Friday Finals: Jr. Blues win goalie duel in Springfield
Topeka 0 @ Springfield 1 – In a battle of two very good 17-year-old goalies, Springfield netminder Dryden McKay outlasted Topeka netminder Matej Tomek as Springfield continued to give the RoadRunners trouble in a 1-0 shutout win on Friday. The RoadRunners fired 37 shots on goal, but McKay would stop them all. The Jr. Blues had 27 shots on goal, with Tomek making 26 saves, but the one that would get through would be midway through the 1st period on a strike from Brandon Jacques on the power play with assists to Josh Lammon and Anthony Scarsella. Boxscore
Austin 6 @ MN Magicians 0 – Evan Smith made 24 saves to record his first NAHL shutout as the Bruins scored early and often in a 6-0 win in Minnesota. The Bruins took a 2-0 lead on their first two shots of the game, which were a shorthanded goal from Liam Fenney and a power play goal from Brian Bachnak. A goalie switch for the Magicians didn’t help as the Bruins were able to strike for three more goals in the 2nd period from Nico Sturm, Alex Pettersson and JC MacLean. Jade Miller added a 3rd period goal to complete the scoring. Boxscore
Soo 0 @ Keystone 1 - January’s goalie of the month in the NAHL, Nick Kossoff, was at it again in early February as the netminder stopped all 36 shots that came his way for his 5th shutout of the year as the Ice Miners stayed hot with a 1-0 win over the visiting Eagles. A goal from Jon Hall early in the 3rd period proved to be the only one scored in the game, with Matt Jones providing the assists. Jack Berry played well in the loss for the Eagles, making 16 saves on 17 shots. Boxscore
Amarillo 1 @ Rio Grande Valley 4 – The Killer Bees moved into sole possession of the 6th and final playoff spot in the South thanks to a 4-1 win on Friday to complete a series sweep of the Bulls, who fall to 7th. Dallas Gerads proved to be the hero for Rio Grande Valley, as the 18-year-old recorded a hat-trick. However, it was the Bulls who got things started early in the 1st period thanks to a goal from Cody Gylling, but it would be all Killer Bees and Gerads after that. Gerads tied the game with a power play goal later in the 1st period and Logan Wendling added another before the period was out to make it 2-1. Gerads scored again in the 2nd and 3rd periods to complete the hat-trick. Ben Johansson made 25 saves to pick up the win. Boxscore
Coulee Region 1 @ Janesville 4 – The Jets won their 9th straight game and maintained their 21-point lead in the North thanks to a 4-1 home win over the Chill. Matt Jurusik made 24 saves in the win, which was his 12th straight. The Jets started the scoring with a goal midway through the 1st period as Alex Smith scored a power play goal. The Chill would answer back thanks to a late 1st period goal from Garrett Riebling. The eventual game-winner came in the 2nd period as Dan Kucerovy scored a power play goals and goals from Drew Callin and Mitch Fossier in the 3rd period secured the Jets 4-1 win. Jimmy Thomas made 25 saves in the loss for the Chill. Boxscore
Lone Star 2 @ Corpus Christi 3 (SO) –The IceRays tied the game late and then picked up the extra point in the shootout to win their 5th straight as they edged the Brahmas, 3-2. Lone Star took a 1-0 lead in the 1st period thanks to a goal from Storm Wahlrab, who is on fire as of late. The IceRays struck back in the 2nd period with a goal from Nathan Bryer, but the Brahmas would regain the lead before the period was out with a goal from Hayden Hanson. The game-tying goal was scored with an extra attacker late in the 3rd period with one minute to go from Tanner Lomsnes. In the shootout, Ryan Cusin scored the decider as the 6th shooter for the IceRays. Both goalies, Andrew Lindgren and TJ Black, made 16 saves in the game. Boxscore
Minot 2 @ MN Wilderness 4 – In a battle of 1st place teams, the Wilderness doubled up the Minotauros on Friday night thanks to two goals from both Darian Romanko and Tyler Cline and three assists from Aaron Miller. Miller set up Romanko for the game’s first goal in the 1st period. In the 2nd period, Tyler Cline scored to make it 2-0 for the Wilderness. Minot struck back with two straight goals to tie the game early in the 3rd period as Christian Mohs and Jacob Dittel lit the lamp. However, goals from Cline and Romanko in the 3rd period secured the win. Cline ended up with a three point night and Michael Covach had two assists. Boxscore
Aberdeen 6 @ Brookings 1 – With the Blizzard on their heels for the 4th and final playoff spot in the Central, the Wings made a statement on Friday with a 6-1 win in Brookings, scoring four 3rd period goals to put the game out of reach. The Wings had a 2-1 lead through the first two periods as Michael Soucier and Jackson Graalum scored for Aberdeen, while Nate Colwell stayed hot with the lone Brookings goal. In the 3rd period, the Wings scored four goals including another from Soucier and others from Victor Ostling, Kyle Haak and Grant Dukus. The goals for Graalum and Dukus were both their first in the NAHL. Andrew Shortridge played well in goal for the Wings, making 30 saves. Boxscore
Kenai River 2 @ Fairbanks 7 – Jesper Ohrvall scored two more goals to lead the Ice Dogs to a 7-2 home win over Kenai River as they continued their dominance over the Brown Bears this season. Zack Zulkanycz scored both goals for Kenai River, but it would be no match for the Ice Dogs as they were efficient, scoring seven goals on 30 shots. Adam Wilcox scored in the 1st period with Ohrvall and Tyler Tomberlin scoring in the 2nd period. The Ice Dogs scored four goals in the 3rd period including another from Ohrvall and others from Hans Gorowsky, Jacob Hetz and Jakob Stridsberg. Patrick Munson made 22 saves in the win. Boxscore
