Sunday Wrap-up: Wausau Secures Victory in Overtime Thriller

Photo Credit: Nate Porath

Pelham 1 @ Texas R 10 - The Texas RoadRunners exploded offensively in a dominant 10–1 road victory over the Pelham Prowlers, showcasing depth scoring, relentless pressure, and a suffocating forecheck that overwhelmed the hosts from start to finish. Texas set the tone early, striking twice in the opening frame to seize control. Lucas Dyer opened the scoring at 19:07, ripping home his 33rd of the year off a setup from Joseph Izzo, before Ronin Draffan doubled the lead just seconds later, burying his third of the season from Vincent Campbell to make it 2–0 after one. The RoadRunners broke the game wide open in the second period with a five-goal onslaught. Dyer’s second of the night — a shorthanded tally at 3:14 — ignited the surge, followed by Alex McMillan’s unassisted effort at 4:50. Alex Matysiak extended the margin with his second of the season at 13:54, assisted by Cayson Ash-Hendricks, before Jayden Hitt made it 5–0 with an unassisted strike less than a minute later. Kristopher Pope capped off the period at 15:33, finishing a three-way passing play from Draffan and Hitt for a commanding 7–0 lead heading into the third. Texas kept their foot on the gas in the final frame, adding three more to reach double digits. Wyatt Mineheine made it 8–0 just 44 seconds into the period, followed by a highlight-reel short-handed marker from Izzo at 13:18. Pope added his second of the contest at 5:10 to round out the visitors’ scoring. Pelham broke the shutout late when Parker McCown converted from Benjamen Salter at 4:56, but it was far too little, too late. Goaltender Colby Lee backstopped the RoadRunners to victory with 26 saves on 27 shots, while Collin Jeffries faced a barrage at the other end, turning aside 55 of 65 in a valiant effort. Texas dominated the shot clock 65–27, including a staggering 26–12 margin in the middle frame. Dyer (2G, 1A) and Pope (2G) led a balanced attack that saw nine different skaters record points. Draffan chipped in a goal and two assists, and Izzo factored in with a goal and a helper as well. Special teams were decisive, with Texas netting two shorthanded goals while stifling Pelham’s power play throughout. The RoadRunners’ complete performance — combining speed, structure, and scoring depth — secured their most emphatic win of the season and sent a strong message to the rest of the division.

Atlanta 1 @ Carolina 11 - The Carolina Rage delivered a statement performance with an overwhelming 11–1 road victory over the Atlanta Capitals, riding a balanced offensive attack and relentless pressure to dominate from start to finish. Carolina wasted little time taking control, scoring twice in the opening period. James Parnell opened the scoring with a power-play goal at 11:27, assisted by Anderson Cornwell, before Tobin Tuzinsky netted the game-winner at 4:46 off a three-way setup from Connor Kelly and Reece Beckwith, giving the Rage a 2–0 lead after one. The visitors turned up the intensity in the second period, adding three more goals to put the game out of reach. Parnell struck again unassisted at 17:55, followed by Roman Brown’s 10th of the season at 16:24, assisted by Beckwith and Kelly. Tuzinsky capped the frame with his 19th goal at 4:05, completing a passing sequence with Parnell and Will Adams to make it 5–0. Carolina’s offensive onslaught continued in the third period with six more goals, including a shorthanded strike by Tuzinsky at 9:56 and a power-play tally from Parker Greenway at 2:56. Tuzinsky added four more markers, including his 22nd and 21st goals, while Beckwith, Brown, and Rocco Watson each contributed to extend the lead to a staggering 11–1. Atlanta’s lone goal came at 9:31 of the third period when Josiah Castaneda scored unassisted on the power play. Goaltender Kole Roth was solid in net for Carolina, stopping all 28 shots he faced, while Brayton Levesque and Maxwell Pelton split time for Atlanta, allowing 11 goals on 77 shots. The Rage dominated possession, outshooting the Capitals 77–28 and consistently forcing turnovers in the defensive zone. Tuzinsky led the way with six goals, Parnell added two goals and two assists, and Beckwith recorded three assists, highlighting the depth and balance of Carolina’s attack. The Rage’s complete performance, combining speed, precision passing, and relentless forechecking, overwhelmed Atlanta and secured one of their most dominant wins of the season.

