West Michigan and Metro clinch titles on final day
March 2, 2015
Peoria 1 @ West Michigan 3 - Tait Aptakin registered one point to lead the West Michigan Wolves to a 3-1 victory over the Peoria Mustangs. The win secured the 2014-15 Central Division regular season title for the Wolves. West Michigan additionally got points from Brandon Benaglio, who also finished with one goal and one assist to lead the team in points. West Michigan also got a goal from Dakota Ulmer as well. Other players who recorded assists for West Michigan were Brandon Mezuk, Steven Rhodes, Michael Tratar, Ethan Stafford, and Devin Farkas, who each chipped in one. Peoria was led by Jason Henry, who scored the team's only goal. Henry scored 6:09 into the first period to make the score 1-0 Peoria. Austin Ziakas picked up the assist. West Michigan's Hunter Vorva stopped 20 shots out of the 21 that he faced. Marc Hayton made 20 saves for the Mustangs on 20 shots.
Metro 4 @ Cleveland 1 - Chas Distelrath racked up one point to lead the Metro Jets to a 4-1 victory over the Cleveland Jr. Lumberjacks. The win secured the 2014-15 East Division regular season title for the Jets. It was also the final game in the long and successful career of Cleveland head coach Bob Jacobson. Metro kept Cleveland's goalie busy throughout the game, and Alec Rounds made 50 saves on 54 shots. Metro also got points from Kyle Shreve, who also registered one goal and one assist and Ryan Bloom, who also grabbed two goals and one assist to lead the team in points. More assists for Metro came via David Chavis and Spencer Graham, who contributed one each and Tyler Layle and Matt Dempsey, who each chipped in two. Kameron Limburg recorded 24 saves for the Jets.
Cincinnati 1 @ Pittsburgh 8 - The Pittsburgh Vengeance were firing on all cylinders against the Cincinnati Swords, and when the final buzzer sounded Vengeance emerged with an 8-1 win. Pittsburgh got the win thanks to a great game by Brennan Osen, who had two goals and two assists. Osen scored the first of his two goals short handed at 2:21 into the first period to make the score 1-0 Pittsburgh. The Vengeance played down a man on Parker Henry's tripping. Osen's next tally short handed made the score 7-1 Pittsburgh with 14:44 left in the third period. Brennan Conway picked up the assist. Pittsburgh additionally got points from Bryan Hovanec, who also had one goal and one assist, Henry, who also registered three goals and one assist, and Conway, who also racked up two goals and one assist. In addition, Pittsburgh received assists from Adem Arifi, who had two, Nils Markgren, who had four, and Leo Blore and Tyler Speis, who contributed one each. Cincinnati was led by Jessie Fracassi, who scored the team's only goal. Fracassi scored 7:22 into the first period to make the score 2-1 Pittsburgh. Jacob Stack rejected 19 shots on goal for Pittsburgh.
Minnesota 3 @ Granite City 6 - The Granite City Lumberjacks had a two-goal lead after two periods and cruised the rest of the way en route to a 6-3 win over the Minnesota Flying Aces. Granite City was led by Luke Richardson, who tallied one goal. Richardson scored 7:59 into the second period to make the score 4-2 Granite City. Tanner Skaja picked up the assist. Granite City also got points from Skaja, who also registered one goal and two assists to lead the team in points and Jared Sprink, who also racked up one goal and one assist. Granite City also had goals scored by Zach Voss, Mitchell Gwost, and Dallas Marvin, who each put in one. Other players who recorded assists for Granite City were Travis Kothenbeutel, who had two and Corey Taylor, Spencer Nelson, and David Horsmann, who each chipped in one. The Flying Aces were helped by Jace Cseter, who grabbed one goal. Cseter scored on the power play 7:05 into the second period to make the score 3-2 Granite City. Minnesota had gained a power play chance when Marvin was whistled for interference. Minnesota additionally got points from Zach Johnston, who also had one goal and one assist to lead the team in points. Minnesota also got a goal from Travis Johnston as well. In addition, Minnesota received assists from Blake Neumann, who had one. Jesse Garcia rejected 14 shots on goal for Granite City.
Dallas 1 @ Texas 6 - The Texas Jr. Brahmas were firing on all cylinders against the Dallas Jr. Stars, and when the final buzzer sounded Jr. Brahmas emerged with a 6-1 win. Texas was led by Paolo DiGenova, who registered one goal. DiGenova scored 14:29 into the first period to make the score 2-0 Texas. Nick Nitta picked up the assist. Texas also got points from Mykyta Sheptytsky, who also grabbed one goal and one assist and Sam Gagnon, who also racked up one goal and one assist. Devin Pierce also scored for Texas. Other players who recorded assists for Texas were Jimmy Anderson, who had one, Kurt Thiele, who had three, and Brock Brown and Ryan Dunner, who contributed two each. Dallas also got a goal from Kayne Fedor as well. More assists for Dallas came via Tyler Valentin and Drew Hill, who each chipped in one. Joe Hacker made nine saves for the Jr. Brahmas on 10 shots.
