Friday Finals: Bozeman opens up play-in series with win
Frontier Division Play-In Series, Game 1: Butte 2 @ Bozeman 5 (Bozeman leads series, 1-0) - Bozeman opened the best-of-three series against Butte with a win on home ice, taking down the visitors by a final score of 5-2. The Cobras grabbed an early lead in the contest as Tamer Billman buried a goal. Grayden Pond and Ian Bowman had answers for the Icedogs, providing a one-goal lead through 20 minutes. In the middle frame, Bentley Simcox and Makhai SParks both found the back of the net for Bozeman to extend the lead. Before intermission, Nick Bradshaw helped decrease the lead with a goal for Butte. In the final frame, Wesley Rees added another insurance goal to help seal the victory. Cam Milewski made 32 saves in the win while Caleb Cross took the loss keeping out 28 of 33 shots.
New Jersey 0 @ Norwich 3 - The Norwich Sea Captains blanked the New Jersey Jr. Titans by a final score of 3-0. After a scoreless first, and with time almost to expire in the second period, Brain Essing (19:10) broke the tie for a 1-0 Sea Captains lead. The goal was Essing’s ninth of the year and Jack Kinahan and Ethan Ranger were called on the assists. In the third period, Ethan Ranger (11:57) netted his 14th of the season being helped out on the goal by Kilian Ranger and Tim Hayden. With the Jr. Titans goalie Kilian Ranger (18:06) got the puck in the open net to seal the win, 3-0. Sea Captains netminder Brendan Pellerito was perfect between the pipes stopping all 26 shots he faced to earn the shutout.
Danbury 2 @ Northeast 3: A pair of early 2nd period goals helped provide a three goal Northeast lead that they wouldn’t lose, taking down the Jr. Hat Tricks on home ice. Braeden Kennedy opened the scoring in the 1st period, scoring his 23rd of the year 8:34 in. Owen Locke and Michael Locke both buried their first goals of the season before five minutes into the middle frame to extend the lead. Daniel Khatib cut the lead to two goals after burying his 20th of the season from Roman Winicki. Oleg Egorov cut that deficit in half with a 3rd period goal but it was too little too late. Luke Fundator grabbed the victory with 23 saves. Brennan Churchill was dealt the loss, keeping out 34 shots.
Wausau 3 @ Peoria 2 (OT): Gage Vierzba found the overtime winner 39 seconds into the extra frame to lift the Cyclones past Peoria. The two teams traded goals in the opening period as Hayden Shoemake lit the lamp for Wausau and Tristan Trudel answered for the Mustangs. The Cyclones held a one goal lead after 40 minutes thanks to Dylan Chapman’s unassisted goal. Peoria was able to tie the game late and send it to overtime with Hubert Guzy’s goal 18:25 into the 3rd. Mitch Miscevich completed the victory with 33 saves. Joe Ambroffi took the overtime loss, making 28 stops in the effort.
Austin 1 @ Oklahoma City 7: Samuel Lamphear and Richard Indermill each potted a pair of goals in Oklahoma City’s dominant win over the Ice Bats. The Ice Hawks were hot early as Garrett Conner and Indermill both scored quick goals. Lamphear added a pair, Indermill buried his second, and Aaron Best tallied another, all coming in the middle frame to further the lead. Avery Pittman lit the lamp for another for good measure. Austin’s lone goal came midway through the 2nd period as Jaidin Hicke scored his 2nd of the year from Brody Beahan and Marat Abeljanor. Blake Sprow was nearly perfect for Oklahoma City, keeping out 18 of 19 shots that came at him. Elias Kyrola completed the night with 57 saves.
Oregon 1 @ Rochester 2: Layten Liffrig’s power play score 12:44 into the 2nd period was enough to give Rochester an edge over the Tradesmen Friday night. After a scoreless opening period, Abe Laggis gave Oregon the first lead with a power play goal. Minutes later, Ben Oakland tickled twine for his 4th goal of the season to even the scores. Liffrig’s goal would be the last goal in what would prove to be a defensive battle. Zach Wiese stopped 18 of 19 shots that came at him in the victory. Anthony Adleman had a solid night in net for Oregon, keeping out 39 shots in the losing effort.
