is our team after all. Stand up fans and demand a change. If there are underlying reasons why the team has played so poorly tell us. Bart talks about heart during the intermission interview, and then he and the rest cannot even be bothered to hustle off the ice after a shift, never mind during one. If that is all the guys have, fire them all and bring players that care. If the players agree with this then let the organization know. Of course maybe this is what the owners want. With the Roadrunner's gone, Phoenix is wide open. Watch out fans, we may be left holding the bag. If I am wrong about any of this someone from the organization can call to let me know. Oh that's right; polite, canned interviews and remarks only from our Dogs, no real information. Come on guys get angry and prove me wrong. I do not care about another Miron Cup, I do care about real hockey.
Posted: Sunday, November 29, 2009
Article comment by:
The Time For Change Is Now
Ok CSH (Sundog Ownership), the time has come for action regarding a change at coach/GM which should also include bringing in players who want to play. There are at least 8 players I would send packing right now. You're on the verge of losing your hardcore hockey fan base which also means a loss in season ticket renewals for next year. The team has won just 14 home games in their last 42 which includes the 10 games this season and the 32 home games from last year. This is a .333 winning percentage. It's a home game for the opponents. There is a good possibility this team may not win another game, home or away, until 1/8/10 when they play at the expansion Missouri Mavericks (they even have a winning home record). The season is being thrown away and it's not fun to come out to watch these clowns play anymore. You'll start to see that at the gate. Another thing, what does this team do at practice? It sure isn't improving on basic hockey skills. It's time to get the guys ... on the ice with a coach who knows what he is doing. And Bartolone is definitely not the coaching answer--how about someone from your Everett Silvertips organization. You have an exceptional organization up there. The Phoenix Coyotes finally pulled the plug on Gretzky and look what a coaching change has done for them. Please, enough is enough!
Posted: Sunday, November 29, 2009
Article comment by:
Prescottonian
I am a season ticket holder for the last two seasons and I don't believe we deserve to watch a spanking like last night. WOW. The Dogs played poorly. Common guys, pull it together.
Posted: Sunday, November 29, 2009
Article comment by:
Christopher J. Kraft
Wow I'm not sure where to begin but last night's game was not entertaining on any level. I've been to 3 saturday games and I think we have been out scored 19 to 6. What I saw last night was a team with no personal pride what so ever. I want to go on a run and win some games but it was obivious by the 3rd period our sive like defense was not going to allow us to win. We are down 8-2 and they are taking it to US! The players need an education on entertainment value. Is there no fireplug on this team? We should have beening throwing bodies around that whole 3rd period. Instead we are down 8-2 and Biondo lays down on the ice trying to draw a penalty like this was a 1 goal playoff game. Man up Biondo have some personal pride give me a reason to come back and not feel like a fool in my Sundog sweat shirt and hat. I can easily afford season tickets and have been a hockey fan my whole life I played for 12 years I sucked but I loved the sport and would play my heart out. You guys have the talent, privilege and opportunity to play at the next level. Memo to coach rent the movie slap shot and explain to the players how to entertain their fans when it is obvious they can't out play the other team. Entertain me either way by out playing the other team or out hitting them. Last night we did neither and unless I see some improvement either way I won't be back this year you sucked me in 3 times because I love the sport but I can't blindly support what I've seen on the ice. Coach and Bartoloene you guys get it show these other guys what it means to be a pro. Now let's go on a roll win some games and throw some bodies around!! plenty of time to make the playoffs.
