Sweeps, Splits, and Statement Wins Highlight Saturday’s Action

Photo Credits: Michelle Kase, West Texas Wranglers

Long Beach 6 @ Norwich 3 - The Long Beach Sharks faced the Norwich Sea Captains on Saturday night, with Long Beach improving to 5–1 in the season series. Brendan Dalton got the scoring started for the Sharks assisted by Sean Bailey with just under seven minutes left to play in the first. A minute later, Bailey scored a goal of his own to add to the Shark’s lead, 2-0. The Sea Captains responded a minute later on a goal by Henry Pinkerman to cut the lead to 2-1. With two seconds left in the first period, the Sharks would tally another for the 3-1 lead in the first intermission. Midway through the second, Bailey adds two more goals for the Sharks, completing the hat trick. The Sharks took a 5-1 lead into the final frame. The Sharks would add another goal three minutes into the period for a 6-1 lead. The Sea Captains would add two goals before this one was over, but it would not be enough. The Sharks win this one 6-3.

Buzz 7 @ New Jersey 4 - After coming up short in game one of the weekend series, the Buzz answered back in a big way Saturday night, earning a 7–4 victory. A scoreless opening period gave way to a wide-open second, with both teams trading goals as the game sat deadlocked at 3–3 heading into the third. Ryan Cook notched his second of the night less than three minutes into the final frame to give the Titans a 4–3 edge, but from there it was all Buzz. The boys in black and yellow flipped the switch, pouring in four unanswered goals and never letting up to close out the win. ’07 rookie Yaromir Chicherin led the charge, recording his first junior career hat trick and adding two assists for a five-point night. 

Carolina 1 @ Louisiana 19 - The Louisiana Drillers dominated the Carolina Rage Saturday night at home, rolling to a 19–1 victory. In a game where three different players recorded hat tricks, there was no letup from the Drillers’ offense from start to finish. Carter Gnau led the way with a hat trick, while Brody Neish and Lucas Dyer also notched hat tricks, each adding two assists to their stat lines. Emerson Laroche, Logan Woods, and Skyler Tompkins each found the back of the net twice while also contributing two helpers apiece. Brody Haas added a pair of goals of his own, while Dante Zaffarano and Draydin Johnson each chipped in with a tally during the blowout. Despite not scoring, Dayton Ruppel made his presence felt by recording seven assists, while Jack Slotka added four helpers of his own. Tobin Tuzinsky accounted for the lone goal for the Rage, breaking the shutout bid against Cole Schmidt, who still turned aside 16 shots in the win. 

West Texas 5 @ Tulsa 0 - The West Texas Wranglers rammed the Tulsa Oilers with a ‘shutty’ during Saturday's matchup in Tulsa, a huge bounceback win after Friday’s loss. In the first period, Sven Svensson turned the lamp on first by opening up the score, when he one-time’d Jason McKenna’s cross-ice feed. For the middle frame, Jameson Becker worked his magic to make it two-nothing. At the three-minute mark, Gavin Brown tucked in a rebound from Cutter Daniel. In the third, Caelen Cross got it started, with Gunnar Vick and Svensson offering support. And two minutes later they would cap it all off with their fifth-straight goal, when Will Andegren lasered one in. 

Mason City Toros 5 @ St. Louis Jr. Blues 3 - The Mason City Toros shut down the St. Louis Jr. Blues on Blues territory in a cross-divisional matchup. In the first minute of play in the first period, the team lit the lamp first, as Blaze Bauer fired one past Travis Visvadra, with Kellen Kantaris and Weston Bohlman coming in with the assists. About 15 minutes later, the Blues finally drew something up and tied the score, as Lonnie Land wristed one from an open slot after getting sauced by Ryan Hogan. Shortly after, they would score again but this time on the power play, as Joe Lopiccolo capitalized off a feed from Teagan Lee. However, while still on the kill, the Toros’ Luke Gustafson buried one right after the centre ice faceoff to tie the game back up. Late in the second, however, Land would grab another one for the Note and get the go-ahead lead on a penalty shot. But that would change early into the third, when Christian Plaga tied it back up for Mason City. The tied score continued for several more minutes until at 2:39 Gustafson and Plaga would score back-to-back and fend off the Blues. Gustafson’s goal was delivered on his team's PP run, while Plaga’s was bought from the empty netter. 

Wausau 4 @ Peoria 2 - The Wausau Cyclones once again defeated the Peoria Mustangs in back-to-back days, taking them down with a final score of 4-2 and outshooting them 44-19. In the first period, however, Charlie Anthony opened the scoring for the Mustangs late in the frame, and kept that lead going until early into the second. At 17:00, Joel Anderson for Wausau tied the score when Jackson Schroeder fed him some sauce. Six minutes later, Jackson Maddock poked in the go-ahead goal while on the power play. The Cyclones kept the lead going until early on in the third. Three minutes into the final frame, though, the Mustangs responded, as Anson Zaiser buried one. However, later on, the Cyclones bounced back and let the momentum shift in their favour, as Mario Savino answered and broke the tie. Minutes later, Alec Mellon kept that energy going by punching in the insurance lead and sealing the deal. 

