Friday Finals: Jackalopes snap skid with win over Wildcats
Lone Star 2 @ Topeka 4 – The RoadRunners padded their South Division lead with a 4-2 win over the 2nd place Brahmas, snapping Lone Star’s 10-game winning streak with a 4-2 win at home. The teams were deadlocked at 1-1 after one period as Alexey Solovyev scored for the Brahmas and Cam Strong answered back for the RoadRunners. Topeka would break the game open with two 2nd period goals including another from Strong and another goal from Ryan Polin. In the 3rd period, Roman Uchyn drew the Brahmas to within a goal at 3-2, but an empty-netter from Tyler Irvine secured the win. Goalie Matej Tomek made 18 saves in the win. Boxscore
Wichita Falls 2 @ Odessa 4 – Thanks to a strong start, the Jackalopes snapped an eight game losing streak thanks to a 4-2 win at home over the red-hot Wildcats. Two 1st period goals got Odessa off on the right foot as Derek Brown and Hampus Sjodahl scored. The Wildcats answered with a 2nd period goal from Colin Staub to cut the lead to 2-1. However, in the 3rd period Sjodahl added another goal to make it 3-1. Alex Falconer scored just over two minutes later to make it 3-2, but an empty-net goal from Kenny Hausinger secured the 4-2 win for Odessa. Robin Johansson made 28 saves in the win. Boxscore
Janesville 1 @ Johnstown 2 – Thanks to 25 saves from Ryan Bednard, the Johnstown Tomhawks edged the 1st place Janesville Jets on Friday night, 2-1. The Tomahawks jumped out to a 1-0 lead with a 1st period goal from Dakoda Menslage. The Jets responded with a 2nd period tally from Cullen Munson to tie the game at 1-1. In the 3rd period, a goal from Zach Zech eight minutes into the period ended up as the game-winner in the 2-1 win. Jared Rutledge took the loss in goal for the Jets, making 15 saves. Boxscore
MN Wilderness 5 @ Bismarck 4 – Two late 3rd period goals propelled the Minnesota Wilderness to a come-from-behind 5-4 win in Bismarck against the Bobcats. The Wilderness led 2-0 early on goals from Billy Exell and Michael Covach. Bismarck responded with four of the next five goals from Tony German, Jared Spooner, Evan Giesler and Jared Pike. In the middle of that Dan Litchke scored to make it 4-3. Aaron Miller and Brett Heikkila scored two goals in a four minute span in the 3rd period to secure the win for the Wilderness. Boxscore
MN Magicians 1 @ Coulee Region 2 – Dominik Florian scored late in the 3rd period to propel the Chill to a 2-1 win over Minnesota, handing the Magicians their 8th straight loss. After a scoreless 1st period, the Chill got on the board first with a power play goal from Eddie Matsushima in the 2nd period. Minnesota would respond four minutes later with their only goal of the game from Nathan Krusko, which also came on the power play. Florian’s game-winner came in the 3rd period with just over six minutes to go. Adam Carlson made 29 saves in the win, while Chris Amsden made 30 saves in the loss. Boxscore
Austin 3 @ Aberdeen 0 – Zach Driscoll stopped all 27 shots that came his way for his 2nd shutout of the season as the Bruins picked up a much needed 3-0 win in Aberdeen on Friday. Travis Brown provided the Bruins with all the scoring they would need as his late 1st period goal would stand up as the game-winner. Alex Pettersson and Nico Sturm would scored a pair of insurance goals in the 3rd period. Chad Catt took the loss in net for the Wings, making 28 saves. Boxscore
Corpus Christi 0 @ Rio Grande Valley 1 – In a very tight defensive game, which saw both clubs stuggle to generate much offense, the Killer Bees got 19 saves from Ben Johansson for his first shutout of the season as the Killer Bees blanked the IceRays, 1-0. The loss snapped the five-game-winning streak of Corpus Christi. Evan Bell had the lone goal of the game, which came late in the 1st period as Anthony Croston picked up the lone assist. Luke Pickar played well in the loss, making 21 saves. Boxscore
Kenai River 3 @ Wenatchee 2 (SO) – The Brown Bears jumped out to an early 1st period lead only to see it disappear late and then end up taking the game in a shootout with a 3-2 win. Evan Butcher and Gustav Berglund scored in the 1st period to put Kenai River ahead 2-0. The Wild would respond with a goal in the 2nd period from Colin Burton and a late 3rd period goal from David Powlowski, who tied the game with :10 seconds remaining in regulation. In the shootout, Nick Klishko and Maurin Bouvet scored for Kenai River. Brown Bears goalie Josh Creelman made 35 saves in the win. Boxscore
