Friday Finals: OT heroics lead Mustangs to ninth straight win
Peoria 4 @ Milwaukee 3 (OT) – Ethan Chesney had three points to lead the Mustangs to ther ninth straight win as they beat the Power in OT, 4-3. The Power took a 2-0 lead in the 1st period with goals from Patrick Toomey and Tommy Kundinger. Peoria then tied the game at 2-2 with goals from Chesney and Perry Lagatuz. Milwaukee made it 3-2 with a goal from Max Erstad, but the Mustangs would tie it again with a goal from Jaycob Bland. Just :12 seconds into OT, Addy Powell would end the game and continue the streak for the Mustangs. Joseph Ambroffi made 40 saves in the win and Adam Prokop made 27 saves in the loss.
Badlands 2 @ Yellowstone 3 – Nick Cofer scored twice for the Quake including the game-winning goal with :33 seconds remaining in the 3rd period as Yellowstone picked up a 3-2 home win over the visiting Sabres. The game was tied at 1-1 after one period as Carter Johnson scored for the Sabres and Ryan Hiles answering for the Quake. In the 3rd period, Cofer scored twice, while Hunter Walla had the second goal for the Sabres. Steven Kelley made 34 in the win, while Zach Broxterman made 43 saves in the loss.
Austin 2 @ TX Brahmas 4 – Michael Imala had three points to lead the Brahmas to a 4-2 home win over the Ice Bats. After a scoreless 1st period, the Brahmas opened up a 4-0 lead with a 2nd period goal from Wyatt Witham and 3rd period goals from Aaron Best, George Keeley, and Imala. Austin would net two goals later in the 3rd period from Jack Hanson and Sebastian Hale. Brendan Forden made 23 saves in the win, while Collin Lemanski made 40 saves in the loss.
Rochester 2 @ Wausau 0 – The Grizzlies got back to their winning ways as goaltender Tate Cothern stopped all 24 shots that came his way for his first shutout of the season in a 2-0 road win. Austin Meers scored both goals for Rochester and Zachary Laurila picking up a pair of assists. Cyclones goalie Mitch Miscevich stopped 32 of 33 shots in the loss.
Mason City 3 @ Willmar 4 – Braydon Buckingham scored twice to lead the WarHawks to a 4-3 home win over the Toros. Mason City scored first on a goal from Carter Newpower in the 1st period. Willmar answered back in the 2nd period with a goal from Nik Johnson. In a see-saw 3rd period, the WarHawks came away with the edge with two goals from Buckingham and one from Chandler Dennis, while Jordan Newpower and Colin Hedland has the other goals for Mason City. Zack Ortolano made 29 saves in the win, while Will Kunka made 31 saves in the loss.
El Paso 0 @ New Mexico 4 – Ice Wolves goalie Pierson Haislet stopped all 23 shots that came his way for his second straight shutout as New Mexico blanked El Paso, 4-0. New Mexico took a 2-0 lead in the 1st period with goals from Liam Mooney and Ethan Secord. A goal from Zac Wentworth made it 3-0 in the 2nd period, and Evan Axell scored a power play goal in the 3rd period to make the final 4-0. Christopher Burns made 31 saves in the loss.
Gillette 7 @ Bozeman 0 – Anthony Foster scored twice and Jake Turek stopped all 18 shots that came his way for his third shutout of the season as the Wild blanked the Icedogs in Bozeman, 7-0. Gillette opened up a 3-0 lead in the 1st period with a goal from Sky Solig and two from Foster. In the 3rd period, the Wild put the game away with four more goals from Adam Severson, Saizha Norwegian, Ryan Hipsag, and Todd Powassin. Sean Smer made 37 saves in the loss.
Sheridan 5 @ Great Falls 3 – Ryan McKenna had two goals and an assist to lead the Hawks to their fifth straight win as they beat the Americans in Great Falls, 5-3. Sheridan opened up a 2-0 lead with goals from Tie Schumacher and McCaffrey Billings. Great Falls made it 2-1 later in the 1st period with a power play goal from Tyler Sunagel. The Hawks increased the lead to 4-1 with 2nd period goals from McKenna and Teejay Torgrimson. Great Falls closed the gap to 4-3 with 3rd period goals from Aaron Leaf and Ben Cremers, but McKenna scored his second of the game to secure the win. Patric Loeffler made 42 saves in the win, while Josh Koziol made 32 saves in the loss.