Friday Finals: Cyclones Drop Moose
by NAHL Writing Team
Zach Longnecker had 4 goals for Sheridan in their win. Front cover photo courtesy Porath Photography
Norwich 0 @ Northeast 3 - The Northeast Generals earned a victory at home Friday night against the Norwich Sea Captains. The first period was scoreless and the first goal of the game wasn’t scored until the beginning of the second. The General’s Mason Fray passed the puck from behind the net to Gavin Hoffman who executed the shot and scored the first goal of the night. At 13:20 in the second period, Kien Stafford had a backhander to score his first NA3HL goal and put the Generals ahead 2-0. With a little under 30 seconds left in the second period, Fray passed the puck up towards the net where Dylan Rakes caught it on his stick and scored the final goal of the night. The Generals goaltender, Mike Foglia, saved all 30 shots he faced.
Austin 2 @ Louisiana 4 - The Louisiana Drillers battled the Austin Ice Bats Friday evening. The Drillers opened the scoring at 2:25 in the first period with a goal from Issac Erickson. About 6 minutes later, the Drillers’ Cameron Grande sent a beautiful pass to Alexander Boyd who found the back of the net to put the Drillers ahead 2-0. Two minutes into the second, Johnathon Berndt of the Drillers added to the scoreboard. At 10:24 in the period, Boyd scored a power play goal and his second goal of the game to make the scoreboard read 4-0. The Ice Bats attempted a comeback in the third period with a shorthanded goal 3 minutes into the period from Guhnar Hillman. The Ice Bats’ Paul Wiese scored the second goal of the game for the Ice Bats with 17 seconds remaining in the third period. The Drillers defeated the Ice Bats with a final score of 4-2.
Minnesota W 6 @ Peoria 2 - The Minnesota Wilderness defeated the Peoria Mustangs 6-2 on Friday night. The Wilderness struck first with a goal from Tyler Webb 6 minutes into the first period. Scoring didn’t pick back up until early in the second period with a goal from Minnesota’s Kaden Rocheleau. Webb also scored his second goal of the night 10 minutes into the second. Peoria’s Colton Cox scored the only two goals of the night for the team at 4:30 and 16:19 in the second period. In the third, Jordan Fanti of Minnesota scored two power play goals 2 minutes apart midway through the period. Ty Stevenson scored the final goal of the night for Minnesota with 3 minutes remaining in the game. Pierson Haislet, Minnesota’s goaltender, saved 25 out of the 27 shots he faced.
New Jersey 1 @ Maine 3 - The Main Nordiques outplayed the New Jersey Titans to pick up a home game win, 3-1. The Titan’s opened the night's scoring with a shorthanded goal from Wiliam Fliss. The Nordiques later retaliated at 17 minutes in the first, Brody Edmond scored a power play goal to bring the game to a tie. The second period stayed scoreless. Mid-way through the third period Luke Pomerleau scored to put the Nordiques ahead 3-1. Pomerleau also scored an empty net goal with a little over a minute left in the third period. The Nordiques left the Colisee victorious with the game’s final score being 3-1. Gabe Pomerleau, the Nordiques goaltender, made 29 out of 30 saves for the win, while Callahan Shultz, the Titan’s goaltender, saved 45 out of 47 shots for the loss.
El Paso 6 @ New Mexico 8 - Seven goals were scored in the third period as the New Mexico Ice Wolves (2-1-1) outlasted the El Paso Rhinos (0-4) in an 8-6 South division barnburner on Friday at the Outpost Ice Arenas. Each of the fourteen goals scored in the contest came from a different player. El Paso scored six goals in 26 shots on goal and scored on three out of eight power plays, a .375 conversion rate. Uncharacteristic from the Rhinos, who had just two goals in their previous three games. The defense, though, was characteristically poor, as they are averaging four goals allowed a game this season. The Rhinos looked to two goalies to get the job done, but to no avail: Nathan Graybill, who defended the cage for 43 minutes and allowed six goals, and Dylan Newton, who allowed two goals in 16 minutes of work. Meanwhile, the Ice Wolves had Ryan Wallin in their cage the whole 60 minutes and allowed six goals. The win brought New Mexico's point total to five and ranks them fifth in the South division, while El Paso hasn't recorded a point yet this season and ranks tied for last in the South division alongside the also winless Tulsa Jr. Oilers (0-4).
