Friday Finals: Wild stun Bighorns at home
November 1, 2014
Cleveland 2 @ Metro 7 – The Cleveland Jr. Lumberjacks fell behind early, and the Metro Jets kept piling on the points on the way to a 7-2 victory. Jason Newel was all over the ice for Metro, as he tallied two goals and one assist in the win. Newel scored the first of his two goals at 12:32 into the first period to make the score 5-0 Metro. Andrew Sawyer provided the assist. Newel's next tally made the score 7-1 Metro with 13:48 left in the third period. A hooking penalty on Ryker Barber had put the Jets on the power play. Cooper McLean picked up the assist. Metro forced Jr. Lumberjacks' goalies to work between the pipes, finishing with 38 shots and forcing 31 saves. Alec Rounds made 14 stops and Sam Pikus made 17. The Jets' goal total was higher than their season average. Metro averages 4.5 goals per game. The defensemen of the Jets were also effective in Cleveland's zone, and came away with two goals. Metro also got points from David Chavis, who also tallied one goal and one assist, Pearce Vance, who also finished with one goal and two assists, and Sawyer, who also grabbed one goal and one assist. Others who scored for Metro included Thomas Luzynski and Jake Sealy, who scored one goal each. More assists for Metro came via Graham Day, who had two and Alex Holm, Jacob Gleason, Tyler Layle, Jacob Drinkard, TJ Krajewski, and Matt Dempsey, who each chipped in one. Cleveland also had goals scored by Mitch Renstrom and Tyler Dalton, who each put in one. In addition, Cleveland received assists from Avery Huibregtse, Aaron Schmitt, Tyler Houmard, and John Barlow, who contributed one each. Stephan Wroe made 18 saves for Metro on 20 shots. The Jets registered two goals on four power play opportunities.
Wisconsin 5 @ La Crosse 0 – The Wisconsin Whalers were firing on all cylinders against the La Crosse Freeze, and when the final buzzer sounded Whalers emerged with a 5-0 win. Wisconsin was led by Austin Lewis, who racked up one goal. Lewis scored 5:40 into the first period to make the score 1-0 Wisconsin. Connor Morgan picked up the assist. The Whalers' offense rang up 48 shots on La Crosse's net. Wisconsin additionally got points from Ryan Martin, who also grabbed two goals and one assist to lead the team in points and Nathan Viberg, who also registered one goal and one assist. Wisconsin also got a goal from Kaleb Morley as well. In addition, Wisconsin received assists from Alex Anderson, who had two and Peter Henderson, Adam Schoenfeld, and Isaac Hale, who each chipped in one. The Freeze could not produce up to their normal offensive output. La Crosse averages 3.1 goals per game. David Volkmann recorded 23 saves for Wisconsin. The Freeze's Andrew Wagner stopped 43 shots out of the 47 that he faced.
Point Mallard 2 @ Nashville 6 – Nashville took the South Division lead thanks to a 6-2 win on Friday. Nickolas Tandeski had two goals and an assist to lead Nashville. Nathan Klebe made 26 saves in the win.
Topeka 6 @ Dallas 0 – Igor Valko had one point to lead the Topeka Capitals to a 6-0 victory over the Dallas Jr. Stars. Topeka forced Dallas' netminders to work all game long, launching 44 shots and forcing 38 saves. Chris Mallon made 26 stops and Clayton Pierce made 12. The Capitals' penalty kill was spotless, allowing no goals on three Dallas power plays. Topeka featured an improved defense during the game. The Capitals gives up 2.7 goals on average per game. Topeka outdid its season average for goals scored. This season, the Capitals average 3.1 goals per contest. Topeka also got points from Richard Yusa, who also finished with one goal and two assists, Tre Kautzman, who also registered two goals and one assist to lead the team in points, and Drew Kelly, who also racked up one goal and one assist. Hank Roers also scored for Topeka. Other players who recorded assists for Topeka were Andrew Cooley, who had two and Mike Pedersen, Steve MacIver, and Colin OConner, who each chipped in one. The Jr. Stars did not reach the goal total they have come to expect this season. Dallas averages 3.0 goals per game. Topeka's Brett Malkmus stopped 18 shots out of the 18 that he faced.