Wausau 2 @ St. Louis 1 (OT) - The Wausau Cyclones pulled off a thrilling 2–1 overtime road win against the St. Louis Jr. Blues, rallying late in regulation and finishing the comeback with a sudden-death strike. St. Louis struck first, taking a 1–0 lead in the opening period, but Wausau’s defense and goaltending kept the Blues off the board for the remainder of regulation. Brody Kunst turned aside 34 of 35 shots, while Travis Visvadra made 27 saves in a busy night between the pipes. The Cyclones tied the game in the third period at 13:16 when Elijah Von Gunten scored his sixth goal of the season, assisted by Jackson Schroeder and Joel Anderson, sending the contest to overtime. Both teams battled fiercely in the extra frame, but Wausau’s relentless forecheck paid off, and they capitalized on the opportunity to secure the 2–1 win. Wausau outshot the Blues 29–35, including a decisive push in the third period to tilt momentum. Penalties were minimal in overtime, allowing both squads to focus on even-strength play, but the Cyclones’ composure under pressure ultimately made the difference. Von Gunten led the way with the game-tying goal, while Schroeder and Anderson each tallied assists on the decisive play. The Cyclones’ disciplined play, solid goaltending, and clutch scoring enabled them to leave St. Louis with a hard-fought victory and a boost of confidence moving forward.

West Texas 2 @ Texas B 7 - The Texas Brahmas cruised to a 7–2 road victory over the West Texas Wranglers, taking control early and fending off a late push from the home team with a balanced offensive attack. Texas opened the scoring just 4:59 into the first period with a power-play goal from Patrick Garvey, assisted by Benjamin Humphreys and Charlie Wilson. The Brahmas carried that momentum throughout the game, adding additional markers in the second and third periods to build a commanding lead. West Texas responded in the third period with two goals to narrow the gap. Tyson Jones scored his first of the season at 14:53, assisted by Nathan Zane and Austin Gray, followed by Dillon Roberts and Cutter Daniel creating chances that kept the Brahmas’ defense engaged. Despite the push, Texas answered with two more goals in the final frame, ensuring the win. Gavin Erickson was strong in net for Texas, stopping 12 of 14 shots during his time on the ice, while Alfie Jefferis and Garret Lant split duties for West Texas, allowing seven goals on 45 shots. The Brahmas dominated in both pace and possession, outshooting the Wranglers 45–14, and converting efficiently on the power play. Patrick Garvey led the scoring with his fourth goal of the season, while Charlie Wilson and Benjamin Humphreys each contributed assists, highlighting the depth and cohesion of the Brahmas’ attack. Texas controlled the game from start to finish, with disciplined special teams play and timely scoring that left West Texas struggling to keep up.

Bayou State 0 @ Louisiana 16 -The Louisiana Drillers delivered an overwhelming and historic performance against the visiting Bayou State Rougarou, utterly dominating the game with a final score of 16-0. The Drillers' offense was unstoppable, scoring three goals in the first period, seven in the second, and six more in the third to reach their staggering total. Their relentless attack resulted in an astonishing 70 shots throughout the night, completely eclipsing the Rougarou's meager nine. The Bayou State Rougarou's lack of offensive pressure was evident as they were shut out in all three periods, recording no more than four shots in any single frame. Louisiana's special teams also contributed, capitalizing on the power play with one goal on four opportunities. Meanwhile, the Rougarou failed to convert on all five of their power play chances and struggled with discipline, accumulating a substantial 32 penalty minutes. This decisive victory maintains the Louisiana Drillers' perfect season record of 16-0.

Austin 6 @ El Paso 1 - The Austin Ice Bats secured a dominant 6-1 victory over the home-team El Paso Rhinos, maintaining their strong season record. The Ice Bats started quickly, scoring two goals in the first period to establish an early lead. They maintained consistent offensive pressure, adding two goals in both the second and third periods for a constant scoring threat. Interestingly, the Rhinos actually outshot the Ice Bats 27 to 19, but Austin's goaltending proved superior, limiting El Paso to just one goal in the third period. The Rhinos capitalized on their power play with one goal on five opportunities, accounting for their only score of the night. Despite the lopsided score, the game was highly physical, with the Ice Bats racking up a significant 28 penalty minutes, including multiple minor infractions. The Ice Bats' efficient scoring and strong defensive play earned them the decisive 6-1 final.