Binghamton, Helena Advance to Fraser Cup

Binghamton and Helena are heading to the Fraser Cup

Northeast 0 @ Binghamton 4 - The Binghamton Buzz stay hot and advance to the Fraser Cup championship tournament following their 4-0 shutout win over the Northeast Generals. Forward Jason DiMatteo and defenseman Griffin Gagnon each scored their first playoff goals in the win, while forward Joey Roselli slapped in a pair to increase his playoff goal total to three. The shutout was thanks to Binghamton goalie Dalton Elliott, who saved all 41 shots he saw. The Buzz have won all four of their playoff games so far, sweeping the New Hampshire Jr. Mountain Kings and Northeast Generals in each of their best-of-three-games series. The Buzz have outscored their opponents 18-7 in those four contests.

New Mexico 1 @ Louisiana 4 - Brody Neish potted a pair of goals and added a helper as the Louisiana Drillers took Game 1 of the South Division Finals over the New Mexico Ice Wolves by a score of 4-1. Neish’s first of the postseason broke the deadlock early in the second period before Brendan Johnson added to the lead for the Drillers. Kyle Mackintosh would net his third of the playoffs before the end of the period to trim the lead back to one. Johnathon Berndt would give Louisiana some breathing room in the third period before Neish finished the game off with an empty net tally in the final seconds. Cole Schmidt just needed 14 saves to pick up the win in net for Louisiana while Ryan Wallin was much busier, finishing with 31 stops. 

Minnesota M 2 @ Granite City 8 - The Granite City Lumberjacks took the first game in the weekend series over the Minnesota Moose. The Moose found themselves down two goals in the first two minutes of play, giving up goals from Seth Terhell and Patty Dunaiski. Late in the period, Ryan Andor of the Moose cut the lead in half. The Lumberjacks wouldn’t slow down in the second, three goals in the first ten minutes. Coltin Wassengeso gave the Lumberjacks the multi-goal lead again, with Brayden Willis and Dominic Thomas extending the lead to four goals. Brady Johnson tried to stop the bleeding, giving the Moose another goal, but that was after Ty Smith already added another goal to the Lumberjacks total. In the final period, Dunaiski added to his scoring total two more times, securing not just the Lumberjacks win but also a playoff hat trick.

Rochester 4 @ West Bend 0 - In game 1 of the Central Division finals, 4 goal scorers and a 36 save shutout from Joey Bertram would give the Rochester Grizzlies an early 1-0 series lead, defeating the West Bend Power by a final of 4-0. In the first, Andrew Bastian would bury the opening tally for the Grizzlies. In the second, Aiden Emerich would double the Grizzlies lead, before empty net goals from Isaac Flatley and Mason Decker sealed the deal.

Great Falls 1 @ Helena 4 - In game 2 of the Frontier Division finals, 4 separate goal scorers would be enough for the Helena Bighorns to defeat the Great Falls Americans by a final of 4-1, punching the second ticket of the night to the Fraser Cup. In the first, Hunter Coulombe would open the scoring for the Americans, and that would be the lone goal of the first. In the second, Kelton Chadwick would double the Americans lead, before Ty O’Bey would get one back for Great Falls. Brandon Mcilhany would give the Bighorns the two-goal lead back with just under four minutes to go in the middle frame. Just past the midway point of the third, Marcus Fritel would seal the deal for Helena. 

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