For the week of March 6 - 12, 2002

Suns 7, Stars 6 
(OT shootout)
Friday

Dallas South Stars 2 2 1 1 6
Sun Valley Suns 2 2 1 2 7

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FIRST PERIOD—(1) Stars, Kent Junkert (James Collinge), 6:10. (2) SV, Tom Forti 10 (Chris Benson, John Miller), 8:40, power play goal. (3) SV, Miller 4 (Forti, Tim Tracy), 11:42. (4) Stars, Pat Finnegan (Mike Stansberry, Tom Maroste), 13:44, power play goal.

SECOND PERIOD—(5) SV, Vilnis Nikolaisons 18 (Jamie Ellison), 3:41. (6) SV, Kris Webster 4 (Ellison), 5:50. (7) Stars, Marc Perron (Pat Quinn, John Hill), 18:13. (8) Stars, Tom Dolan (Finnegan, Ryan Hopkins), 19:53.

THIRD PERIOD—(9) SV, John Stevens 20 (Chas Riopel, Ivars Muzis), 6:02. (10) Stars, Hopkins (Stansberry), 10:34.

OVERTIME (5 minutes)—No scoring.

OT SHOOTOUT—(11) Stars, Hopkins. (12) SV, Scott Winkler 9. (13) SV, Jamie Ellison 20, game-winning goal.

SHOTS ON GOAL—for Dallas 6-6-5-6 for 23; for Sun Valley 14-11-18-11 for 54.

GOALIES—Dallas, Steve Swenson (47 saves); SV, James Moskos (17 saves, 10-1-0 record).

OFFICIALS—Referee, Richard Winkler; linesmen, John Olson and Curt Martin.

NOTES—Stars goalie Swenson, a former collegiate goalie in Minnesota, was sensational when it counted. He robbed Jamie Ellison’s backhand early in the third period and then made 4 huge saves in OT—denying legitimate close-in chances by Chris Benson, Joe Lawson, Luke Smith and Paul Baranzelli…. Sun Valley’s forward lines were Smith-Ellison-Nikolaisons, Riopel-Joe Lawson-John Stevens, Chris Benson-Tom Forti-John Miller. Nikolaisons left the game with a groin injury in the second period and then returned briefly, before sitting out the entire third period. His absence really hurt the production of Ellison’s first line and put more scoring pressure on the Lawson line….The blueliners were Ivars Muzis-Baranzelli, Kit Hughes-Tim Tracy, Kris Webster-Jon Bender….Moskos disputed the fourth Stars goal, whipped home by Tom Nolan of the Stars late in the second. Moskos claimed interference, but referee Richard Winkler said he didn’t see it….The third and fifth Stars goals were the results of flatfooted Suns defense. The Stars who scored never should have gotten the pucks on their sticks….Referee Winkler said that both Baranzelli and Dallas’ Pat Finnegan, cousins from Minnesota who drew roughing penalties in a friendly wrestling match with 24 seconds left in the scoreless five-minute OT, would have been eligible to participate in the shootout….The first two shooters for Sun Valley in the shootout were Joe Lawson and Ben Stauffer. Both missed, but both Lawson and Stauffer had been successful in the 7-6 OT shootout win over Seattle Dec. 28. In that shootout, Baranzelli and Forti were unsuccessful, and Luke Smith won the game as the fifth and final shooter. Smith would have been the fifth shooter again, tonight, but he wasn’t needed because of Moskos 4 saves…After allowing the first shootout goal, Moskos stuffed Scott Mackel, Tom Dolan, John Hill and Pat Quinn….Game-winning scorer Ellison was a late addition as the fourth shootout man, replacing Kit Hughes….The Suns are now 3-6 in their eight shootout contests since 1998….Prior to December’s Seattle win, the Suns had been winless in their last 10 OT games dating back to 1999…Tonight’s result improved Sun Valley’s overall OT record to 22-19-19 in 27 seasons….Here is an updated list of game-winning Suns OT scorers in team history: Jamie Ellison 2, John Finnegan 2, Kurt Wenzell 2, Phil Hoene 2, Paul Cartmill 2, Brian Watts 1, Dale Johnson 1, Mark Broz 1, Pat Kearney 1, Rip Kirby 1, Terry Heneghan 1, Chas Riopel 1, Brian Saksa 1, Beets Johnson 1, Phil Hebert 1, Sean O’Connell 1 and Luke Smith 1.

 

 

 

Suns 7, Stars 0
Saturday

Dallas South Stars 0 0 0 0
Sun Valley Suns 2 3 2 7

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FIRST PERIOD—(1) SV, Ben Stauffer 10 (Joe Lawson, Riopel), 10:46. (2) SV, Stevens 21 (Ellison, Luke Smith), 19:49.

SECOND PERIOD—(3) SV, Smith 13 (Stevens, Kit Hughes), 1:01. (4) SV, Benson 8 (Miller, Paul Baranzelli), 15:57. (5) SV, Muzis 6 (Benson, Forti), 19:05.

THIRD PERIOD—(6) SV, Muzis 7 (Winkler, Scott Carmack), 7:47. (7) SV, Cam Bennett 1 (Carmack, Winkler), 14:59.

SHOTS ON GOAL—for Dallas 5-3-4 for 12; for Sun Valley 18-18-14 for 50.

GOALIES—Dallas, Steve Swenson (43 saves); SV, Matt Gershater (12 saves, 11-0-0 season).

OFFICIALS—Referee, Scott Tilmant; linesmen, Richard Winkler and Kelly Billings.

NOTES—The absence of Nikolaisons (groin) caused a reshuffling of the forwards. The Suns went with four lines. They were Smith-Ellison-Stevens (54 season goals between them), Riopel-Lawson-Ben Stauffer, Benson-Forti-Miller, and Scott Winkler-Cam Bennett-Scott Carmack….That fourth line had a very good night, Winkler working and skating very hard for loose pucks, Carmack collecting 2 assists and Bennett scoring his first goal….Third-year goalie Matt Gershater has a 19-1-1 career record in the Suns cage….Young Danny Ward was a "Beat the Sun" star. First one up, he lifted a shot that went airborne—as his legs went out from under him with the effort. The puck skipped through the coveted middle hole as his proud father Ken Ward’s feet were about five feet off the ground himself….Leading the weekend scoring was Jamie Ellison (1-3 for 4). Seven Suns had 3 or more points.….The Suns outshot the Stars 104-35, the most lopsided margin of the season…. Ellison (92-150 for 241), Nikolaisons (72-119 for 191), Riopel (95-126 for 221) and Stevens (73-107 for 180) continue to move up on the all-time scoring list….Stevens is the team’s leading goal scorer, a flip flop from last year. This season he is 21-14 for 35 points through 22 games. Last season Stevens had many more assists, 11-25 for 36 through 23 games….Muzis (7-23 for 30) is having his best scoring season, fourth best on the team….The Suns have more scoring balance—16 players with 10 or more points compared to only 11 players with 10 or more last winter….Chris Benson needs 8 more points for a 300-point Suns career.

 

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