West Michigan 6 @ Chicago 2 – The West Michigan Wolves' Michael Tratar had a big offensive game, scoring one goal and contributing three assists in his team's 6-2 win over the Chicago Junior Bulldogs. Tratar scored on the power play 16:07 into the first period to make the score 3-2 West Michigan. West Michigan earned a power play opportunity when Nathan Iaciancio was put in the box for tripping. Devin Farkas picked up the assist. Tratar dished an assist on Dakota Ulmer's goal that made the score 2-1 West Michigan at 9:44 into the first period. He then added assists on Farkas' goal at 1:23 into the second and on Farkas' goal at 14:42 into the second. The Wolves forced Junior Bulldogs' goalies to work in net, ripping 48 shots and forcing 42 saves. Troy Pierce made 27 stops and Sam Harden made 15. West Michigan's goal total was higher than its season average. This season, the Wolves average 2.9 goals per contest. West Michigan had trouble converting on the power play advantage, managing just two goals on 11 chances. West Michigan additionally got points from Ulmer, who also grabbed one goal and two assists and Farkas, who also tallied two goals and two assists. West Michigan also had goals scored by Josh Somers and Tait Aptakin, who each put in one. More assists for West Michigan came via Mike Difranco, who had two and Kyle Keeder and Kyler Patenaude, who each chipped in one. The Junior Bulldogs were helped by Niko Moulakelis, who racked up one goal. Moulakelis scored 14:43 into the first period to make the score 2-2. Toms Taurins provided the assist. Chicago also got a goal from Scott Herbster as well. In addition, Chicago received assists from Matt Blaszkiewicz, Henry Hearon, and Mike Holmes, who contributed one each. Kyler Patenaude made 22 saves for the Wolves on 24 shots.
Yellowstone 2 @ Bozeman 4 – The Bozeman Icedogs and the Yellowstone Quake were evenly matched throughout their contest, but Bozeman made the most of its opportunities and won, 4-2. Neither team gained more than a two-goal lead, and Gunnar Mogck's goal in the third period proved to be the difference maker. Mogck was all over the ice for the Icedogs, as he tallied one goal and three assists in the win. Mogck scored on the power play 18:15 into the third period to make the score 3-2 Bozeman. Bozeman had gotten the advantage when Yellowstone's Mason Jobe was sent off for roughing. Ryan Erickson provided the assist. The Quake were unable to stop the Icedogs from sending pucks towards the net, and Bozeman eventually piled up 39 shots on goal. The Icedogs was effective with a man advantage, and put in three goals while on the power play. Bozeman additionally got points from Kyler Chartier, who also grabbed one goal and one assist and Kegan Couture, who also finished with one goal and two assists. Bozeman also got a goal from Coleton Anderson as well. More assists for Bozeman came via Jake Nicks, who had one. Yellowstone was helped by Max Doner, who had one goal. Doner scored on the power play 12:07 into the second period to make the score 2-1 Yellowstone. Mason Stewart picked up the assist. Kristian Lund also scored for Yellowstone. In addition, Yellowstone received assists from Ross Mullen, Mike McCullen, and Sindre Baekken, who each chipped in one. Denijs Romanovskis rejected 24 shots on goal for Bozeman. Sean Leahy recorded 35 saves for Yellowstone.
