Saturday Scores: Bobcats, Wings sweep in the Central
Bismarck 3 @ MN Magicians 2 (OT) – Alex Strand scored his 3rd goal of the weekend and second straight game-winner 1:55 into overtime as the Bobcats beat the Magicians, 3-2 to complete a weekend road sweep. It was all Bobcats in the 1st period as late goals from Willie Brown and Oskars Batna put the road side up, 2-0. The Magicians came back to tie the game at 2-2 with a 2nd period goal from Tyler Bump and 3rd period goal from Michael Wilson. Hunter Shepard made 19 saves in the win, while Will Ulrich made 32 saves in the loss. Boxscore
Austin 1 @ Aberdeen 4 – Peter Thome made 43 saves to lead the Wings to a 4-1 win and weekend home sweep of the Bruins as Aberdeen took over sole possession of the 4th and final playoff spot in the Central. Friday’s night hero, Matt Pulver, got the Wings on the board first as part of the three-goal 1st period, which also included goals from Tanner Okeson and Ethan Stewart. Austin answered back in the 2nd period with their lone goal of the night from Jacob Pagnelli. Carter Roo added a 3rd period goal to complete the scoring for the Wings. Roobie Goor made 15 saves in the loss and Kris Calson came in relief and made 24 saves. Boxscore
Janesville 1 @ Fairbanks 2 (SO) – It was a goaltending battle in Fairbanks as NCAA recruits Gavin Nieto and Jack LaFontaine put on a show, but in the end the Ice Dogs completed a weekend sweep thanks to a 2-1 shootout win. Each team scored their lone regulation goal in the 1st period while on the power play as Alex Smith scored the Jets and Clay Cross answered for the Ice Dogs. In the shootout, the Ice Dogs got the game-winner from Liam Stirtzinger. Nieto made 19 saves in the win, while LaFontaine made 26 saves in the loss. Boxscore
Springfield 4 @ Kenai River 1 – The Springfield Jr. Blues completed a weekend road sweep of the Brown Bears thanks to a 4-1 win on Saturday as Tommy Nappier made 26 saves in the win. All the scoring was done in an active 2nd period as four different players scored for the Jr. Blues, which included goals from Matt Long, Brennan Blaszczak, Trevor Stone and Nathan Viberg. The lone Brown Bears goal came from Connor Inger. Nick Nast took the loss in goal for Kenai River, making 29 saves. Boxscore
Brookings 0 @ Minot 1 – In a goaltending battle it was 39 saves from Gunner Rivers that helped the Minotauros to a 1-0 win over the visiting Blizzard on Saturday. It was the second shutout of the season for Rivers, who has put up incredible numbers since his trade from Odessa in January. The lone goal of the game came in the 1st period as Zack Bross scored on the power play with assists to Christian Mohs and James LaDouce. Blizzard goalie Jacob Gwillim made 31 saves in the loss. Boxscore
Johnstown 0 @ Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 2 – After six goals against the night before, the Knights turned the tables on the Tomahawks as Saturday as Grant Valentine was spectacular, stopping all 45 shots that came his way for his second shutout of the season as the Knights shutout Johnstown, 2-0. Blake Busch and Jacob Hamacher each had a goal and an assist to lead Wilkes-Barre/Scranton as Busch scored in the 2nd period and Hamacher added an empty-net goal in the 3rd period. Tomahawks goalie Andrew Lindgren played will in the loss, giving up just a single goal on 35 shots. Boxscore
Aston 1 @ New Jersey 2 (SO) – Spencer Wright made 20 saves as the Titans moved two points ahead of the visiting Rebels for 1st place in the East with a 2-1 shootout win on Saturday. After a scoreless 1st period, the Titans went up 1-0 with a 2nd period goal from Roberts Smits. The Rebels answered early in the 3rd period on a goal from Eric Carreras. In the shootout, three straight goals from Jesse Farabee, Smits and Andrew Durham secured the extra point for New Jersey. Rebels goalie Trevor Micucci made 32 saves in the loss. Boxscore
MN Wilderness 2 @ Coulee Region 3 (SO) – Matiss Kivlenieks made 40 saves to lead the Chill to a 3-2 shootout win, taking two of three games over the weekend against the visiting Wilderness. The Wilderness offense in the game came from Kyle Patava, who scored both goals in regulation, as well as, the only shootout goal for Minnesota. Coulee Region goals came from Joey Sofo in the 2nd period and Aussie Miller in the 3rd period. Phil Erickson and Nico Luka had the shootout goals. Wilderness goalie Chase Munroe made 28 saves in the loss. Boxscore
Corpus Christi 3 @ Amarillo 5 – The Bulls fought off a slow start and erased a 3-1 IceRays lead with two goals in the 2nd period and two more in the 3rd period to win 5-3 and earn a weekend split. Things looked good for the IceRays as they had a 3-1 lead in the 1st period thanks to goals from Mason Krueger, Carter Johnson and Nathan Bryer. Coale Norris had the lone Bulls goal in the opening frame. Amarillo tied the game at 3-3 with two 2nd period goals from Phil Fromberger and Jeff Solow and then put the game away with two more goals in the 3rd period from Joey DiBenedetto and Jacob Nitsche. Anton Martinsson made 37 saves in the win, while Dryden McKay made 36 saves in the loss. Boxscore
Odessa 5 @ Lone Star 2 – Hampus Sjodahl scored twice to lead the Jackalopes to a 5-2 road win against Lone Star and climb to within a point of the 4th and final playoff spot in the South. Things looked good for the Brahmas as they led 2-1 after the 1st period, which included goals from Hogan Davidson and Tomas Brejcha. Matthew Rypien had the lone 1st period goal for the Jacks. Odessa took a 3-2 lead in the 2nd period with goals from Sjodahl and Ryan MacKellar and then tacked on two more in the 3rd period, which included another from Sjodahl and one from Pierce Pluemer. Jon Flakne made 32 saves in the win, while Conor O’Brien made 21 saves in the loss. Boxscore