Billings 2 @ Great Falls 1 - The Great Falls Americans tried their best to erase a two-goal deficit, but the Billings Bulls would not be denied the victory and hung on to win, 2-1. A goal by Josh Neumann put Billings up 2-0 in the first period, but Great Falls pulled to within one on Malachi Bushey's tally 14:48 into the third period. The Bulls were led by goalie Cole Semchak, who finished with 51 saves while allowing one goal. Semchak managed to improve on his goals against average, which stood at 2.37 prior to the game. Billings also got a goal from Ralfs Karelis as well. Other players who recorded assists for Billings were Reed Kaiser, Cole Emery, and Tristan Henrichs, who each chipped in one. In addition, Great Falls received assists from Blake Miller and Hunter Garris, who contributed one each.
St. Louis 2 @ Wisconsin 8 - The St. Louis Jr. Blues had trouble finding ways to stop the Wisconsin Whalers, which beat Jr. Blues, 8-2. Wisconsin got the win behind a great game by Alex Anderson, who had one goal and three assists. Anderson scored 11:55 into the third period to make the score 7-1 Wisconsin. Peter Henderson assisted on the tally. Wisconsin also got points from Caleb Voster, who also grabbed one goal and one assist, Ryan Martin, who also racked up one goal and two assists, Henderson, who also tallied one goal and two assists, and Kaleb Morley, who also registered one goal and one assist. Others who scored for Wisconsin included Joe Perrelle, Dan Addie, and Adam Alcott, who scored one goal each. In addition, Wisconsin received assists from Thomas Hanson, Yves Leemann, Adam Schoenfeld, Austin Lewis, Nolan Kepler, and Jamison Westaby, who contributed one each. The Jr. Blues were led by Andrew Bond, who finished with two goals. Bond scored the first of his two goals at 19:03 into the first period to make the score 3-1 Wisconsin. Alex Klaesner picked up the assist. Bond's next tally made the score 8-2 Wisconsin with 12 seconds left in the third period. Andrew Wingbermuehle assisted on the tally. Other players who recorded assists for St. Louis were William Hindle and Sam Maddox, who each chipped in one. Wisconsin's Kevin OShea stopped 31 shots out of the 33 that he faced.
Alexandria 6 @ La Crosse 2 - Aaron Ryback was all over the ice for the Alexandria Blizzard, as he tallied two goals and one assist in Alexandria's 6-2 win over the La Crosse Freeze. Ryback scored at 3:12 into the first period to make the score 1-0 Alexandria and again while 16:59 into the first to make the score 3-0 Alexandria.
The Blizzard's penalty kill excelled, as Alexandria gave up zero goals despite allowing seven power plays. Alexandria also had goals scored by Tom Schmidt, Bo Gronseth, Austin Kilian, and Nate Mettenburg, who each put in one. In addition, Alexandria received assists from Tyler Sworsky, who had two and Tom Monteiro, David Becker, and AJ Gullickson, who each chipped in one. The Freeze were helped by Hunter Smith, who racked up one goal. Smith scored 11:38 into the second period to make the score 3-1 Alexandria. Travis Hall assisted on the tally. Taylor Trapp also scored for La Crosse. More assists for La Crosse came via Hunter Breza, Ben Henderson, and Tyler Gorniak, who contributed one each. Tanner Elmore recorded 36 saves for the Blizzard.
Sugar Land 2 @ Topeka 9 - The Sugar Land Imperials could not stop the Topeka Capitals' Richard Yusa, who tallied a hat trick in a 9-2 win. Yusa's first goal came 14:12 into the first period. He then added goals at 13:29 into the second and at 13:49 into the second. Topeka additionally got points from Dylan Wattles, who also finished with one goal and one assist. Others who scored for Topeka included Alex Johanson, who had two and Bear Ross, Hank Roers, and Trey Opack, who each put in one. Other players who recorded assists for Topeka were John Cuni, who had two, Kyle Rimbach, who had three, and Tre Kautzman, Drew Kelly, Alex Sauer, and Steve MacIver, who each chipped in one. Sugar Land was helped by Ryan James, who tallied one goal. James scored 6:43 into the second period to make the score 3-1 Topeka. Matthew Winkle provided the assist. Frank Muscarella also scored for Sugar Land. More assists for Sugar Land came via Spencer Sabourin, who had one. Topeka's Brett Malkmus stopped eight shots out of the 10 that he faced.
