PHN Photo Essay – Arizona Sundogs @ Texas Brahmas 11/23/11

NORTH RICHLAND HILLS, Texas – Sudden death overtime. Emphasis on the word sudden. One second you’re in it, the next you’re scratching you’re head, thinking ‘wait, what just happened here?’ and then a second later, you realize what’s happened and that’s it. Game over. The Arizona Sundogs earned their second road win in as many nights on Wednesday evening with a 4-3 overtime victory over the Texas Brahmas. Exactly three minutes into the extra frame, former Brahmas forward Jeff Hazelwood, who had solved goalie Mark Guggenberger twice already, sent in the game winner which also completed his first hat trick as a member of the Sundogs. With their victory, the Sundogs improved to 5-7-3, placing them within two points of Texas (7-5-1) for fifth place in the Berry Conference. Hazelwood struck first blood with a shot from the left circle at the 17:54 mark of the opening frame, putting the Sundogs up 1-0. David Nimmo and B.J. Crum were in on the assists. Arizona had a 12-7 shot advantage in the period and neither team capitalized on their initial power play opportunities. That would change in the second period. A Holding call on Brahmas defenseman Ryan Hand provided a man-advantage for the Sundogs at the 6:22 mark and it took Tyler Butler all of 37 seconds to strike with a slapshot from the point, assisted by Kyle Hood and Nimmo. Texas countered with a power play strike of their own, courtesy of a Slashing call on Jean-Philipp Chabot less than 2 1/2 minutes later. Defenseman Andrew Lackner sent in a shot from the blue line, assisted by Kyle Howarth and Adam Hogg at the 10:44 mark to cut the Sundogs’ lead in half. A Too Many Men Bench Minor gave the Brahmas another power play at the 14:30 mark and Chad Woollard beat goalie Levente Szuper with his shot from between the circles, fed by Phil Fox and T.J. Fox at 14:52. The game remained knotted at 2-2 for the remainder of the period. Brahmas enforcer Ryan Hand and Tyler Matheson dropped gloves following Woollard’s score. The two were assessed Fighting Majors for their efforts. The Brahmas had a 13-9 shot advantage in the middle period. Calin Wild broke the deadlock 2:37 into the third frame, assisted by Jim Burichin and Woollard. Midway through the period, Jeff Hazelwood scored his second of the night, once again on a feed by Nimmo and a secondary assist from Luke Erickson. Tied at 3-3, the Brahmas had two power play chances later in the period, but failed to convert. Texas had a 12-7 shot advantage in the third and led the shot count in regulation at 32-28, but the game was to be decided in overtime. The Brahmas sent in the first shot of the extra frame but once again it was Hazelwood who sent in a loose puck from the crease and secured the second win for the Sundogs in as many nights. Guggenberger stopped 25 of 29 shots faced and took his first professional loss. His record goes to 3-0-1. Levente Szuper stopped 30 of 33 shots faced and earned the win. His record goes to 2-4-3. The following images were recorded at the NYTEX Sports Centre on Wednesday evening.