Scorpions 3, Sundogs 1

FINALLY! I make it out to the SASC for the first time in a few weeks, and get to see an "instant classic" against the longtime rivals from the west. Right from the beginning, this had the makings of a playoff game, and the intensity carried right through the final whistle, earning the Scorpions two critical points. With Corpus Christi's 4-1 win over Rio, it's basically a win-out situation for the Scorps, but I'm sure Randy Murphy has his guys taking it one game at a time, and that's exactly what they did last night.

Observations:

• Joel Gistedt was 3-0 against the Scorps going into last night, with a goals-against of 3.33. In case you were wondering, Amarillo is the only other team against which Gistedt has multiple wins. But for a guy who's taken a lot of heat this year, the young Sweded certainly defied his critics (and his pointstreak stats). At one point early in the second period, the shots were 20-5 in favor of the Scorpions, but Gistedt simply stole the show. He absolutely robbed Craig Macdonald on two separate occassions, both on bang-bang plays to the side of the net. You certainly can't fault Gistedt with the two goals he did give up
• Aside from the flurry of activity in the game's opening minutes, Kyle McNulty was probably rather bored through the first two periods. Granted, that's a good thing. But when the Scorpions needed him most, McNulty stepped up in a big way, as he has all season long. He played a pheomenal third period in a game that very well could have gone either way.
  
• Pat Allen said it best in the 3-Star selection: you wouldn't expect anything less from Chris Robertson in a game like this. That was an MVP-worthy performance from the Scorps' top center in just about every department. He won timely draws, he played both ends of the ice, he threw his weight around (and dropped 6'4" Joel Irving on his wallet) and, most importantly, he made a great individual effort to open the scoring.
  
• About the only thing you really have to question last night was the Scorpions' powerplay. They were going up against the league's worst penalty kill, and they simply got outworked. The puck movement was there, but the player movement was not. Everything looked completely stale. If you look at any top powerplay unit, you'll see how dynamic those 5 guys look out there. The Colorados and the Odessas are constantly cycling around and creating passing lanes for themselves rather than waiting.
  
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I hate school

Sorry for the total lack of blog posts lately...I'm in the midst of the midterm push so I've (sadly) had to shift my focus toward school. I didn't even make the game last night against Colorado. Anyhow, as it stands, the Scorpions are still 4 points behind Arizona for the final Southern Conference playoff spot. Both Arizona and Corpus Christi play tonight, so the Scorpions will have a game in hand on the Sundogs and will be even with the IceRays going into the weekend

Roster move, Scorps get help in standings

The "Mini Moose" era is over in New Mexico, as Lyon Messier was put on waivers yesterday. All the best to Lyon, who was a very pleasant kid and definitely conducted himself in a manor becoming of his heralded name. I'm sure he'll crop up somewhere.

The Scorps also got some much-needed help on the scoreboard last night, as Texas downed Corpus Christi and Rio Grande Valley took care of Arizona. As it stands going into tonight's game against Amarillo, the Scorpions sit four points out of a playoff spot with a game in hand on both the IceRays and the Sundogs. Two points would be huge tonight, with Arizona travelling to Laredo tomorrow before battling Corpus on Friday in what should be an all-out war. Best case scenario if you ask me? Arizona wins in regulation. If the Sundogs are the frontrunners for the 5th and final playoff spot going into the final two weeks of the season, it means the Scorpions' destiny is in their own hands. Boy is that going to be an eventful four games!

McNulty named Goaltender of the Week

Some much-deserved recognition for Kyle McNulty, who has almost single-handedly revived the Scorpions' confidence in time for a playoff push. I'm off to class, so more later.

Scorpions 5, Jackalopes 4

In the realm of important wins, this has to rank right up there for the Scorpions. The odds were certainly stacked against them, with the third game in three nights against an Odessa team with plenty of motivation. It was not the most consistent effort the Scorpions put together this season, but all that matters is that they're on a bus ride back from Midland, Texas just 4 points out of the final playoff spot in the Southern Conference.

Observations:

• The first thing you talk about has to be the end of this game. I envy Adam Minnick for getting to call such an exciting finish. I definitely thought the Jacks were going to take the two points after they answered back just 18 seconds after Craig Macdonald's goal (congrats to Macdonald on setting a new season-high with 30 goals) -- I honestly thought they might even do it in regulation. But credit Seth Leonard with crashing the net and outworking the Jacks' D to pot the eventual game-winner. It might have snuck a bit under the radar that Lenny's 7 game-winning-goals are tied for second the CHL.
  
• With the way Odessa's defense was playing early on, you would've expected a garbage goal to be the only thing that would get the Scorpions on the board. Jamie Herrington certainly disproved that notion, as that cross-crease, between-the-legs pass to Andrew Smale was the kind of play that will get some WOW's at any level.
  
• Jordan Foote should probably leave the heavy-handed work to Adam Knight, as Footer pretty well got his clock cleaned in his first professional fight. I'd definitely score that round 10-8 for Garrett Gruenke, but credit Foote for standing up for himself after Mario Joly called him out.
  
• Great play from Mike MacDonald to silence his former mates. The acrobatics and the finish were reminiscent of another diminutive No. 21
• Huge game at home against Amarillo on Wednesday, but the Scorps could surely use some favors from Texas (@ Corpus) and Rio Grande Valley (vs. Arizona) on Tuesday to help gain even more ground
  

Killer Bees 4, Scorpions 2

I didn't catch all of this one, but I think the picture says all that needs to be said. As I'm writing this, at least Joel Gistedt is in goal for Arizona, giving the Scorps a glimmer of hope that Bossier will do them a favor

People can learn from this

This is not hockey-related, but when I stumbled upon this touching story from a high school basketball game in Milwaukee, Wisc., I had to pass it along to anyone who'd read it. One of the things I have always appreciated about sports is that unspoken bond that athletes share -- the one that allows them to put competition aside, at any level, in the name of sportsmanship and respect.