Arizona Sundogs Win 2007-08 CHL Championship

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The Central Hockey League’s (CHL) Ray Miron President’s Cup Finals concluded on Friday night at the Budweiser Events Center with a 6-3 victory by the Arizona Sundogs over the Colorado Eagles giving the second-year franchise their first President’s Cup Championship in a four games to none best-of-seven series sweep. The Colorado Eagles and the Laredo Bucks each also won their first championship in their team’s second season.

The Sundogs sweep of the Eagles is just the fifth sweep in CHL playoff history joining Shreveport (1999, WPHL), Columbus (1998), El Paso (1998, WPHL) and Wichita (1994).

Arizona goaltender Rob McVicar was named the 2008 CHL Playoff Most Valuable Player becoming the seventh goaltender to win the award and the first since Laredo’s David Guerrara was named the Playoff MVP in 2003. McVicar finished with an 11-1 record allowing just 11 goals over his last five victories. Over his last five wins, the Brandon, Manitoba native stopped 190 of 201 shots (.945 save percentage).

Other notable performances in the Sundogs win to the President’s Cup include forward Cory Urquhart whose 17 goals tied the CHL single playoff season record and his nine power play goals set a new playoff record. Forward Alex Leavitt’s 30 points were just one shy of the record set last season by Colorado’s Greg Pankewicz. The Sundogs also scored 28 power play goals as a team in the playoffs breaking the old mark of 24 set by Memphis in 2002.

Other notable achievements in the series include Alex Leavitt winning the championships in both the CHL and the ECHL. Cory Urquhart becomes the first CHL player to win the AHL’s Calder Cup and the CHL’s President Cup in consecutive seasons and Marco Emond becomes the first player to win the President’s Cup with three different teams (Arizona, Colorado and Laredo).

CHL President’s Cup Champions
2008 – Arizona Sundogs
2007 – Colorado Eagles
2006 – Laredo Bucks
2005 – Colorado Eagles
2004 – Laredo Bucks
2003 – Memphis RiverKings
2002 – Memphis RiverKings
2001 – Oklahoma City Blazers
2000 – Indianapolis Ice
1999 – Huntsville Channel Cats
1998 – Columbus Cottonmouths
1997 – Fort Worth Fire
1996 – Oklahoma City Blazers
1995 – Wichita Thunder
1994 – Wichita Thunder
1993 – Tulsa Oilers