Friday Finals: West Michigan stuns Metro in Game 1

March 18, 2017

East Division Semi-Finals, Game 1: West Michigan Wolves 5 vs. Metro Jets 2 (West Michigan leads best of 3 series, 1-0) – Despite going a perfect 47-0 in the regular season, it took just one playoff game for the Metro Jets to drop their first game of the season in a 5-2 loss to the West Michigan Wolves in Game 1 of the East Division Semi Finals. The star in net was West Michigan's Sam Woznicki, who made 49 saves on 51 shots. Collin Rewerts, Dakota Ulmer (2), and Justin Bloomfield (2) scored for the Wolves, and Louis Boudon and Cam Schwartz each notched one for the Jets. Andrew Kormos and Brian Tallieu stopped 17 and 5 shots for the Jets respectively.

 

Midwest Division Semi-Finals, Game 2: Peoria Mustangs 6 vs. Nashville Jr Predators 2 (Peoria wins series, 2-0) - Peoria Mustang Austin Wisely scored four goals to carry his team to a 6-2 victory over the Nashville Jr Predators in Game 2 of this Midwest Division series. Peoria wins the series 2-0 and advances to the Midwest Division Finals. Jordan Hillman and Braden Stewart also scored for the Mustangs, and Trent Kulcyzk and Weiland Parrish netted goals for the Jr Predators. Peoria's JT Kossakowski made 25 saves, and Jonathan Chin and Ricky Gonzalez stopped 15 and 22 shots, respectively, for Nashville.

 

Frontier Division Semi-Finals, Game 2: Great Falls Americans 3 vs. Gillette Wild 1 (Great Falls wins series, 2-0) - A hat trick from Tanner Congdon lead the Great Falls Americans to a 3-1 win over the Gillette Wild in Game 2 of this Frontier Division match. Brooks Mitzel notched one for the Wild. Both Great Falls' Nick Nast and Gillette's Robbie Brennan made 30 saves on the night. The Great Falls Americans sweep the Gillette Wild, 2-0, and will move on to the Divisional Finals in the Frontier Division.

 

South Division Semi-Finals, Game 1: Atlanta Capitals 11 vs. Euless Jr Stars 3 (Atlanta leads best of 3 series, 1-0) - A strong second period offense lead the Atlanta Capitals to an 11-3 win over the Euless Jr Stars in Game one of the first series in the Southern division. Anton Minaev (2), Sascha Figi (2), Ivan Mikhailov, Joseph Lajcaj, Boomer Miller, Christian Dale, Jason Ladzinski, Dillon Steh, and Adam Vannelli scored for the Capitals, and Nick Sheridan, Tristan Wilson, and Bryce Harrison earned points for the Stars. Nolan Bivolcic made 25 saves for Atlanta, and Nick Hart stopped 33 shots for Euless. 

 

Coastal Division Semi-Finals, Game 1: New England Stars 5 vs. Cape Cod Islanders 2 (New England leads best of 3 series, 1-0) - Brandon Hammner scored twice for the New England Stars to bring them to a 5-2 win over the Cape Cod Islanders in Game one of the Coastal Division semi finals Ryan Paul, Michael Lempiainen, and Tim Paige also scored for the Stars, and Chris O'Donnell and Cameron Tobey netted goals for the Islanders. New England's Sage Broda made 18 saves, and Anton Zemba made 33 saves for Cape Cod. 

 

Northeast Division Semi-Finals, Game 1: Binghamton Junior Senators 15 vs. Roc City Royals 1 (Binghamton leads best of 3 series, 1-0) - In the first round of the Northeast Division Semi-finals, the Binghamton Junior Senators dominate in a 15-1 victory over the Roc City Royals. Brad Becker (2), Tyler Uravage, Ryan Flanagan (2), Hunter Kepple, Conor Landrigan (2), Cole Skelly, Austin Bandura, Hunter Kepple, Jeremy Wilber (3), and Lindros Beard scored for the Junior Senators, and Peter Izzo notched the lone Royals goal. Binghamton's Sal Lauretta made 20 saves, while Ian Stahl and Nicholas Sesock stopped 28 and 16 saves, respectively, for Roc City. 

 

East Division Semi-Finals, Game 1: Pittsburgh Vengeance 2 vs. Toledo Cherokee 1 (OT) (Pittsburgh leads best of 3 series, 1-0) - The Pittsburgh Vengeance picked up their first win of the East Division playoffs with a 2-1 OT victory over the Toledo Cherokee. Gavin Cummings and Nicholas Lyon scored for the Vengeance, and EJ Gilbert got on the scoreboard for Toledo. In net, Joel De Simone made 32 saves for Pittsburgh, while Roman Malkov stopped 48 shots for the Cherokee.

