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Playoff Loss (9 - 12) vs Chandler Wolves
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Date: 4/24/2004 11:00a
Location: DC Ranch (Copper Ridge School)
No league summary available
Away Notes:
The 4 vs. 5 game between Desert Mountain and Chandler pitted two teams that appeared to be very evenly matched. The early season meeting saw Chandler escape 7-6 with Desert Mountain firing shots down to the last whistle. The teams had been neck and neck in the power ratings all season. Both teams are lead by coaches who pretty much consider attackmen a necessary evil. The teams even share the same nickname.
The first half was even all the way. Desert Mountain controlled ground balls early, but were unable to build more than a one-goal lead thanks to the left pipe and some great goaltending. With Desert Mtn. leading the game 2-1 on goals by Andrew Martin and Kevin Melling, Chandler got the wind back in its sails when defenseman Joey Wussler stormed down the field and tied the game 2-2 with a blistering shot.
Chandler took the lead 3-2 briefly on a goal by Abel Haro, but Taylor Mitchell tied things up quickly early in the second quarter. The teams traded goals and went into halftime deadlocked, 5-5.
Chandler took the lead early in the 3rd quarter on perhaps the prettiest goal of the day. From the top of the restaining area, Eric Nelson received what seemed like a routine perimiter pass and quick-sticked it to weight-class-mate Anthony LaFlam on the crease who put it in the cage before anyone knew what happened. Desert Mountain answered immediately when Brian Melling beat his defenseman cleanly from behind. Chandler then turned to its newest offensive threat, Marty Gove. Gove set up Tory Weissert for the first of his second-half hat trick giving Chandler a 7-6 lead. A minute later, Mitchell answered to tie things at 7-7 only to have Weissert score immediately after to make things 8-7 Chandler. Chandler then got a huge goal from converted defenseman, Nate Townsend, who gave Chandler the first 2-goal lead of the game with 3:07 to go in the third quarter.
The critical point of the game happened with 2:03 left in the third quarter. With Chandler facing a 2-minute penalty at the end of the third quarter and Desert Mountain's EMO capitalizing all day, the game hung in the balance. Chandler's man-down unit of Clayton Chu, Ian Griesbacher, Joe Preston, Jeff Ryan held tough for the first minute and got possession. An odd bounce on the clear set up Chandler's LaFlam with a footrace to the goal where he was stopped by Mike Majidi. Desert Mountain came back quickly the other way and got their best opportunity only to be stoned by Benjamin Harvey's best save of the day.
Desert Mountain scored first in the fourth quarter to make things 9-8, but Chandler's offense lead by LaFlam, Weissert, Andrew Hibdon and Abel Haro controlled the ball the rest of the way, drew DM into some critical penalties and managed to score 3 more goals to put the game away 12-9 and give Chandler its sixth straight win.
Despite this being a close playoff game between two of Arizona's top five teams, 13 of the 29 points (goals or assists) in this game were scored by freshmen and sophomores.
Desert Mountain had three goals from sophomore Taylor Mitchell, and two from freshman Kevin Melling and freshman Konnor Klein who all played major roles in Desert Mountain's offense.
Chandler got its biggest point output from junior Andrew Hibdon who put up 2 goals and set up 3 more. Junior Tory Weissert and sophomore Anthony LaFlam each put in three on the afternoon. Only 5 of the total 29 points were attributed to seniors.
Chandler Wolves record: 8-4-0
Desert Mtn Wolves record against Chandler Wolves: 0-1-0
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