Saturday Scores: Minotauros stay hot with road sweep
Johnstown goalie Kade Phipps stopped 61 of 63 shots in a weekend sweep.
Minot 5 @ Brookings 3 – The Minotauros continued their hot play as they picked up a weekend road sweep in Brookings thanks to a 5-3 win on Saturday. Michael Talbot had two goals for the Minotauros in the win. Minot was bolstered by a three-goal 1st period, which included goals from Talbot, Sam Fuss, and Fritz Belisle. Talbot then added his second goal of the game early in the 2nd period and Alex Adams also scored. The Blizzard got goals from Cam Babiak in the 1st period and two goals from Josh Boyer in the 2nd period. Minot goalie Samu Lonkila made 29 saves in the win, while Adam Brizgala took the loss with 25 saves.
Johnstown 2 @ Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 1 (OT) – The Tomahawks completed the weekend sweep of the Knights thanks to another strong night from goaltender Kade Phipps, who made 31 saves in the win. All the scoring in regulation came in the 1st period as Curtis Carlson scored his 13th goal of the season for the Knights, which was then answered by Johnstown’s Joe Kile, who scored his 12th goal of the season. Just about halfway through the overtime, Carson Briere netted the game-winner, converting on a nice 2 on 1 pass from Joe Kile to secure the sweep for Johnstown. Knights goalie Christian Stoever made 41 saves in the overtime loss.
Philadelphia 5 @ New Jersey 2 – Five different players scored a goal and goaltender Ryan Keane made 32 saves as the Rebels completed a weekend sweep of the Titans with a 5-2 win on Saturday. After a scoreless 1st period, the Titans opened the scoring early in the 2nd period on a goal from Nick Boyagian. The Rebels then exploded for five straight goals as Adam Peck and Ryan Patrick scored in the 2nd period and Konur Peterson, Jimmy Glynn, and Aaron Maguyon all scored in the 3rd period. Justin Bofshever had the other goal for New Jersey late in the 3rd period. Titans goalie Matt Ladd made 27 saves in the loss.
Fairbanks 2 @ Coulee Region 1 – Another stout defensive effort helped the Fairbanks Ice Dogs win their 15th straight game as they edged the Coulee Region Chill, 2-1. Ice Dogs goalie Logan Neaton made 17 saves in the win. After a scoreless 1st period, the Ice Dogs got on the board first with a goal from Trenton Woods. Late in the 2nd period, the Chill answered back on a goal from Jackson Decker. Early in the 3rd period, Daniel Haider scored his 11th goal of the season, which would stand as the game-winner as the Ice Dogs allowed just 6 shots in the 3rd period. Chill goalie Emil Zetterquist made 36 saves in the loss.
Amarillo 1 @ Shreveport 3 – The Mudbugs stayed hot with a 3-1 win, completing a weekend home sweep of the Bulls. After a scoreless 1st period, the Mudbugs got on the board in the 2nd period with a pair of goals from Brendan Gysbers and Gueorgui Feduolov. The Bulls had an answer right before the period was done as Jared Domin scored his 5th goal of the season to make it 2-1. However, Mudbugs goalie Jaxon Castor held the fort the rest of the way and Ryan Burnett added an empty-net goal to secure the win. Castor made 13 saves in the win, while Jason Grande made 20 saves in the loss.
Corpus Christi 2 @ Odessa 1 (OT) – A day after celebrating his 20th birthday, defenseman Blake Coffey netted the overtime-winner to give the IceRays a split of their series in Odessa thanks to a 2-1 win on Saturday. After a scoreless 1st period, the IceRays were first on the board in the 2nd period with a goal from Garrett Hallford. Odessa had an answer in the 3rd period as Petr Miko scored his 11th goal of the season. In the overtime, Coffey one-timed a nice 2 on 1 pass from Julian Makary for the game-winner. IceRays goalie Jake Acton made 38 saves in the win, while Jacks goalie Brett Epp made 36 saves in the OT loss.
Aberdeen 2 @ MN Wilderness 3 (SO) – Jacob Sibell made 35 saves to led the Wilderness to a 3-2 shootout win and weekend split with the Wings. After a scoreless 1st period, the Wings were first to score with a 2nd period goal from Jonathan Bendorf. The Wilderness answered back with two goals in the 3rd period to take a 2-1 lead as Ben Ward and Alex Truscott lit the lamp. The Wings had an answer late in regulation, as John Sladic scored with just :06 seconds left to send the game to overtime and then a shootout. Eric Gotz and Edward Lindelow would add shootout goals for the Wilderness to secure the extra point. Wings goalie Gabe Vinal played well in the shootout loss, making 40 saves.
Bismarck 1 @ Austin 3 – The Bruins salvaged a weekend split with the Bobcats thanks to 23 saves from Mads Sogaard in a 3-1 win on Saturday. Each team scored in the 1st period with Valdemar Ahlberg scoring for the Bruins early, which was answered later in the period with Bismarck’s lone goal, coming from Mitchell Walinski, who scored his 3rd goal of the weekend. The Bruins regained the one goal edge in the 2nd period with the eventual game-winning goal from Travis Kothenbeutel. Riley Doyon would add an insurance goal in the 3rd period to complete the Bruins scoring. Bobcats goalie Ryan Ullan made 31 saves in the losing effort.
Kenai River 5 @ MN Magicians 6 (SO) – Ethan DeStefani and Kyler Grundy each had two goals and an assist as the Magicians came from behind to defeat the Brown Bears, 6-5. After an opening goal from DeStefani, the Brown Bears seized control of the game with five goals in the 2nd period as Markuss Komuls scored twice and Michael Spethmann, Alex Klekotka, and Luke Radetic added the other goals. Grundy and Matthew Stanton scored the Magicians in the middle frame to keep things close. In the 3rd period, the second goals of the night from both Grundy and DeStefani tied the game and then a goal from Arturas Laukaitis in the shootout gave Minnesota the extra point. Magicians goalie George McBey, who came into the game at the start of the 3rd period, picked up the win, making 10 saves. Gavin Enright made 21 saves in the shootout loss for Kenai River.
Janesville 3 @ Springfield 0 – Jets goalie Daniel Lebedeff stopped all 28 shots that came his way for his second shutout of the season as Janesville handed the Jr. Blues their 7th straight loss with a 3-0 win in Springfield. The Jets picked up a goal in each period as Jordan Steinmetz scored in the 1st period, Sam Renlund scored in the 2nd period and Jakov Novak scored his 20th goal of the season in the 3rd period. Jr. Blues goalie Evan Fear made 42 saves in the loss.