Bayou State 2 @ Texas (R) 3 - In a change of events from Friday night's 12-goal thriller, the Texas RoadRunners narrowly fought off the Bayou State Rougarou on Saturday evening. The RoadRunners found their way onto the scoreboard first thanks to a goal by Kurtis Brachlow . Two minutes later, Will Heskett would continue his point-per-game streak by also scoring for Texas. But 46 seconds before the buzzer ending the first period, Denis Portnoy would sneak one in after chopping Landen Crall’s rebound. Late into the second, Heskett would once again deliver another goal to his tally by extending the lead to two for the home team. However, Crall would respond with a goal himself and put Bayou State within reach. The game had shifted significantly since the night before, as neither club would score again. So therefore, the Roadrunners dodged a bullet and took this game once more. 

New Mexico 2 @ Texas B 1 - The New Mexico Ice Wolves narrowly pulled away with a road victory Saturday night against the Texas Brahmas by a score of 2–1. In a game dominated by defense and goaltending, New Mexico made the most of its scoring opportunities. Connor Hanley broke the ice early in the first period for the Ice Wolves, grabbing the 1–0 lead off an assist from Christopher Mason. Calahan Butler followed later in the period with a goal of his own to make it 2–0, with the assists coming from Ryan Hoogsteen and Jackson Antonelli. New Mexico carried that lead into the first intermission. The second period saw chances at both ends, but neither team was able to find the back of the net, keeping the score at 2–0. Early in the third, John Scharf broke through for Texas to cut the deficit to one, with James Ingle and Alex Morris assisting on the play to make the final minutes much more interesting. Despite the momentum from the goal and several quality opportunities down the stretch for the Brahmas, no one was able to score again, allowing New Mexico to hold on for the win. In net, Luke Romney put up a strong effort for Texas, stopping 29 shots in the loss and keeping his team in the game until the end. On the other side, Joshua Middleton came up clutch for the Ice Wolves, making save after save and turning away 39 shots to clinch the victory. 

Minnesota W 4 @ Alexandria 7: The Alexandria Blizzard earned an important home victory Saturday night, knocking off the Minnesota Wilderness by a 7–4 final in a game that saw momentum swing multiple times before Alexandria pulled away late. Minnesota opened the scoring in the first period as Wyatt Mineheine got the Wilderness on the board first, finishing a play set up by Jace Kampsula to make it 1–0. Mineheine struck again later in the frame, extending the lead to two with Tommy Perkins picking up the assist. Alexandria responded midway through the period when Caden Vos broke through for the Blizzard, with Charlie Kritzeck and Kaden Roness assisting to cut the deficit to one. Minnesota answered shortly after, as Zacary Norberg restored the two-goal lead off a feed from Owen Huneke, making it 3–1. Late in the period, the Blizzard closed the gap again when Reece Hubmer found the back of the net with assists from Caleb Waller and Grady Stallman, sending the game into the first intermission with Minnesota holding a slim 3–2 advantage. Alexandria carried that momentum into the second period. Early in the frame, Waller tied the game at three, finishing a setup from Hubmer and Kritzeck. The Blizzard then grabbed their first lead of the night on the power play, as Stallman capitalized with help from Dillan Smidt and Blake Breiland, giving Alexandria a 4–3 edge heading into the third. The Blizzard continued to press in the final period. Early on, Waller struck again on the power play, extending the lead to two with assists from Easton Schmit and Smidt. Alexandria added to the advantage midway through the period when Adam Rauser scored his first of the night, set up by Breiland and Tyler Meyer, pushing the lead to 6–3. Minnesota attempted to mount a comeback late as Stratton Maas found the back of the net to bring the Wilderness within two. Any hopes of a rally were put away when Ethan Boughton sealed the game with an empty-net goal, assisted by Zach Benson and Quinten Friborg, securing the 7–4 win. With the victory, the Blizzard defended home ice and continued to build momentum for a playoff push, while Minnesota was unable to overcome Alexandria’s strong third-period surge. 

Rochester 5 @ Wisconsin 2: The Rochester Grizzlies earned a 5–2 road victory over the Wisconsin Woodsmen Saturday night, using a strong first period and a late third-period push to pull away after a scoreless middle frame. Wisconsin opened the scoring early in the first period as Parker Holloway broke through for the Woodsmen, finishing a setup from Maxim Lazo and Josh Kauppinen to make it 1–0. Rochester responded while shorthanded midway through the period when Tevin Stukel capitalized on a chance, with Mason Decker picking up the assist to tie the game. Later in the frame, the Grizzlies took the lead on the power play as Baylor Stebbins found the back of the net with help from Stukel and Andrew Bastian, giving Rochester a 2–1 advantage heading into the first intermission. The second period was a defensive battle, as both teams traded opportunities but neither side was able to beat the goaltenders, keeping the score unchanged. Early in the third, Rochester added to its lead when Stukel struck again, finishing a play set up by Julian Mollersstrandh and Felix Wadstromer to make it 3–1. Wisconsin answered on the power play midway through the period as Colton Holzer pulled the Woodsmen within one off a feed from Brandon Slasor, cutting the deficit to 3–2. The Grizzlies regained control late, however, as Mason Decker extended the lead before Nik Secen put the game away with a late goal assisted by Easton Talbot, sealing the 5–2 final. In net, Lleyton Jaschke stopped 27 shots in the loss for Wisconsin. For Rochester, Cameron Patrick turned away 31 shots to help lift the Grizzlies to their 18th win of the season as they look to build momentum from the road victory.

