Saturday Scores: Ice Bats, Grizzlies Punch Playoff Tickets
by Justice Covert & Drew Langevin
New Jersey 5 @ Norwich 4 (OT) - The New Jersey Titans eeked out an overtime victory over the Norwich Sea Captains, surviving what would have been a 3-0 comeback. The Titans started the game by scoring three unanswered goals before the Sea Captains turned it around and scored three in a row themselves. Norwich forward Ryan Bernard scored two goals, his second multi-goal performance, and then New Jersey forward Vladimir Zakharov slapped in a goal to take the lead back for the Titans heading into the third period. With five minutes left in regulation, Norwich forward Glen FArmer tied the game with his 15th goal of the season. Forced into overtime, New Jersey defenseman Ryan Starman was the hero for the Titans and scored the game-winning goal four minutes in. A lot fo credit goes to New Jersey goalie Nicolas Gould for the win; he saved 60 of 64 shots on goal.
Maine 2 @ Binghamton 7 - The Binghamton Buzz scored two or more goals in every period as the Maine Nordiques dropped a game they would have liked to have won amid their playoff push. Binghamton forward Brody Bess led the way for the Buzz and scored two goals in the contest, raising his season total to six. The killing blow for the Nordiques was perhaps their inability to convert on power play opportunities. Maine had nine chances but only scored one power play, a .111 conversion rate, four points lower than their season average (.153).
Atlanta 5 @ Texas R 2 - The Atlanta Capitals picked up the 5-2 moral victory over the Texas Roadrunners, as both teams are no longer vying for playoff contention in the South Division. The scoring from the Capitals came from two players. Atlanta forward Landon Thiessen recorded the first hat trick of his NA3HL career, and forward Tristan Ward scored the other two goals, his third multi-goal performance this season. The Capitals also did well defensively, as goalie Robert Pogosyan saved 41 of 43 shots on goal in the contest.
Louisiana 12 @ Tulsa 0 - The Lousiana Drillers continue their otherwordly hot streak, routing the Tulsa Jr. Oilers 12-0. The Drillers have had the most potent offense in the NA3HL this season. They've scored the most goals with 206 and lead the league with the best goal differential at 132. The Drillers have won seven straight, and in the past four games, Lousiana has outscored its opponents 40-4. Three players scored two goals in the win over the Jr. Oilers. Forwards Brendan Johnson, Cameron McEwan, and Skylar Bawcom each had multi-goal performances.
El Paso 2 @ Austin 7 - A pair of hat tricks helped the Austin Ice Bats tab a 7-2 win over the El Paso Rhinos. Austin forwards Georgii Tokarskll and Kaiden Gordon each produced a hat trick in the win. It was the third hat trick of Tokarskll's career and the first of Gordon's. Austin outshot El Paso in the win, outproducing the Rhinos with 59 shots on goal compared to El Paso's 24.
Wisconsin 3 @ Rochester 4 - Sitting in fourth place in the Central Division, the Wisconsin Woodsmen are inching toward clinching a playoff spot, but they will have to wait at least a bit longer following a 4-3 loss to the Rochester Grizzlies. The Woodsmen were up 3-1 at one point, early in the third period, but two straight goals from Rochester forward Noah Gillette tied it, and then a score from forward Felix Wadstromer put the Grizzlies over the top. The performance marked the third multi-goal game for Gillette this season. The win gets credited to Rochester goalie Joey Bertram, who saved 31 of 34 shots on goal.
New Mexico 5 @ Texas B 2 - The New Mexico Ice Wolves take the rubber match against the Texas Brahmas 5-2 in what may be a prelude to a future playoff matchup. The Ice Wolves led the entire contest and saw goals from five different skaters. Forwards Issa Murakami and Jake Wenner did especially well for New Mexico, as each totaled two assists and a goal in the win. Texas goalie Luke Romney, who has been one of the better goalies in the league this season with a top-ten save percentage, allowed four goals; the other was shot in during an empty net.
