Rage 3, Scorpions 6

I didn't get a chance to watch this game, and I was only able to listen to the first period, but it sounds like a strong effort from the Scorpions to take advantage of another struggling team and maybe build some confidence going into next week.

When a team's in a funk, the last place the players want to find themselves is playing from behind, but credit the Scorpions with buckling down and really earning the "W" in those second and third periods.

Corpus Christi comes to town on Wednesday, and there's no doubt that the IceRays are reeling a bit, having lost 5 in a row. Randy Murphy just needs to make sure that his guys are hungrier for that two points than the IceRays, especially with the firepower they possess. Another lackluster game in the effort department could get very ugly with the likes of Chris Richards, Justin Quenneville and John McNabb out there.

Anyhow, here are just a few observations from Saturday night's game, having finally caught the replay on CHL TV:

• It looks like Murphy finally found the right line combination with the John Mazzei/Chris Robertson/Torren Delforte line. Mazzei proved to be the perfect playmaking complement to the finishing abilities of Robertson and Delforte, plus his speed was other-worldly. When those guys are on, watch out. Let's not forget that they can also "fall back" on the trio of Seth Leonard/Mitch Stephens/Craig Macdonald
• Andrew Martin was great between the pipes after letting in somewhat of a fluke goal to Tyler Butler at the start of the second. Still, part of me feels that he shouldn't have had to be that good. The Scorpions are starved for two things right now: a shutdown defenseman and a puck-moving defenseman. Aaron MacInnis is both wrapped into one, but he can't patrol the blueline on his own. That's definitely an area where Vladi Hartinger's departure rears its ugly head, and it's something that I'm sure Murphy will address if the right guys become available. The Scorpions have firepower to spare, so I won't be surprised if Murph makes a move to get another d-man before the deadline.

Elsewhere:

• Colorado is undefeated no more
• Rio Grande Valley is undefeated still
• Arizona scores 2 goals in regulation against Odessa -- and wins?