Northeast Division Semi-Finals, Game 1: Jersey Shore Wildcats 4 vs. Syracuse Stampede 2 (Jersey Shore leads best of 3 series, 1-0) - In the Northeast Division, the Jersey Shore Wildcats grab the first series win, 4-2, over the Syracuse Stampede. Dinmukhamed Dzhangarshev, Dylan Plesk, David Vaysberg, and Michael Gulawsky each scored one for the Wildcats, and Hunter Soden and Nate Walker scored one each for the Stampede. In net, Jersey Shore's Rio Virgoe made 29 saves, and Ryan Scheide stopped 38 shots for Syracuse.

 

West Division Semi-Finals, Game 1: Alexandria Blizzard 3 vs. New Ulm Steel 2 (Alexandria leads best of 3 series, 1-0) - Alexandria's Tosten Mann scored late in the third to give them the 3-2 win over the New Ulm Steel in Game one of this West Division matchup. Alex Rowe and Tommy Giller also scored for the Blizzard, and Dylan Leivermann and Nicholas Campbell each notched a goal for the Steel. Alexandria's Brey Effertz stopped 26 shots, and Nathan Siclovan made 34 saves for New Ulm. 

 

Central Division Semi-Finals, Game 1: Wisconsin Whalers 5 vs. La Crosse Freeze 4 (Wisconsin leads best of 3 series, 1-0) - A pair of third period goals helped the Wisconsin Whalers climb past the La Crosse Freeze, 5-4, in their first Central Division game. Austin Lewis (2) and Broddey Richards (3) scored for the Whalers, and JP Eykyn, Lukas Motloch (2), and Tyler Briley notched goals for the Freeze. Wisconsin's Max McConnell made 43 stops, and Will Graves stopped 30 shots for La Crosse. 

 

Central Division Semi-Finals, Game 1: North Iowa Bulls 7 vs. Rochester Ice Hawks 1 (North Iowa leads best of 3 series, 1-0) - The North Iowa Bulls grabbed an early lead to defeat the Rochester Ice Hawks, 7-1, in Game one of this Central Division series. Tyler Bump, Braxton Collins (2), Dayton Honkanen, Owen Larson, Brendan Studioso, and Marshall Barnes all scored for the Bulls, and Joe Puglise grabbed one for the Ice Hawks. In net, North Iowa's Drew Scites made 20 saves, and Bailey Schmitz and Drew Schenkenberg stopped 27 and 15 shots, respectively, for Rochester. 

 

Coastal Division Semi-Finals, Game 1: Long Beach Sharks 5 vs. Northeast Generals 1 (Long Beach leads best of 3 series, 1-0) - Four unanswered goals in the third carried the Long Beach Sharks to a 5-1 victory over the Northeast Generals in Game one of this Coastal Division matchup. Ricky Regala, Martin Grinberg, Oskar Lindberg, Gunther Stange, and Tomas Loeffelman scored for the Sharks, and Dylan Figueroa notched one for the Generals. Long Beach goaltender Kyle Van Wagner made 43 stops for Long Beach, and Northeast's Peter Ciccarelli stopped 33 shots.

 

West Division Semi-Finals, Game 1: Granite City Lumberjacks 3 vs. Breezy Point North Stars 0 (Granite City leads best of 3 series, 1-0) - Braden Altena scored a pair of goals to power to a 3-0 shutout win for the Granite City Lumberjacks over the Breezy Point North Stars in this Southern Division series. Ryan Smith also scored for Granite City, and goaltender Mac Berglove stopped 23 shots for a shutout. Breezy Point's Bronson Moore made 35 saves on the night. 

 

Frontier Division Semi-Finals, Game 1: Yellowstone Quake 8 vs. Bozeman Icedogs 1 (Yellowstone leads best of 3 series, 1-0) - The Yellowstone Quake dominated offensively to achieve an 8-1 victory over the Bozeman Icedogs in game one of the Divisional Semi Finals. Pablo Pantoja, Matt Runyon (2), Nick Ligocki, Hunter Ruschmeyer, Jesse Lawman (2), and Max Meyer scored for the Quake, and Nicholas DuLong notched one for Bozeman. In net, Yellowstone's Nick Ottenbacher made 31 stops, while Benjamin Sakaria and Drew Pehrson made 43 and 23 saves, respectively, for the Icedogs.