Kitty Clark Fritz/Special to The Tribune

Scorpions fan Danny Hans (left) and his brother Robert (right) protest a call by the referee, but it's Sierra Martinez, 7, who really lets him have it during the third period of Friday night's game at the new Santa Ana Star Center. The Arizona Sundogs beat the Scorpions 3-1 in the first game ever played at the new arena.

Kitty Clark Fritz/Special to The Tribune

Cameron Hughes of Venice Beach, Calif., goads the crowd at Friday night's Scorpions game. Hughes is a "professional sports fan" who was hired by the Scorpions to ensure that team spirit was at its peak during the first game at the new Santa Ana Star Center in Rio Rancho. Hughes attends games all over the United States and Canada, pumping up fans. "They wanted to make sure it was noisy tonight," he said of the team's management. Friday night's game was his ninth in 20 days, and New Mexico is the sixth state he's visited in that time.

Kitty Clark Fritz/Special to The Tribune

Arizona Sundog Tab Lardner (left) checks Albuquerque's Chris Robertson into the wall as they battle for control of the puck. The Sundogs beat the Scorpions 3-1 on Friday night at the new Santa Ana Star Center in Rio Rancho.

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RIO RANCHO — RIO RANCHO - Ignore the score - for now.

New Mexico has hockey again after 18 months.

Rio Rancho finally has a professional home team.

The just-completed Santa Ana Star Center almost sold out with an announced crowd of 6,102.

On this special night - maybe just for the moment - the Scorpions can overlook their not-so-special 3-1 loss to the Arizona Sundogs.

And their 0-2 record on the year.

"I hate to lose," Scorpions coach Ray Edwards said. "But it was an exciting night for everybody. Just being able to get this game over with and experience it was great."

It was a full-blown party Friday night at the arena in Rio Rancho.

There were suites for mingling, promotions for prizes, and the governor even cheered on the team.

Fans saw fights galore and threw pucks onto the ice after the game for tradition's sake.

The only thing that will heighten the experience next time, center Terry Marchant said, is a win.

"It was a great night, so we can build off this and put together a win here," said Marchant, whose Scorpions play in Rio Rancho on Wednesday against the Youngstown Steelhounds. "At the end of the day, you'd like to think you took a step forward.

"We love playing here. The fans were great, and we noticed the noise during the game."

General manager Dave Ellett said he was pleased with the results.

"We couldn't have asked for anything more (than Friday's atmosphere)," Ellett said.

But enough with the opening-night pleasantries.

Postgame, all Edwards could talk about was squandered opportunities.

A 5-3 power play late in the third period saw no results.

Misfired passes on defense set up Arizona's arsenal.

Left wing Mike Prpich's elbowing penalty with two minutes left hindered the Scorpions attempts to score.

The momentum leaned the Scorpions' way when center Ryan McLeod tied the game at 1 with 16:36 left in the third, but it wasn't enough to offset the mistakes.

"We're pressing," Edwards said. "I can deal with a loss if we play 60 minutes and play hard. But we didn't do that. Over time we're going to see what we have, and right now we have some young guns. We'll have to work through experience."

Right wing Brent Kelly registered two goals for the Sundogs (2-1-0).

To punctuate the win, Sundog Torrie Wheat chipped a mid-ice shot into an empty goal with three seconds left to finish off the game.

The Scorpions had pushed all players to the opposing goal for the chance at a last-second score.

Despite the Scorpions' loss, numerous fans said Friday they are digging hockey in Rio Rancho.

Including Blayde Jungles, 26, who endured an hourlong drive to view the Scorpions.

"I live all the way on the West side of Albuquerque, but it was worth the trip," Jungles said. "This is a great place to watch hockey."

Now, the challenge for the Scorpions is to win - and keep people coming.