Nordiques win pool with triumph on Day 2 of Fraser Cup

March 29, 2019

Day 2 of the Fraser Cup in Woodridge, IL, featured more pool play. One team was able to move onto the Semi-Finals, while another team was elimated.

 

 

Fraser Cup Round-Robin, Game 3: L/A Nordiques 7 vs. North Iowa Bulls 4 – The L/A Nordiques scored the game’s final four goals to win Pool A and earn the top spot in Saturday’s Semi-Finals thanks to a come-from-behind 7-4 win on Thursday. Things started on the right foot for the Bulls, who enjoyed four different one-goal leads through the first two periods. Matt Rozman scored both goals for the Bulls in the opening period, only to see each of them answered by Sergei Anisimov and Cole Ouellette for the Nordiques as the score was 2-2 after 20 minutes. North Iowa took a 3-2 lead in the 2nd period on a goal from Jack Giddings, but again the Nordiques had an answer, this time from Sam Frechette. The Bulls would go back up by one goal at 4-3 as Harrison Stewart would score, but the Nordiques again tied the game before the period was up on another goal from Anisimov, his second goal of the game. The Nordiques would then control the 3rd period, scoring three goals in the final frame to win 7-4. Less than three minutes into the final period, Valeri Rykov would score the eventual game-winning goal. Zach Mullen added the 6th goal for the Nordiques and then Frechette would add his second of game with a power play goal. It was a rough afternoon for the goalies as both teams made goalie changes. Andrew Ghimpeteanu, who came in the 2nd period for the Nordiques, stopped all 18 shots that came his way, while starter Daniel Miller made 18 saves on 22 shots. Dysen Skinner took the loss in goal for the Bulls, making 22 saves on 28 shots, while Evan Babekuhl made 8 saves on 9 shots. With the win, the Nordiques will be in Saturday’s Semi-Finals as the #1 seed from Pool A. The Bulls meanwhile, will play the Helena Bighorns on Friday with the winner advancing to the second spot in the Semi-Finals to face the winner of Pool B. Boxscore

 

Fraser Cup Round-Robin, Game 4: St. Louis Jr. Blues 6 vs. Binghamton Junior Senators 2 – St. Louis Jr. Blues forward Dante Jones had a hat-trick and goalie Mikael Foucher made 42 saves as the Jr. Blues opened their Fraser Cup play with a 6-2 win over the Binghamton Junior Senators. The loss eliminated Binghamton from the Fraser Cup as they finished with an 0-2 record in pool play. Things were very tight through the first 40 minutes of the game. Jones put the Jr. Blues on the board first in the opening period, but that was answered by two straight goals from Binghamton’s Markus Cook and Seth McArdle to give the Junior Sens a 2-1 lead. Before the 2nd period was up, Jones scored again for the Jr. Blues to tie the game at 2-2 after two periods. It was all St. Louis in the 3rd period as they scored four goals to put the game out of reach, which included two goals from Zach Lodes, one from Nathan Sargent, and an empty-netter from Jones to complete the hat-trick and 6-2 win. Junior Senators goalie Thomas Sullivan made 43 saves in the loss. With the win, the Jr. Blues will now face the Texas Brahmas on Friday with both teams moving into the Semi- Finals. The winner will clinch the #1 seed in Pool B and the loser will be the #2 seed coming out of Pool B. Boxscore