Friday Finals: Toros Score Overtime Win Over Lumberjacks

Sam Menne (top) was the overtime hero in Mason City while Luke Pomerleau (bottom) registered a hat trick for the Maine Nordiques

Long Beach 1 @ Norwich 5 - The Norwich Sea Captains rode the waves of victory as they sailed to a 5-1 win over the Long Beach Sharks on Friday afternoon. The one-sided affair saw Norwich pour on an astounding 61 shots on goal, compared to a flurry of pucks from Long Beach who registered 11 shots on goal. Only five scorers found the back of the net for Norwich, including Connor Gilkeson, Mason Payne and Aidan Raedy in the first period alone. Ryan Bernard and Logan Niesen found the back of the net in the latter half of the game for Norwich, while JD DiTomasso tucked his fifth score of the year for Long Beach late in the game to tally Long Beach’s lone goal. While Norwich’s Presley Patrin only allowed one goal as he made 10 saves on 11 shots, Long Beach’s Braiden Buccino made a standing-ovation worthy 56 saves on 61 shots, earning him the third star of the game.

New Hampshire 6 @ New Jersey 1 - The New Hampshire Jr. Mountain Kings used six scorers as they picked up a 6-1 win over the New Jersey Titans on Friday afternoon. New Jersey came jumping out of the gates as it took only 35 seconds for Mateo Ruffolo to break the ice and put the Titans up 1-0 less than a minute into the first. Tides turned quickly for the winning Titans as Xander St. Pierre equalized less than four minutes later, followed by Cameron Fanfa as the Mountain Kings ended the first period with a 2-1 lead. The rest of the game was all New Hampshire as Noah Levesque and Auburn Burlison extended the Mountain King lead to 4-1 in the second period with both goals being set up by St. Pierre who recorded three points on the night. Jacob Landry and Gabriel Leclerc found the back of the net in the final frame to push the win to five goals. Manny Pantow made a solid 42 saves on 48 shots in the loss for New Jersey, while Charlie Donoghue made 30 saves on 31 shots to pick up the win for New Hampshire.

Northeast 0 @ Maine 5 - Toss your hats, Nordique fans— Luke Pomerleau recorded his first NAHL hat trick as the Maine Nordiques cruised past the Northeast Generals with a 5-0 win on Friday night. Pomerleau broke the ice as he got Maine on the board with a 1-0 lead in the first period, followed by a pair of twine-ticklers in the third to pick up his first career hatty with the Nordiques. Brody Emond and Connor Morisette also got on the board in the third period as Maine flew out to a breezy 5-0 win. Jascha Grossenbacher picked up 40 saves on 45 shots for Northeast, but it was Riley Burnett turned aside all 39 shots to record 39 saves and pick up the complimentary donut with Pomerleau’s hat-trick.

Texas B 5 @ Tulsa 1 - The Texas Brahmas picked up a 5-1 over the Tulsa Jr. Oilers on Friday night. Texas got the scoring started often and early as Zane Mazzola picked up his eight tally of the year just over four minutes into the game, followed by Joseph Cralwey who notched his 26th of the year to put the Brahmas out to a 2-0 lead in the first frame. Chase Forry continued his consistent scoring as he picked up his 27th goal of the year, but was answered by Reese Blasdell who opened his Tulsa account with his first career goal for the Jr. Oilers. Kaden Spaniol opened his Texas account with his first career goal for the Brahmas, topped off by Mazzola whose second goal of the evening pushed the Brahmas to a four goal lead in order to pick up the win. Joseph Crawley picked up his 35th assist of the night with his 26th goal, pushing his total on the year to 61 points in 31 games played for a 1.74point per game total.

Alexandria 4 @ Minnesota W 5 (OT) - The Minnesota Wilderness notched a nail biting 5-4 overtime win over Alexandria on Friday night. Alexandria flew out to an early, distant 3-0 lead as Caleb Waller, Reesce Humber and Ashton Collings all found the back of the net to put the Blizzard up in the first period. The second period was a reflection of the first, just for the other side as Minneosta netted the score at 3-3 in the second frame with scores from Jake Hodd-Chlebeck, Stratton Maas and Jordan Fanti. The third period featured a goal from both sides as Lance Murray scored his first career goal to put Minnesota up by one, followed by Markus Olson who scored his 17th of the year to force the overtime period. The fourth frame only took 1:48 seconds for Hodd-Chlebeck to force the dagger for Minnesota and end the overtime period. Kyle Abrhamson picked up 37 saves on 42 shots in the loss for Alexandria, while Jay Svaren made 36 saves on 40 shots to pick up the win for Minnesota.

Granite City 4 @ Mason City 5 (OT) - The Granite City Lumberjacks picked up a hard-earned 5-4 win over the Mason City Toros on Friday night. The back-and-forth first period featured three lead changes as Marcus Fritel notched his 24th of the year to put Mason City up 1-0, followed by TJ Lepisto who scored two goals in five minutes to give Granite City the 2-1 lead, a one goal lead which was converted to a one goal lead for Mason City once again with scores from Weston Bohlman and Ben Petroske to put the Toros up 3-2 at the end of one. The second period was all Granite City as Ty Smith picked up his 15th marker of the year, followed quickly by Leipsto who scored his third goal of the affair to record the second league hat-trick of the night, his first for Mason City. Fritel recorded his second goal of the evening to force the extra frame for Granite City as he netted the score at 4-4. After almost a full overtime period, Sam Menne found the back of the net with just 37 seconds left to seal the overtime win for Granite City. Nick Hansen made 15 saves on 20 shots in the loss for Mason City, but it was Sawyer Torkelson who stood on his head as he made 58 saves on an astounding 62 shots to pick up the deserving win for Granite City.

