Saturday Scores: Lumberjacks clinch playoff spot with sweep
Dylan Cunningham helped the Helena Bighorns clinch a spot in the Fraser Cup Playoffs with a sweep of Yellowstone this weekend.
Peoria 2 @ Granite City 5: The Granite City Lumberjacks completed a weekend sweep over the Peoria Mustangs with a 5-2 win, which secured a playoff spot for the Lumberjacks. In the second period the game saw its first goal as Joseph Rancillio scored for the Mustangs. Granite City answered back and took the lead with Parker Mitchell and Kyle Mortenson for a 2-1 score. In the third the Lumberjacks added 3 more goals with Tanner Brouwer, and Matthew Delany scoring twice. The Mustangs added another goal with Rancillio for a 5-2 final. Ryan Lehet took the win after stopping 19 shots.
Louisiana 5 @ El Paso 2: The Louisiana Drillers got their second win of the weekend against the El Paso Rhinos in a 5-2 final. All of the goals came in the second period as Noah Easterson and Mike Sobaski scored for El Paso. Daniel Cruther, Micah Maldonado, AL Evanyk, Thomas Mougin and Jack Lambert all scored for the Drillers. John Moriarty took the win in net stopping 25 of 27 shots.
Badlands 1 @ Gillette 5: The Gillette Wild took a 5-1 win over the Badlands Sabres. Gillette scored 5 straight with Jace Johnson and Zack Slinger in the first period, Adam Severson and Ryan Hipsag in the second and then Wylee Gladen in the third. Badlands got on the board in the third period with Payton Stauffacher. Cole Wheaton earned the win in net after stopping 27 shots.
Helena 3 @ Yellowstone 1: The Helena Bighorns picked up their second win over the Yellowstone Quake in a 3-1 final, which also clinched a playoff spot for the Bighorns. The Bighorns started scoring in the first with Camden Cunningham, in the second with Braden Cunningham and then in the third with Andrew Deskin. The Quake added a goal in the third with Ben Carlson. Keaton Woolsey earned the win in net after stopping 19 shots.
Bozeman 2 @ Great Falls 1: The Bozeman Icedogs edged the Great Falls Americans, 2-1. Bozeman got on the board in the second with Kole Morris. In the third Jace Thompson scored for the Americans to even the game. Later in the period Spencer Wilkinson scored the game-winning goal for the Icedogs for a 2-1 win. Axel Rosenlund took the win in net after turning away 43 shots.
Minnesota 2 @ Mason City 3: Carter Newpower lit the lamp with just 3:43 remaining in regulation to lift his Toros past Minnesota 3-2. Jack Hanson got the visitors on the board first with a score 2:08 into the 1st period. Newpower and Dakota Lenz rallied back Mason City with goals to give them a 2-1 lead after 20 minutes. Jacob Behnke tied the game 11:06 into the 3rd period before Newpower’s eventual game winner. Will Kunka stopped 25 shots of 27 faced in the victory. Matthew Ryynanen kept out 32 of 35 for the Loons.
Mid Cities 0 @ New Mexico 10: The Ice Wolves continued their dominance over the Jr. Stars, this time taking them down 10-0. Stanley Hubbard and Spencer Lund both scored in the opening frame. Liam Mooney scored the lone goal in the 2nd period to increase New Mexico’s lead. The Ice Wolves offense had a surge in the 3rd period as Jo Kawagishi, Max Chagovets, Cail Clark, and Bode Ensign all found the back of the net. Hubbard and Mooney both tallied another goal as well. Krzysztof Jakubowski stopped all 16 shots that came his way in the shutout. Garrett Johnson made 43 saves for Mid Cities.
New Ulm 7 @ St. Louis 2: In a cross divisional matchup, the Steel came out on top 7-2 over the Jr. Blues. Aidan Besedic got St. Louis on the board first with a goal just 3:31 into the 1st period until Gus Cantwell, Jack Laser, and Aidan Swee rallied back with consecutive scores for New Ulm before the 1st intermission. Lahoussine Salama increased the Steel lead with a goal in the 2nd. In the 3rd, Conner Souza potted a pair of goals while Cantwell added his 2nd of the night to put the game out of reach. St. Louis’ other goal came 15:16 into the period from Jacob Heuerman.
Rochester 2 @ Milwaukee 5: The Power picked up a big win Saturday night, taking down the defending Fraser Cup champs 5-2 on home ice. Bryce Garber and Luke Nemeth both tickled twine in the 1st to put Milwaukee in an early driver’s seat. Michael Dalaly found the back of the net twice in the 2nd and Connor O’Neal added another to improve the winning margin to 5 goals. Rochester’s Erik Hernborn and Marco Sandelgard attempted to spark a comeback bid with goals in the final frame but it was too late. Adam Prokop kept out an impressive 47 of 49 shots for the Power while Tate Cothern made 27 saves in the loss.
Oregon 3 @ Wausau 2: The Tradesmen took the sole lead in the central division standings after edging past the Cyclones 3-2 on the road. Oregon’s Max McNeil and Wausau’s Zac Maupin traded goals in the 1st period to keep it tied. Dillon Schmidt (17:06) and Marcus Mack (9:44) gave the Tradesmen a two goal lead after 40 minutes of play. Easton Plachetka scored a goal early in the 3rd period for Wausau but they were unable to mount a comeback. Tyler Fromolz kept out 28 of 30 shots faced in the victory while Ryan Burke made 38 stops for the Cyclones.
Willmar 4 @ Alexandria 1: A two-goal performance from forward Gunnar Sibley powered the WarHawks past Alexandria 4-1 Saturday night. Sibley scored three minutes into the contest before Charlie Larsen tied the game late in the 3rd to hold a 1-1 score through 20 minutes of play. Jordan Fields put Willmar back on top with a goal 4:38 into the 2nd period. Sibley added his 2nd of the night 18:35 into the 3rd before Luke McCarthy sealed the game with an empty netter just 39 seconds later. Zackary Ortolano had a strong goaltending performance for Willmar, stopping all but one of 30 shots faced. Alex Lamont kept out 36 shots for the Blizzard.