Granite City 5 @ Twin City 2 – Jared Sprink tallied one point to lead the Granite City Lumberjacks to a 5-2 victory over the Twin City Steel. Granite City forced Twin City goalie Parker Butler to work between the pipes, taking 34 shots. Granite City additionally got points from Tanner Skaja, who also registered one goal and one assist to lead the team in points. Others who scored for Granite City included Zach Voss, David Horsmann, and Georgy Ostapchuk, who each put in one. In addition, Granite City received assists from Mitchell Gwost, Tobias Gabrielsen, David Kenney, Travis Kothenbeutel, Spencer Zwiener, and Dallas Marvin, who contributed one each. The Steel did not challenge the opposing netminder, only getting 12 shots on net to force 10 saves. Jesse Garcia recorded 10 saves for the Lumberjacks. Parker Butler made 29 saves for the Steel on 34 shots. Twin City registered one goal on five power play opportunities.
Breezy Point 0 @ North Iowa 10 – The Breezy Point North Stars fell behind early, and the North Iowa Bulls kept piling on the points on the way to a 10-0 victory. Dylan Zins was all over the ice for North Iowa, as he finished with two goals in the win. Zins found the back of the net on the power play 4:05 into the first period to make the score 1-0 North Iowa and again while 11:50 into the third to make the score 10-0 North Iowa. Breezy Point fell victim to a deadly the Bulls power play, which ripped the North Stars for five goals. North Iowa forced Breezy Point's netminders to work hard to keep the puck out of the net, firing 35 shots and forcing 25 saves. Joe Licata made 21 stops and Dakota McDonald made four. The Bulls found the back of the net more times than it usually has this season. North Iowa averages 5.1 goals per game. North Iowa also got points from Johnny Panvica, who also grabbed one goal and two assists, Zachary Johnston, who also had one goal and one assist, Brett Gravelle, who also registered one goal and one assist, Joe Burgmeier, who also racked up two goals and one assist, and Travis Johnston, who also tallied two goals and one assist. Kohei Sato also scored for North Iowa. In addition, North Iowa received assists from Tommi Ahlgren, Connor Bump, Sam Naegele, and Trey Gardner, who each chipped in one and John Chorzempa, Joe Kleven, Adam Orn, and Carmen Dalesandro, who contributed two each. Ahlgren recorded 18 saves for the Bulls.
Gillette 5 @ Helena 1 – Things started off poorly for the Helena Bighorns on Friday, and they never got any better. Coming off their first loss of the season, the Bighorns hosted the Gillette Wild on Friday. And, when it was all over, the Wild were the ones celebrating after handing their hosts a 5-1 defeat. That leaves Helena looking at a losing streak -- something the organization and its fans are not too accustomed to. The Wild wasted no time in taking control of the game, and from the outset controlled the tempo and the puck. Gillette's speed through the neutral zone enabled it to both set up an effective offense and defense, and break loose for some quality scoring chances. The first one of those chances that paid off came on a two-on-one break, capped when Trent Dillinger scored on a sniper shot that saw its way past keeper Alex Kruger at 12:05 of the first period. Continuing its aggressive play, Gillette peppered Kruger with shots -- the visitors finished the first period with a shot advantage of 11-9, with three of the Helena shots coming in the closing minutes. That attitude and speed helped the Wild to another goal four minutes later, this time coming just past the half boards and sneaking under the arm of Kruger, catching just inside the far post. Helena had a shot flutter off the top of the crossbar a minute later and, over the final two minutes, started to find some rhythm. Alex Feese was up to the task in goal, however, stoning the Bighorns' every attempt. Grant Martens took over for Kruger in net to start the second period, and he was tested quickly. He made some great saves, including a stop on a stellar two-on-one effort, but at 10:52 the Wild did manage to push one past to make it a 3-0 game. Bighorns veteran Matt Mohar got the crowd back in it with a goal just seconds into a power play, but that was the only goal the home team would manage. In a contest whistled to a stop frequently down the stretch by scrums in the front of one net or the other, Gillette used a speedy transition to chip one up and over Martens to make it again a three-goal game at 7:55 of the third period. Martens left his net to provide the Bighorns with an extra attacker in the final three minutes, but a chip along the center-ice boards wound up finding its way between the pipes for Gillette with 45 seconds to play, resulting in the final margin.