Mason City 3 @ West Bend 5 - The West Bend Power (1-2) staved off the Mason City Toros (2-1) comeback to capture their first win of the season, 5-3, on Friday at the Kettle Moraine Ice Center. The Power got out to a 4-0 lead heading into the third period before the Toros finally got on the board with a goal from Mason City forward Dominic Thomas, his first goal of the season in his first game of the season. A fifth insurance goal from West Bend defensemen Tommy Kundinger did the trick for the Power. Although the Toros scored two more goals in the third period, there ultimately wasn't enough time. The interdivisional win gave West Bend their first two points of the season, ranking them fifth in the Central division. Mason City earned no points from the loss and is currently ranked third in the West division.
Willmar 6 @ St. Louis 3 - A hat trick from forward Mason Wanka elevated the Willmar WarHawks (2-1) to a 6-3 win over the St. Louis Jr. Blues (2-2-1) on Friday at the Affton Ice Rink. The WarHawks jumped out to an early 3-0 lead, contributed by forward Gabriel Adams with two goals and Wanka — his first of the night. The Blues brought the game back within reach later in the second period with goals from forwards Brayden Davis and Joseph LoPiccolo, each their first of the season. The two teams traded goals in the third until Mason Wanka would put the game away. The score, 4-3, Willmar leading with five and a half minutes left in the game. Wanka then pushed the puck across off of a ricochet in front of St.Louis' goal, his second goal of the game. Wanka's third came 13 seconds later, making the score 6-3. With the win, Willmar now ranks 4th in the West division, and the loss places St. Louis tied for third in the Central division with the Rochester Grizzlies (2-1-1).
Sheridan 6 @ Badlands 0 - A four-goal performance from forward Zach Longnecker fueled the Sheridan Hawks (6-1) rout of the Badlands Sabres (2-2-1) 6-0 on Friday at the Roosevelt Park Ice Arena. Entering the contest, Longnecker didn't have any goals on the season in six games, but that changed quickly and emphatically, achieving a hat trick with three consecutive goals, two in the first period and one in the second. Longenecker capped off the day with his fourth goal coming four and half minutes into the third period, the Hawks last score. While Longnecker was scoring left and right, Sheridan goalie TJ Wonnacott kept things tidy in the cage for the Hawks, recording his first shutout of the season, saving 36 shots on goal. The victory for Sheridan keeps with the successful theme the Hawks have been playing up to early in the season, holding on to first place in the Frontier division with a league-leading 12 points. The defeat for Badlands keeps them in the middle of the pack — fifth place in the Frontier division with five points.
Gillette 8 @ Quake 3 - An offensive barrage highlighted by a hat trick from forward Hunter Yates guided the Gillette Wild (3-3-1) to a 8-3 win over the Yellowstone Quake (0-7) on Friday at Riley Arena. A tough season continues for winless Yellowstone, with this loss increasing their goal differential deficit to -49, which is far and away the lowest in the league. The second lowest is the Atlanta Capitals (1-3) with -18. The Wild seemingly took advantage of the Quake's defensive weakness, attempting a season-high 61 shots on goal, yielding eight goals. Of course, Gillette winning by wide margins against Yellowstone isn't new. The Wild outscored the Quake 86-9 in eight meetings last season. Perhaps the most significant contributor to the Wild's scoring was Yates who scored twice in the first period and once in the second, his first three goals of the season. Gillette defenseman Michael Mckernan also got in on the action, scoring the Wild's last two goals. The win for Gillete ranks them fourth in the Frontier division with seven points on the season. The league-leading seventh loss for Yellowstone keeps them last in the Frontier Division.
