Saturday Scores: Fairbanks stays perfect in playoffs with Game 2 win

April 28, 2019

Midwest Division Finals, Game 2: MN Magicians 2 @ Fairbanks 6 (Fairbanks leads series, 2-0) – The Ice Dogs jumped out to a 4-0 lead by early in the 3rd period and never looked back as they cruised to a 6-2 win over the Magicians in Game 2 of the Midwest Division Finals to take a 2-0 lead in the series. Matt Koethe, who has recorded at least a point in all five playoff games, scored twice in the win. The Ice Dogs led 2-0 after the 1st period thanks to goals from Brenden MacLaren and Jonathan Sorenson. Luke Mobley scored the lone goal of the 2nd period to make it 3-0. Early in the 3rd period Koethe scored his first of the game to make it 4-0. The Magicians cut into the lead later in the 3rd period with goals from TJ Sagissor and Isaac Henkemyer-Howe, but the Ice Dogs would add two more goals late in the period from Koethe and Tanner Edwards to secure the 6-2 win. Ice Dogs goalie Mattias Sholl made 17 saves in the win, while Magicians goalie Ethan Haider made 17 saves in the loss.

 

East Division Finals, Game 1: New Jersey 4 @ Johnstown 3 (OT) (Series tied 1-1) - The New Jersey Titans edged the Johnstown Tomahawks in overtime 4-3 to tie the East Division Final Series 1-1, as the series now shifts to New Jersey. Johnstown broke through the scoreless tie in the 1st period when Roman Kraemer sent a pass to Joey Kile who deflected it past Brandon Perrone for his first of the playoffs. The Titans battled back to tie the contest two minutes into the second period with a shorthanded goal from Gavin Gulash. Gulash tallied his second of the game at 13:00 of the second period for a 2-1 Titans lead going into the second intermission. The Tomahawks needed only 2:27 to tie the game at 2-2 in the 3rd period when Pavel Kharin scored his first goal of the playoffs. Johnstown, then, went up 3-2 late in the third period after Oliver Benwell tipped a Cam Hebert shot past Brandon Perrone. However, the Titans tied the game late in the third period with 18 seconds left after Spencer Stanley's shot bounced past Carter McPhail. In the overtime, a drop pass to Chris Garbe netted the game-winner as he snapped a shot past McPhail less than two minutes into the extra frame. Perrone made 28 saves in the win, while McPhail made 24 saves in the loss.

 

Central Division Finals, Game 2: Minot 1 @ Aberdeen 3 (Series tied 1-1) – Wings goalie Matt Vernon made 34 saves to lead his team to a 3-1 win in Game 2, which evened the Central Division Finals at 2-2 as the series now shifts to Minot for Games 3 and 4. Aberdeen jumped out to a quick 2-0 with a pair of 1st period goals from Nic Sicoly and Jonathan Bendorf. Late in the 2nd period, the lead swelled to 3-0 as John Sladic scored his 4th goal of the playoffs. Minot got on the board later in the 2nd period with their lone goal of the night from Wilmer Skoog. Neither team would score in the 3rd period as the Wings rode Vernon to the win. Minot goalie Nick Grabko made 30 saves in the loss.