St. Louis 0 @ Wausau 7 - Connor Dvorak would score the only goal of the first period, but this would be the closest this game would ever stay. Brandon Piwko and Landon Bechtolt would pile on goals in the second period to extend the Wausau lead. Bechtolt would grab his second of the night on the powerplay to make the lead four after two frames. Eiji Hofmann and Micah Saxon would keep firing to keep expanding the Cyclones' lead. Late in the third, Thomas Gerum scored the final goal for Wausau, and Brady Faille secured the 18-save shutout.
Mason City 3 @ Alexandria 1 - It would take until midway through the first period before Jameson Clark would break through for Mason City. Not long after, Ashton Collings would tie this game and give Alexandria some life. In the second period, Stone Resch and Kellen Kantaris would score quickly to put the Toros up a pair. Brooks Currie would put on a show for the remainder of the game, stopping every shot he faced, and making 54 saves, with 20 of them being in the third period.
Granite City 6 @ Willmar 4 - Patty Dunaiski would capitalize on a very early powerplay to give to the Lumberjacks the early one-goal lead. However, Aidan Callaghan would score on the Wilmar powerplay and Gabriel Adams would score after to put the WarHawks up. Easton Portner and TJ Lepisto would each score in the latter minutes of the first to regain the Lumberjacks' lead. In the second, TJ Lepisto would score to extend the lead, but not before Keegan Montgomery would find twine to cut back on the lead. Both teams would once again exchange leads, as in the third Reece Gronseth and Timothy Vaculik found the back of the net for both sides. Lepisto would get the empty netter and Wilmar would be unable to respond, clinching the Granite City win.
Bozeman 6 @ Badlands 5 (SO) - Bozeman would draw first blood, as Andrew Kaunas would put the Icedogs in front early. The first period would then go all the Sabres way, as Zach Vockler and Rylan Salo would each score to tie and grab the lead. Dawson Wirth would then score two more in the first to go up by three in the intermission. Reid Wilkinson and Spencer Wilkinson would score in the second period to keep chipping away at the lead. Wilkinson would light the lamp to bring Bozeman all the way back from a 4-1 deficit. Thayne Coston would give Badlands' the lead again, but a quick response from Kaunas again would send this game to overtime. In overtime, there would be no score, but a strong performance from Brett DeVincent would lead the Icedogs to the shootout victory.
Gillette 1 @ Helena 6 - The only goal of the first period would be from Marcus Fritel, as he would put the Bighorns up one after 20 minutes. Garrett Lindsey and Clint Isakson would both score in the second period to extend the lead, not before a shorthanded goal from Riley Schmidt would put the Wild on the board. Helena would then begin to start capitalizing on their powerplays, as Caden Fenstein, Fritel, and Trey Pareja, would each score on the man advantage to clinch the victory. Malik Johnson would cruise to the win, making 22 saves on the night.
Butte 10 @ Yellowstone 2 - Malloy Lomheim, Kazden Stineff , and Bobby Anselmo would pile on goals in the first period and start to pull away from this one early. The second period would be the same way, as Toby Kerr, Easton Langemo twice, and Zachary Pilkinton, would light the lamp to put the Irish up by seven. Cooper Cunningham would put Yellowstone on the board, but not before Langemo would complete his hat trick. Tucker Sarkisian would score again for the Quake, but Hayden Beverly and Riley Erickson would conversely score minutes later to get Butte to ten goals on the night. Nicolas Ulyanov would make 27 saves on the night.
Great Falls 0 @ Sheridan 3 - Two quick goals in the first period from Elijah White and Vincent Leaf would give the Hawks the lead heading into the second period. The second would have no score, but in the third, Ernest Allen would score early to make the Sheridan lead grow. Francesco Sciabbarrasi would continue his monster game, as he would stop all 39 shots he faced to give Sheridan the shutout victory.