Minnesota 2 @ Alexandria 4: The Blizzard snapped their two game losing streak, getting goals from four different skaters in their victory over Minnesota. The Loons held a one goal lead after 20 minutes as Jack Dalton added a late power play goal. Alexandria fought back and took the lead as Zachary DeMarce and Matt McIntyre scored consecutive goals. Triston Tabucol scored late in the middle frame to even the score. In the 3rd period, Gavin Carlson scored 8:02 in to give the Blizzard back the lead. Alex Heidenrich helped seal it with a late empty netter. Bailey Rosch was the victor between the pipes, completing the night with 22 saves. Payton West was dealt the loss, stopping 37 of 41 shots faced.
New Ulm 1 @ Willmar 6: The WarHawks held New Ulm to just 16 shots and one goal in their convincing victory on home ice. Mikhail Kukareka and Nolan Grier both buried in the 1st period to grab a quick lead. Ben Luedtke and Kukareka added more goals in the 2nd period to further the difference. Tate Hammitt and Blake Keller both lit the lamp in the 3rd to increase the lead. New Ulm’s lone goal came midway through the 2nd period as Gus Cantwell scored his 15th of the season on the power play. Will Kunka made 15 saves for the WarHawks while Nolan Lacosse kept out 42 for the Steel.
Granite City 4 @ Mason City 2: Forward Nick Mountain scored a pair of goals to help the Lumberjacks move past Mason City on the road. The visitors held a 2-1 lead through 20 minutes as Mountain and Zak Kennett scored for Granite City and Shota Kaneko scored for the Toros. Mountain and Brett Reed both scored in the 2nd period to help extend the lead. Luke Stevens cut the deficit to two goals. Quentin Sigurdson made 17 saves in the victory. Owen Carlson was dealt the loss with 28 saves on 32 shots.
Mid Cities 2 @ El Paso 8: The El Paso Rhinos defeated the Mid-Cities Jr. Stars 8-2. The Stars and Rhinos were tied 1-1 in the first period with goals coming from Kaiden Hafele of El Paso (11:59) and William Wood (18:27) of Mid-Cities. In the second period the Rhinos took the lead back with back-to-back goals as Riley Hunt-Bahn (8:54) and with Kaiden Hafele (11:30) scoring his second for a 3-1 lead. The Stars got within a goal with Colton Sebastian (17:36) to end the period, 3-2. El Paso went on a tear offensively in the third period with Cole Ingram (6:47), Kaiden Hafele’s (7:13) hat-trick goal, Tristen Elmhurst (7:44), Lou Caulfield (9:22) and Carson Doyle (12:17) for a final of 8-2.
TX Brahmas 4 @ Louisiana 2: The Texas Brahmas topped the Louisiana Drillers in a 4-2. After a scoreless first, Texas added three unanswered goals in the second period. Micheal Imala (7:27) scored his 33rd of the year. Andrew Kungle (11:05) netted his 9th of the season with Blake Rothstein and Keegan McArther on the assists. Benjamin Mondou (16:42) scored his 21st of the season with help from Cameron Colberg and Ethan Kochanny. In the third, the Drillers got on the board with Tyler Walker (2:32) adding his 6th of the year with Anderson O’Connor and Jack Lambert recording the assists. The Brahmas added to their lead to make it 4-1 when Joey Carollo (8:38) scored as Micah Maldonado and Benjamin Mondou earned the assists. Josh Hrip (10:07) found the back of the net to get the Drillers on the board again with Jack Lambert and Anderson O’Connor on the assists. The Brahmas held the Drillers off the board for the rest of the period for a 4-2 final.
St. Louis 1 @ Milwaukee 5; Milwaukee Power opened up the game with a 3 goal first period and never looked back as they took down the St. Louis Jr. Blues, 5-1. Milwaukee got on the board first with Nate Stone (9:17) scoring his 15th of the season and Odin Klebba was called on the assist. St. Louis evened the game 1-1 with Russell Hess (13:40) finding the back of the net. The Power kept on the offensive side of the puck with Patrick Toomey scoring twice to end the period, 3-1. In the second period, Max Erstad (8:42) netted his 16th of the year as Nate Stone and Konrad Clements both recorded assists for a 4-1 lead. In the final frame, Jack Wojnowski (3:33) scored his first of the season to solidify the win for Milwaukee, 5-1.