Sunday Wrap Up: WarHawks Close Out Weekend With Win
by Brian Gornick
Cutter Daniel's goal proved to be the difference as the RoadRunners beat the Jr. Oilers
El Paso 4 @ Atlanta 2 - Great goaltending propelled the El Paso Rhinos over the Atlanta Capitals Sunday. A first period that saw four goals scored saw the Capitals strike first off of Landon Thiessen’s second of the season. Kacper Gach tied it three minutes late off a standalone goal. Both teams traded goals in the final minute and a half of the period: The Capitals from Alex Catalano and the Rhinos from Jake Bamback to make it 2-2 after 20 minutes. The second period was a defensive affair, with only two shots on goal from both teams. Both came from the Rhinos, and they made them count with two goals from Gach and Donovan Bradford, respectively. The Capitals put the heat on in the final period, registering 27 shots, but they failed to find the back of the net as Dylan Newton stood strong.
Louisiana 2 @ Austin 3 (OT) - The Austin Bats capitalized on the power play to get the win against the Louisiana Drillers. The Bats scored the first two goals of the game, both coming from their special teams. Leading scorer Arys Perardi notched his 13th of the season, followed by Mikhail Levaniuk later in the period. The Drillers cut that lead soon after from a Casper Rys Sakrisvold goal to make it 2-1 Bats. Despite registering 38 shots over the next two periods, the Drillers only scored once from Jonathon Berndt, sending the game into overtime with both tied 2-2. Overtime was a short affair, the Bats getting the winning goal from Guhnar Hillman. Bats goaltender Gavin Morris was credited for the victory, stopping 49 of 51 shots faced in the victory.
Tulsa 4 @ Texas R 5 - A potential Tulsa Jr Oilers comeback was staved off by the Texas RoadRunners Sunday. The RoadRunners jumped to the early lead with Lucas Dyer hitting the one-timer. Austin Tyler would tie the game in the final three minutes of the period for the Jr Oilers, but Noble Cook gave the RoadRunners the lead with 26 seconds left to make it 2-1 RoadRunners after one period. Both teams traded goals throughout the second period, with Charles Blake bringing the RoadRunners lead to two goals. Brayden Hagemann on an unassisted goal cut the lead, but 14 second late Kyle Mackintosh scored his tenth of the season, bringing the RoadRunners lead up again. A goal from each team in the final minute saw Stone Baulch and Cutter Daniel each getting on the board. The Jr Oilers were down two goals in the third period, and got a break from a power play goal off Charlie Scott. It wasn’t enough however, as the RoadRunners held on for the victory.
New Hampshire 3 @ Maine 2 (OT) - An early two goal deficit didn’t phase the New Hampshire Jr. Mountain Kings, as they completed the comeback overtime victory over the Maine Nordiques. The only goals from the Nordiques came in the first three minutes of regulation, from Jacoby Turcotte and Brysen Garner. The Jr. Mountain Kings didn’t get on the board until late in the second period from Aidan Palmeter or his tenth goal of the season. Tommy Titone midway through the third period tied the game 2-2, sending them into overtime. The Jr. Mountain Kings looked to their leading scorers once again, getting the one-timer from Palmeter to complete the comeback victory. Both teams' goaltenders played well, Jr. Mountain Kings’ Charlie Donoghue stopping 39 of 41 shots, and Nordiques’ Gabe Pomerleau stopping 49 of 52 shots.
Binghamton 2 @ Northeast 7 - Special teams gave the Northeast Generals three goals in their victory over the Binghamton Buzz. The Buzz scored first from Preston Peterson, but their lead lasted only four minutes as Nicholas Brophy tied the game 8:37 into the period. Michael McLaughlin and Even Yates five seconds apart gave the Generals two more goals, making it 3-1, but the Buzz cut the lead down to 3-2 at the end of the period from Joey Roselli’s 12th goal of the season. Mason Frary scored a pair of goals in the second period to raise the General’s lead to 5-1, he’s currently on a goal per game pace the last five appearances. Samuel Gusty and Liam Schaentzler in the third period scored two more goals for the Generals, widening the gap and eliminating any chance of the Buzz tying the game. Gusty led all teams in scoring, ending the day with a goal and three assists.
Willmar 4 @ Mason City 3 (OT) - Two power play goals in two minutes helped the Willmar WarHawks get the overtime victory over the Mason City Toros. The game started out scoreless for most of the first period, but two goals in the final minutes by Nolan Smith and Marcus Fritel put the WarHawks down two goals. The WarHawks responded with three goals in four minutes in the second period, the first from Mason Wanka. Gabriel Adams followed with a power play goal to tie the game. Wanka gave the WarHawks the lead with his own power play goal. The Toros got some reprieve from Smith notching his second goal of the night late in the period to tie the game. A scoreless third period saw both teams headed to overtime, and Carson Wendorff got the assist from Wanka to win the game for the WarHawks late in the overtime period. Wanka with two goals and the overtime assist led both teams in scoring with three points.
