Saturday Scores: Bruins, Bulls lock up division titles
Austin Bruins 4 @ Bismarck Bobcats 1 – Nick Lehr made 30 saves as the Austin Bruins completed a weekend road sweep of the Bobcats in Bismarck with a 4-1 win, which also secured the second straight Central Division title for the Bruins. Another fast start helped the Bruins on Saturday as Scott Nelson and Guillaume Leclerc scored back-to-back power play goals for a 2-0 lead. Nathan Flynn cut into the lead for the Bobcats with a goal late in the period to make it 2-1. However, Austin struck twice more in the 2nd period as Jay Dickman would score on the power play and Drew Anderson would add the fourth goal. Josh Bretner would assist on three of Austin’s four goals. Boxscore
Kenai River Brown Bears 3 @ Fairbanks Ice Dogs 7 – The Ice Dogs were dominant over the Brown Bears all season and it showed again on Saturday night as they completed a weekend sweep with a 7-3 win. The loss now means that Kenai River has to hope for a regulation loss by Coulee Region on Sunday in order to make the playoffs. Fairbanks jumped out to a 3-0 lead on two goals from Lonnie Clary and Ethan Somoza. The Brown Bears fought back with two goals from Conor Deal and another from Jacob Davidson, but it wouldn’t be enough as Fairbanks scored four more times on goals from Kyle Lee, Duggie Lagrone, Jacob Hetz and Ross Olsson. Boxscore
Amarillo Bulls 3 @ Odessa Jackalopes 2 – The Bulls captured their third straight South Division title thanks to a 3-2 win in Odessa, which completed a weekend sweep of the Jackalopes. After Jake Kreutzer put the Jacklopes on the board in the 1st period, it was all Bulls in the 2nd period as they took a 2-1 lead on goals from Matt Sieckhaus and Mike Davis. Roman Ammirato added a late 3rd period power play goal to make it 3-1. A late Odessa goal from Lukas Laub cut the lead to 3-2, but the Jackalopes could not find the equalizer. Paul Berrafato made 26 saves in the win, while Yoshihiro Kuroiwa took the loss making 45 saves. Boxscore
Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees 0 @ Corpus Christi IceRays 3 – Forbes Ploszaj stopped all 28 shots that came his way for his 3rd shutout of the season as the IceRays earned a weekend home split with the Killer Bees with a 3-0 win on front of an NAHL season-high 6,553 fans in Corpus Christi. The IceRays drew a record 12,758 fans over the course of the weekend series. After a scoreless 1st period, the IceRays got their first goal and the eventual game-winner from Tony Roisum in the 2nd period. Wes Michaud and Jesse Shelton added 3rd period goals for the eventual 3-0 win. Nick Schmit made 20 saves in the Killer Bees loss. Boxscore
Johnstown Tomahawks 1 @ Janesville Jets 4 – Logan Halladay made 26 saves as the Janesville Jets locked down the #3 seed in the North with a 4-1 win over Johnstown on Saturday, which completed a weekend home sweep. Things looked good for the Tomahawks early in the game as Tanner Barnes scored on the opening shift, but it would be all for Johnstown on the night. Janesville answered back less than two minutes later on a goal from Truman Gonzales and another goal from Jordan Himley. The last two Jets goals came in the 3rd period from Drew Callin and another from Gonzales. Boxscore
Minnesota Wilderness 4 @ Minnesota Magicians 2 – Frank Oplinger made 34 saves as the Wilderness doubled up the Magicians on Saturday, 4-2. It was all Wilderness through the first two periods as Dan Litchke scored in the 1st period and Will Peterson and Darian Romanko added 2nd period tallies. The Magicians tried to some back with two 3rd period goals from Alex Funk and Tony Uglem, but it wasn’t enough as Peterson would add his second goal of the game on an empty-net to make the final score 4-2. Atte Tolvanen made 29 saves in the loss. Boxscore
Topeka RoadRunners 6 @ Wichita Falls Wildcats 2 – Topeka did their best to make a run for the South title this weekend, but just fell short despite a 6-2 win over the Wildcats, which completed a weekend road sweep. Topeka jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the 1st period on goals from Yu Hikosaka, Jasen Fernsler and Jerad Tafoya. Ben Kucera had the lone Wildcats goal of the 1st period. The lead swelled to 5-1 win the 2nd period as Fernsler added his second goal of the game and Zach Glienke also scored. Michal Uhrik added a 3rd period power play goal, while Todd Koritzinsky scored the other goal for Wichita Falls. RoadRunners goalie PJ Bridges made 33 saves in the win. Boxscore
Aberdeen Wings 3 @ Wenatchee Wild 0 – Henry Dill stopped all 31 shots that came his way for his 3rd shutout of the season as the Aberdeen Wings completed a weekend sweep of the Wenatchee Wild with a 3-0 shutout. Zach Doerring scored the first Wings goal in the 1st period, which turned out to be the eventual game-winnner. Jordan Heller added a shorthanded goal late in the 3rd period to make it 2-0 and TJ Roo added an empty-net goals with :20 seconds remaining. Austin Priebe took the loss in goal for the Wild making 15 saves. Boxscore
Minot Minotauros 2 @ Brookings Blizzard 5 – Five unanswered goals propelled the Blizzard to a 5-2 home win over the Minot Minotauros in the final game of the season for Brookings. After the Minotauros jumped out to a 2-0 lead on goals from Austin Killan and Cameron Rowat, it was all Blizzard after that as Jared Goudreau scored twice and Conor Andrle Jack Stang and Russ Jordan also found the back of the net for the Blizzard. 16-year-old Garrett Forrest picked up the win in goal, making 24 saves, while Minot’s Merrick Madsen took the loss making 24 saves. Boxscore
Port Huron Fighting Falcons 4 @ Michigan Warriors 5 (SO) – The Warriors secured the #2 seed in the North by defeating the Fighting Falcons 5-4 win in a shootout as the Warriors came from behind. Port Huron jumped out to a 3-0 lead on two goals from Logan Lambdin and another from Jon Hall. Michigan would respond with back-to-back strikes from TJ Stuntz. Austin Romzek answered back for the Fighting Falcons to make it 4-2, but Michigan would score twice more on goals from Connor Lyons and Colin Horton to send the game to a shoout. Zack Szajner and Tyler Groat had the shootout goals for the Warriors. Boxscore
Springfield Jr. Blues 3 @ Soo Eagles 2 – 25 saves from Tyger Howat helped the Springfield Jr. Blues win their regular season finale against the Eagles as the Jr. Blues finished one point shy of a playoff spot in the North. The Eagles opened the scoring with a goal from Sandis Zolmanis, but it was all Jr. Blues after that as Jack Sloan scored a shorthanded goal to tie the game at 1-1 and then Max Kalter and Brycon Johnson scored to make it 3-1. A late Eagles goal from Ryan Urso would not be enough as the Jr. Blues edged out a win. Paige Skoog made 21 saves in the loss. Boxscore
