Friday Finals: Danbury punches playoff ticket with comeback win
Danbury 3 @ Norwich 2 (OT) - Roman Winicki scored just 20 seconds into overtime as the Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks pulled off an unbelievable comeback against the Norwich Sea Captains. After trailing 2-0 with just under four minutes to play in regulation, Oleg Egorov netted a power play tally to bring Danbury within one. Then with just 16 seconds left, Denis Radchenko got his 16th goal of the season to tie the game at two before Winicki’s heroics just seconds later. Quinten Olsahn and Brian Essing scored for Norwich in the loss. Ryan Maguire had 25 saves in the victory while Brendan Pellerito suffered the loss while making 18 stops.
Granite City 3 @ Mason City 6 - A hat trick and four point night from Cullen Hogan helped the Mason City Toros win their 11th straight game, a 6-3 win over the Granite City Lumberjacks. Zachary Laurel and Carter Newpower each grabbed a goal and an assist for the Toros. Hayden Seigel also netted a goal for Mason City. Finnigan Greeley, Luke Delzer and Ashton Ericksen all secured goals for the Lumberjacks. Connor Graham was the winning goaltender as he made 27 saves. Paul Cassin was giving the tough loss, he made 28 stops.
New Mexico 3 @ Atlanta 0 - Krzysztof Jakubowski was perfect as he turned aside all 24 shots fired in his direction as the Ice Wolves blanked the Capitals 3-0. Jameson Klein led the way with a goal and an assist while Zak Wentworth and Jaden Stiller also found the back of the new for the Ice Wolves. Aleks Sumoski took the loss in goal for Atlanta.
TX RoadRunners 9 @ Austin 0 - The Texas RoadRunners got back to their winning ways as they beat the Austin Ice Bats 9-0. Matvey Ivanov had a hat trick and added an apple to lead the offensive attack for the RoadRunners. Adrian Sanchez potted a pair of goals and added an assist while Tyler Love had one goal and two helpers. JT Brugaletta and Jake Arnold had a goal and an assist. TJ Lipsky also netted a goal for Texas. Nash Wilson made 11 saves to earn the shutout while Owen Reeve stopped 67 shots in a losing effort.
Milwaukee 4 @ Wausau 1 - Blake Keller netted two goals and assisted on another as the Milwaukee Power won their seventh straight game in a row as they beat the Wausau Cyclones 4-1. Michael Dalaly had a goal and an assist for Milwaukee. Patrick Toomey netted his 30th goal in the victory. Adam Prokop was given the win in net as he stopped 16 shots. Collin Lemanski took the loss despite making 45 saves.
New Ulm 2 @ Alexandria 7 - Justin Kingery logged a hat trick and added an assist as the Alexandria Blizzard defeated the New Ulm Steel 7-2. Ryan Hadland picked up a pair of goals while Ashton Collings had a goal and an assist and Joe Gronholz scored for the Blizzard. Zach Dalzell and Landen Schwantes provided the offense for the Steel. Konrad Kausch made 37 saves to earn the win in goal while Nolan LaCosse turned side 40 shots.
Rochester 3 @ Oregon 4 (SO) - Bryce Stensrud’s goal in the shootout was the difference as the Oregon Tradesmen inched close to a Central Division regular season title with a 4-3 win over the Rochester Grizzlies. Max Cohen, Dayne Denaovich, and Cooper Routheau all scored to put Oregon ahead 3-0. But three third period goals from helped Rochester force overtime. Luke Morrisette scored twice while Erik Hernborn also found the back of the net for Rochester. Tyler Fromolz was great for Oregon, he made 41 saves while Tate Cothern stopped 46 of 49 shots he faced.