Willmar 4 @ Granite City 7 - The Granite City Lumberjacks controlled the pace from start to finish as they skated past the Willmar WarHawks in a high-scoring contest. Granite City jumped out early in the first period with three goals, setting the tone and forcing Willmar to chase the game. The WarHawks managed to respond with one of their own, but the Lumberjacks continued to press, outshooting Willmar heavily throughout the night. The second period saw both teams trade goals, with Granite City maintaining a comfortable lead thanks to consistent offensive pressure and strong special teams play. Despite Willmar pushing back with two third-period goals, the Lumberjacks shut the door with another tally of their own to seal the 7–4 win. Granite City finished with a commanding 37–17 edge in shots on goal. Eli Tiernan led the way offensively with a pair of goals while a total of six players from the Jacks were able to register multiple points. 

Helena 7 @ Gillette 1 - The Helena Bighorns put together a dominant performance on the road, overwhelming the Gillette Wild with relentless pressure and offensive depth to complete the weekend sweep. Helena opened the scoring in the first period and never looked back, exploding for three goals in the middle frame to break the game wide open. The Bighorns continued to pour it on in the third, capitalizing on their chances and controlling possession for long stretches. Gillette struggled to stay out of the penalty box, which further tilted the ice in Helena’s favor. By the final horn, the Bighorns had piled up 53 shots on goal and cruised to a convincing 7–1 victory. Depth scoring was on display as six different players found the back of the net for Helena, Chase Berg being the lone player with two goals on the night. 

Sheridan 5 @ Great Falls 6 - The Great Falls Americans looked for the sweep over the Sheridan Hawks, while the Hawks looked to bounce back from Friday night. Colton Bacon would get the scoring started for the Americans half way through the first frame. Just two minutes later, AJ Prioli would tally another for the Americans, extending the lead to 2-0. The Hawks would respond a few minutes later on a goal by Anthony Launderville to cut the lead 2-1. In the second, the Hawks and Americans would trade off goals with two apiece. The Americans would take a 4-3 lead into the final frame. Cooper Clouse found the back of the net twice for the Americans to extend their lead, 6-3. The Hawks would push hard in the final minutes where they would tally two goals in the last three minutes, but it would not prove to be enough. The Hawks fall short, despite outshooting the Americans 50-24. The Americans skate away with a 6-5 win and a weekend sweep. 

Bozeman 4 @ Yellow 3 - The Bozeman Icedogs battled back to earn a hard-fought road win over the Yellowstone Quake in a tightly contested matchup, splitting their weekend series. Yellowstone struck first in the opening period, but Bozeman answered in the second with two goals to swing the momentum. The third period featured end-to-end action, with both teams trading goals as the intensity ramped up. Bozeman’s offensive pressure eventually paid off, as they pulled ahead and held on down the stretch despite a late push from the Quake. The Icedogs finished the night with a significant advantage in shots on goal, helping secure the 4–3 win. Special teams were a key factor, with both sides scoring twice while either on the power play or shorthanded. Bozeman’s Lex Steckelberg led the way offensively, tallying two goals and an assist for his 10th multi-point performance of the season.

Badlands 1 @ Butte 3 - The Badlands Sabres looked to sweep the Butte Irish after a 6-2 win the previous night, while the Irish hoped that luck was on their side to pull out a weekend split. The Irish got the scoring going with just under nine minutes left in the first period on a power play goal by Alexander Wainio. The Irish would add two more power play goals in the span of three minutes, with both being credited to Andrew James, assisted by Easton Langemo. The Irish would take a 3-0 lead into the second. The Sabres would score their lone goal of the contest at 7:36 of the second by Peyton Kostad to cut the Irish lead to two. The third period would see no scoring. The Irish take the weekend split, despite being outshot by the Sabres 53-31, and the 3-1 win.

Atlanta 2 @ Pelham 7 - The Pelham Prowlers and Atlanta Capitals met again as both teams continued their three set, with Pelham looking to build momentum and Atlanta searching for another win on the season. Owen McDougal opened the scoring for the Prowlers just three minutes into the game, but Jaylen Fluhr answered four minutes later to knot things up at one. Pelham regained the lead late in the first on a goal from Bryce Croyle with ten minutes remaining. The Prowlers added to their advantage in the second period, scoring twice to extend the lead to 4–1, including a power-play tally. Fluhr struck again for the Capitals midway through the frame, his second of the night, to cut the deficit to 4–2. The Prowlers went on to have a dominant third period, scoring three more goals to take the 7-2 victory.