Friday Finals: Grizzlies ride Backstrom to big win over Bulls

December 14, 2019

North Iowa 1 @ Rochester 2 – In a battle of division leaders, the Rochester Grizzlies got 22 saves from goalie Mathias Backstrom in a 2-1 home win over the visiting North Iowa Bulls. After a scoreless 1st period, the Bulls got on the board first with a goal from Dalton Saltness in the early stages of the 2nd period. The Grizzlies tied the game less than four minutes later with a goal from Lucas Newman. Midway through the 3rd period, Joey Fodstad scored his 17th goal of the season, which stood as the game-winner. Bulls goalie Dysen Skinner made 29 saves in the loss.

 

Granite City 5 @ Alexandria 1 – Lumberjacks forward Blake Spetz had a career night, recording a hat-trick in a 5-1 road win in Alexandria. Spetz potted the game’s first goal in the opening period to make it 1-0 and then recorded two more goals in the 2nd period to go along with a goal from Josh Baker to make it a 4-0 contest after two periods. Cody Dias scored early in the 3rd period to make it a 5-0 game. The Blizzard got their lone goal later in the 3rd period from Dallas Duckson. Granite City goalie Bailey Huber made 24 saves in the win, while Alexandria goalie Bailey Rosch made 31 saves in the loss.

 

Breezy Point 2 @ New Ulm 13 – Forward Nick Wieben had a five-point night, including four goals and Mason Enright had a hat-trick as the Steel put up a big 13-2 win over the visiting North Stars. The Steel got the scoring started early with six goals in the 1st period, including two from Enright, one from Wieben and others from Michael Savelkoul, Tommy Broten, and Kayden Fennell. The Steel scored five more goals in the 2nd period, including three from Wieben, another from Enright and a goal from Davis Smidt. Jacob Halvorson and Stanislav Danaev. Breezy Point got goals from Haydon Chivers and Jordan Linder. AJ Cohen made 20 saves in the win, while Griffin Foster took the loss with 34 saves.

 

Maine 1 @ NE Knights 7 - Seven different players scored and goalie Steven Barry made 20 saves as the Knights beat the Wild, 7-1 on Friday. It was all Knights from the get-go, which included a 1st period goal from Jake Willis, three goals in the 2nd period from Tony Sheay, Chase Lapworth, and Leevi Kervinen. The Knights made it 7-0 in the 3rd period with goals from Nolan Murphy, Sean Loftus, and Martin Dlugolinsky. The Wild scored their lone goal late in the 3rd period with a power play tally from Gus Frankwicz. Keenan Gamache took the loss in goal, making 29 saves.

 

Peoria 5 @ Wausau 1 – Mustangs goalie Jaden Gardner made 25 saves to lead Peoria to a 5-1 road win in Wausau on Friday. The Mustangs jumped out to an early 2-0 lead with 1st period goals from Austin Keil and Zach Eddington. The lead increased to 3-0 in the 2nd period as Noah Hichborn scored his first goal of the season. Early in the 3rd period, Wausau found the back of the net for their lone goal from Robert Carlson, but the Mustangs answered with a pair of goals from Connor Bennett and Jaycob Bland to make it a 5-1 final. Joseph La Forge made 33 saves in the loss.

 

Sheridan 7 @ Gillette 1 – Justin Schwartmiller, Logan Syrup, and Alex Kesler all had three-point nights as the Hawks handled the Wild in a 7-1 road win. Schwartzmiller got the scoring started in the 1st period and then added another goal in the 2nd period along with goals from Kolten Wright and Anthony Fortin to make it 4-0 after two periods. Syrup scored in the 3rd period along with goals from Stepan Ruta and Blake Billings, before the Wild scored their lone goal with just :14 seconds remaining in regulation from Jacob Sundgren. James Downie made 16 saves in the win, while Anthony Seykora took the loss, making 22 saves.