Peoria 4 @ Willmar 6 - In the first period, Max Jackson scored for Willmar with help from Easton Mallak and Jett Wheeler. Carson Wendorff increased the lead assisted by Hayden Stensrud and Kaiden Jackson. Colten Cox put the Mustangs on the board assisted by Wyatt Duke and Jordan Mini. Nolan Rasmussen assisted by Gabriel Adams and Stensrud scored a goal for the WarHawks. Zane Irion scored one more goal for the WarHawks with help from Mason Wanka and Adams. In the second period, Wanka scored assisted by Nathan Hinze and Aidan Callaghan. Peoria’s Skyler Tompkins scored a goal assisted by John Martino and Cox. During the third period, Wanka scored a goal assisted by Zane Irion and Callaghan. Nathan Pleva scored for the Mustangs assisted by Tompkins. Wyatt Duke assisted by Cox scored a goal. Albert Ancinec made 13 saves and Charlie Maquet made 18 saves for the Peoria Mustangs. Kai Girard made 31 saves for the Willmar WarHawks.

Rochester 2 @ West Bend 1 (SO) - During the first period, Evan Eisch scored a goal for the Power assisted by Brayden Graning and Quinn O’Connor. In the second period, Brody Olson scored a goal for the Grizzlies with help from Aiden Emerich and Josh Wolf. The third period and overtime remained scoreless. Tyler Steuck and Brody Olson both scored for the Rochester Grizzlies in the shootout. Joey Bertram made 37 saves for the Rochester Grizzlies and Adam Prokop made 35 saves for the West Bend Power. 

New Mexico 12 @ Atlanta 2 - During the first period, Jack Arnold scored for the Ice Wolves assisted by Ethan Coleman and Will Lazar. During the second period, Yosef Pievsky scored a goal assisted by Gabriel Dollmont and Aldiyar Irik for the Capitals. Issa Murakami scored an unassisted goal for New Mexico. Oscar Schneider scored a goal increasing the lead assisted by Liam Mooney and Jake Wenner. Brant Tiedeman scored a goal assisted by Calahan Butler. Dantae Hunziker scored a goal assisted by Wenner. Tiedeman scored another goal with help from Mooney and Arnold. Murakami scored another unassisted goal. Wenner scored assisted by Hunziker and Mooney. In the third period, Kyle Mackintosh scored for New Mexico with an assist from Carson Gotelaere. Hunziker scored a goal with help from Arnold. Irik scored an unassisted goal for Atlanta. Butler scored a goal with help from Tiedeman and Lazar. Connor Hanley scored an unassisted goal for the Ice Wolves. Ryan Wallin made 20 saves for the New Mexico Ice Wolves. Jackson Black made 20 saves and Milo Pricinsky made 10 saves for the Atlanta Capitals.

Gillette 3 @ Badlands 5 - In the first period, Badlands’ Laurence Lundberg scored a goal assisted by Keenan Howard and Dawson Wirth. Gillette’s Brady Johnson scored a goal with help from Riley Schmidt and Tai Kontrec. During the second period, Austin Thompson scored for the Sabres with assists from Ryan Jordan and Josh Behrends. Max Arlt scored assisted by Kontrec and Johnson. Wirth scored a goal assisted by Thayne Coston and Gaven Marx. In the third period, Wirth scored with help from Jordan and Lundberg. Jaden Flor scored, increasing the lead with assists from Wirth and Jordan. Beau Delich scored for the Wild assisted by Riley Schmidt and Kontrec. Austin Trieber made 22 saves and Wylen Cambensy made 9 saves for the Gillette Wild. Riley Swanson made 21 saves for the Badlands Sabres.

Helena 8 @ Butte 2 - During the first period, Cam Young scored a goal for the Bighorns assisted by Owen Gruener and Hunter Coulombe. Jason Hammett increased the lead with help from Caden Fenstein and Ty Schell. Bobby Anselmo scored a goal for the Irish with help from Easton Langemo and Keegan Adam. In the second period, Austin Uecker scored a goal assisted by Coulombe for Helena. During the third period, Colin Becker scored for the Bighorns assisted by Trey Pareja. Uecker scored another goal assisted by Clint Isakson. Kelton Chadwick scored assisted by Pareja and Caden Fenstein. Hammett scored assisted by Theriault and Uecker. Pareja scored a goal assisted by Gruener and Fenstein. Kazden Stineff scored a goal for the Irish with help from Langemo and Rocco Watson. Branson Appelman made 7 saves and Tyler Miller made 16 saves for the Helena Bighorns. Logan Hunter made 43 saves and Tim Nanson made 14 saves for the Butte Irish. 

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