El Paso 5 @ Mid Cities 4 (OT): The El Paso Rhinos took an overtime win against the Mid Cities Stars, 5-4. The Rhinos took a 1-0 lead in the opening period with a goal from Zachary Ware. In the second frame, the Rhinos continued to pour on the lead with Maxwell Barrington netting two goals and then James Mallette for a 4-0 lead. The Stars answered back to get within a goal as Britton (John) Oldham, Andrew Kolka and Brody Dejong all scored to end the period 4-3. In the third period Micheal Kennedy scored to even the game 4-4 forcing overtime. In the extra period, Landon Cain batted the puck into the back of the net to get the Rhinos a full 2 points and the win, 5-4. El Paso goaltender Phillip O’Neill took the win in net as he stopped 39 of 43 shots.
Louisiana 4 @ TX Brahmas 8: The Texas Brahmas dominated the Louisiana Drillers in a 8-4 final score. Texas held a 1-0 lead to end the first period with a goal from Gage Vierzba. In the second period the Drillers evened the game 2-2 with Micah Maldonado. The Brahmas took back momentum as they scored 3 unanswered goals with Henry McRoberts, Wyatt Witham and George Keely for a 4-1 score. In the third period, Texas continued on their attack with Zac Maupin and Micheal Imala for a 6-1 score. Louisiana then netted three goals with Micah Maldonaldo scoring back-to-back for a hat-trick in the game, and Rory Neish making the score 6-4. Micheal Imala and Gage Vierzba scored again for the Brahams and a final score of 8-4. Brendan Forden took the win in net for Texas as he turned away 26 shots.
Wilmar 0 @ Minnesota 3: The Minnesota Loons blanked the Willmar WarHawks in a 3-0 contest. The game did not see its first goal until the second period when Jack Kritzeck netted his sixth of the year for a 1-0 Loons lead. In the third it was all Minnesota as Jack Kritzeck scored his second of the night and Jack Hanson scored on empty nets to end the game 3-0. Matthew Ryynanen earned the shutout in net as he turned away 33 shots.
Helena 2 @ Gillette 0: The Helena Bighorns shutout the Gillette Wild on the road in a 2-0 final. Camden Cunningham scored both goals for the Bighorns as Tyler Bloom and Padraic Whited were called on the assists. Bighorns netminder Keaton French posted a 29 shot shutout win.
Bozeman 5 @ Great Falls 3: The Bozeman Icedogs paid a visit to the Great Falls Americans where the Icedogs took a 5-3 win. Bodie Shepardson got the Icedogs on the board in the first period for a 1-0 lead. In the second, Dominik Hauer added to the Bozeman lead, 2-0. Jack Metcalfe got the Americans on the board for a 2-1 score. Bozeman added another to extend their lead with Braden Koliha, 3-1. Ben Cremers answered back for the Americans, 3-2. Braden Koliha added his second of the game late in the middle frame for a 4-2 lead going into the second intermission. In the third, Koliha netted his third of the game and got the Icedogs ahead 5-2. Nearing the end of regulation, Lazloffy Simon scored the final goal of the game for Great Falls for a final score of 5-3. Sean Smer took the win in net stopping 26 shots.
Yellowstone 1 @ Sheridan 4: The Sheridan Hawks defeated the Yellowstone Quake in a 4-1 contest. The game was tied 1-1 after the first period with Caleb Murray scoring for the Hawks and P.J. Comose for the Quake. The action picked back up in the third period where it was all Sheridan as Makahi Sparks, Ryan McKenna and Teejay Torgrimson all scored for a 4-1 final.
Badlands 1 @ Butte 8: The Butte Cobras defended home ice in a 8-1 win against the visiting Badlands Sabres. Butte went ahead 2-0 after the first period with Patrick Crooks netting both goals. In the second, David Hanny and Luke Schleusner added to the Butte lead, 4-0. Badlands added a goal in the period with Dominic Powilatis. Later in the middle frame, Nick Bradshaw scored his 34th of the year for a 5-1 Butte lead. In the third it was all Cobras with Patrick Crooks scoring his third of the game, Luke Schleusner his second and then Kazden Stineff scoring his first of the year for a final score of 8-1. Caleb Cross was impressive between the pipes as he turned away 40 shots.