Grizzlies, Hawks punch ticket to Fraser Cup with Game 3 wins
Sheridan forward Nathan Gilleshammer skates the puck into the zone while Great Falls defenseman Tyler Lorring defends. The Hawks won the Frontier Division Finals, 2 games to 1, to advance to the Fraser Cup as the #1 overall seed.
Central Division Finals, Game 3: Peoria 0 @ Rochester 5 (Rochester wins series, 2-1) – Shane Soderwall stopped all 16 shots that came his way as the Grizzlies punched their ticket to the Fraser Cup Championship thanks to a 5-0 win in Game 3. The Grizzlies got goals from five different players, which included 1st period goals from Collin Pederson and Joey Malugani, a 2nd period goal from Blake Arneson and two more goals in the 3rd period from Micah Gernander and Teppei Ueno. Mustangs goalie Cole Walter made 26 saves in the loss. Rochester is guaranteed the #2 seed at the Fraser Cup.
Frontier Division Finals, Game 3: Great Falls 1 @ Sheridan 4 (Sheridan wins series, 4-1) – Blake Billings and Jacob Cummings each had a goal and two assists as the Hawks punched their ticket to the Fraser Cup Championship as the #1 overall seed thanks to a 4-1 win in Game 3 of the Frontier Finals. After a scoreless 1st period, the Hawks went up 2-0 in the 2nd period with goals from Zach Brydges and Cummings. The Americans closed to gap to within 2-1 later in the 2nd period as Thomas Gazich scored on the power play. In the 3rd period, Billings and Nick Wieben added late goals to the secure the win and divisional playoff title. Hawks goalie Christian Wong-Ramos made 37 saves in the win, while Trever Mellen made 53 saves in the loss in his final junior game.
South Division Finals, Game 2: TX Brahmas 4 @ Oklahoma City 3 (Series tied, 1-1) – Leevi Selanne scored the final two Brahmas goals to help his team fight off elimination and force a Game 3 thanks to a 4-3 win on Saturday in Oklahoma City. Texas led 2-1 after the 1st period as Jacob Kalandyk and Benjamin Mondou scored for the Brahmas while Anton Thelander scored for the Blazers. In the 2nd period, Selanne’s first goal of the game made it 3-1. The Blazers stormed back in the 2nd period with goals from Richard Indermill and Tristan Rand to knot the game at 3-3. Selanne would then add the game-winner on the power play midway through the 3rd period in the 4-3 final. Dolan Gilbert made 23 saves in the win, while Olivier Charbonneau made 20 saves in the loss.
West Division Finals, Game 2: North Iowa 1 @ Willmar 2 (Series tied, 1-1) – WarHawks goalie Lukas Haugen made 26 saves to lead his team to a 2-1 win in Game 2 of their series against the Bulls on Saturday, which forces a Game 3 on Sunday. The Bulls took a 1-0 lead in the 1st period thanks to a power play goal from Cal Nauss. The WarHawks tied the game at 1-1 late in the 2nd period on a goal from Gavin Uckele. They carried that momentum into the 3rd period as early in the frame Nate Cox scored the game-winner less than a minute into the period. Bulls goalie Carsen Stokes took the loss, making 36 saves.
East Division Finals, Game 2: Generals 10 @ Titans 2 (Series tied, 1-1) – Defenseman Jake Hosszu scored twice as the Generals put up a dominant performance in Game 2 with a 10-2 win, forcing a Game 3 on Sunday. The Generals jumped out to a 2-0 lead early in the 1st period thanks to goals from Hosszu and Deacon More. The Titans cut the lead down to 2-1 as Philippe Doucette scored his 5th goal of the playoffs. The Generals then rattled off for three goals in a seven-minute span to start the 2nd period to take a 5-1 lead as Payton Felix, Jacob Kaminski, and Tyler Kaminski scored. The Titans got a goal midway through the period from Justin Cohn to make it 5-2, but it was all Generals after that including four more goals in the 2nd period from Tyler Ramm, Braeden Kennedy, Carson Asper, and Hosszu, and one more in the 3rd period from James Clarke. Generals goalie Patrick Colburn made 12 saves in the win, while Ethan Kavanaugh and Grant Goodson combined for 28 saves in the loss.
