Littman Shuts Out Phoenix in Shootout, Ice Dogs Win

David Littman used his best strategy to stop Phoenix in an overtime shootout, and it gave the Ice Dogs a 5-4 victory over the Roadrunners in front of an announced 5,538 at the Sports Arena on Sunday.

“Yeah I have a great strategy,” Littman said. “Stop the puck.”

Simple, and it worked.

Littman stopped all three of Phoenix’s shootout attempts, and Todd Gillingham, Tracy Egeland and Dan Lambert converted the Ice Dog chances for the victory.

It was only last Sunday that John Van Boxmeer, the Ice Dogs’ coach, was proudly saying that his team was now a bunch of lunch-pail guys who come to work every night.

But on their two-game trip, they were embarrassed in losses to Las Vegas Friday night and Phoenix on Saturday by a combined score of 12-3.

Playing Phoenix isn’t the certain victory it might seem to be. While the Roadrunners (9-10-2) are in last place of the International Hockey League’s Southwest Division, they are talented. As with the Ice Dogs (12-9-2), consistency is a problem.

However, the Ice Dogs’ 7-1 start has kept the team afloat and in third place.

Jason Cirone scored a power-play goal from the blue line to give the Ice Dogs a 4-3 lead at 9:59 of the third period, but Devin Edgerton took a pass from Chris Snell in front of the net for his second goal and tied the score, 4-4, at 12:25.