Top-seeded Tomahawks, Bulls win on Day 1

May 11, 2019

Robertson Cup Semi-Final #1, Game 1: Fairbanks Ice Dogs 2 vs. Johnstown Tomahawks 7 (Johnstown leads series, 1-0) - The Johnstown Tomahawks used two power play goals to secure a Game 1 cvictory over the Fairbanks Ice Dogs in the Robertson Cup Semi-Finals 7-2 Friday night at Fogerty Arena. Fairbanks wasted little time putting the Tomahawks behind 1-0. Parker Brown's wrist shot solved Carter McPhail with the man-advantage for his second goal of the postseason. The Tomahawks tied the game at 1-1 when Oliver Benwell's shot deflected off a Fairbanks defenseman past the pads of Mattias Sholl for a 1-1 tie going into the first intermission. The Tomahawks capitalized off a Fairbanks penalty to take their first lead of the game when Bennett Stockdale tapped home a pass from Chris Trouba for his first goal of the playoffs.

Carson Brière increased the Johnstown lead to 3-1 midway through the second period when he finished a pass from Roman Kraemer. Fairbanks defenseman Noah Wilson cut the Johnstown lead to 3-2 when his wrist shot beat McPhail over the shoulder. Johnstown increased their lead to 4-2 when Mitch Hale's shot from behind the net banked off Sholl's pad and into the net. At the 5:44 mark, Brière fired home a power play goal to put the Tomahawks ahead 5-2. Roman Kraemer added another goal for the Tomahawks on the power play for a 6-2 Johnstown advantage. With the Ice Dogs' net empty, Colin Price chipped in his first goal of the playoffs and secured the 7-2 victory over Fairbanks. Tomahawks goalie Carter McPhail made 28 saves in the win, while Ice Dogs goalie Mattias Sholl made 18 saves in the loss. Boxscore

 

Robertson Cup Semi-Final #2, Game 1: Aberdeen Wings 2 vs. Amarillo Bulls 4 (Amarillo leads series, 1-0) – Jake Willets, Logan Jenuwine, and Brett Abdelnour each had a goal and an assist as the Bulls jumped out to a 3-0 lead and held off an Aberdeen rally to post a 4-2 win in Game 1 of the Semi-Finals of the 2019 Robertson Cup Championship. Amarillo got off to a fast start thanks to two goals in the 1st period, which included a wrap-around goal from defenseman Jake Willets and a goal from Brett Abdelnour. The lead swelled to 3-0 for the Bulls in the early stages of the 2nd period as David Ojamae tipped home a shot from the point. The Wings made a furious comeback attempt later in the period as Brad Belisle lit the lamp with a nice individual effort and shot that beat Bulls goalie Jason Grande over the shoulder. With under a minute left in the period, Jonathan Bendorf potted home a rebound to make it 3-2. The Bulls would put the game away as the NAHL’s MVP, Logan Jenuwine, was left all alone in front and fired a shot past Wings goalie Matt Vernon to secure the 4-2 win. Grande made 31 saves in the win, while Vernon made 14 saves in the loss. Boxscore