Saturday Scores: Wilderness punch playoff ticket
MN Magicians 1 @ Austin 3 – In front of another sold out crowd on Pink in the Rink night, the Austin Bruins completed a weekend home-and-home sweep of the Magicians with a 3-1 win and moved into sole possession of 1st place in the Central Division. The Magicians took advantage early with a goal from Denis Shevyrin less than four minutes into the game. The Bruins were able to answer back two minutes later with a goal from Tony Uglem. In the 2nd period a goal from Trevor Boyd would end up as the game-winner. Boyd added another goal late in he 3rd period to secure the two-goal win. Jake Kielly made 13 saves in the win, while Vaughan Ahrens made 20 saves in the loss. Boxscore
Minot 1 @ MN Wilderness 3 – The Minnesota Wilderness became the first NAHL team to clinch a playoff spot thanks to their stifling defense in a 3-1 home win over Minot, which completed a weekend sweep of the Minotauros. Minot managed to get off only nine shots on goal during the game. The Wilderness took a 1-0 lead in the 1st period with a goal from Aaron Miller. Tyler Cline scored what would be the eventual game-winner in the 2nd period to make it 2-0. Mitch Snyder cut the lead to 2-1 with Minot’s lone goal of the night, but a late goal from Ian Mansfield secured the win for the Wilderness. Ryan Anderson made eight saves in the win. Boxscore
Janesville 5 @ Coulee Region 3 – The Janesville Jets erased a 3-0 deficit and scored five unanswered goals on their way to a 5-3 road win in Coulee Region, which concluded a weekend home-and-home sweep for the Jets. Things were looking good early on for the Chill as Dominik Florian scored in the 1st period and Brady Ferner and Dawson DiPietro scored in the 2nd period to put the Chill ahead 3-0. The Jets started their comeback with a late 2nd period goal from Ian Janco. The Jets then scored four times in the 3rd period including two goals from Mitch Fossier and others from Kevin Dineen and Adam Winborg. Boxscore
Kenai River 1 @ Fairbanks 3 – Kevin Aldridge made 17 saves to help the Fairbanks Ice Dogs to a 3-1 win, which completed a weekend sweep of the Brown Bears as Kenai River has now lost five in a row. The over 2,000 fans who were brave enough to come to the game despite the near -40 degree temps outside saw the Ice Dogs score first thanks to a 1st period goal from Robin Karlsson. After a scoreless 2nd period, Lonnie Clary and Jakob Stridsberg scored in the 3rd period to make it 3-0. With only :44 seconds remaining in the game, a shorthanded goal from Kenai’s Adam Kresl spoiled the shutout bid of Aldridge. Alec Derks made 27 saves in the loss. Boxscore
Bismarck 5 @ Aberdeen 2 – The Bobcats jumped out to an early lead and got two goals from Jared Pike in a 5-2 win against the Wings in front of over 1,400 fans in Aberdeen. Pike did not waste time giving the Bobcats a lead they would never lose as just :17 seconds into the game, he scored to put Bismarck ahead 1-0. Goals from Matt Perry and Cullen Willox later in the 2nd period increased the lead to 3-0 before Aberdeen answered with their first goal from Brendan Riordan. Before the period was out, Pike added his second of the game. The Wings cut the lead to 4-2 with a goal in the 3rd period from Ryan Cook, but a late empty-net goal from Harrison Aide secured the win. Alex Bitsakis made 31 saves in the win. Boxscore
Lone Star 5 @ Corpus Christi 3 – Roman Uchyn and Oskar Andren each scored twice and Sebastian Vidmar had three assists as the Lone Star Brahmas took three of four points in their weekend series against the IceRays with a 5-3 win in front of almost 7,000 fans in Corpus Christi. Uchyn and Andren each scored in the 1st period to put the Brahmas ahead 2-1. Frankie Melton had the lone goal for the IceRays in the opening stanza. Uchyn and Andren would again strike in the 2nd period along with a goal from Ludvig Larsson to make it 5-2 after two periods. Nic Laburn had the lone IceRays goals in the middle frame. Matt Colford scored early in the 3rd period to make the score 5-3, but it would be as close as the IceRays would get as they dropped their first home game since October. Boxscore
Johnstown 4 @ Michigan 5 (OT) – Cody Kuster scored midway through overtime to give the Warriors a 5-4 overtime win and snap a three-game slide. Michigan led 2-0 in the 1st period with goals from Garrison Sanipass and Kuster. The Tomahawks responded with three straight goals to take a 3-2 lead early in the 2nd period on tallies from Andrew Romano, Trevor Recktenwald and Casey Linkenheld. Things would get knotted up at 4-4 late in the 3rd period as Alex Berardinelli and Derek Frentz scored for the Warriors and Dalton Hunter scored for the Tomahawks. Boxscore
Topeka 4 @ Springfield 1 – A night after being shutout, the Topeka offense erupted for 45 shots and four goals to defeat the Jr. Blues 4-1 and earn a weekend split of the series. Things were even after one period as Jasen Fernsler scored for Topeka and Joey Lupo scored for the Jr. Blues. Both players are coincidentally NAPHL alumni. Topeka took the lead for good in the 2nd period with a goal from Carlos Fornaris. Two more goals in the 3rd period from Daniel Rzavsky and Shawn Brennan secured the win for the RoadRunners. Drew Vogler made 26 saves in the win, while Dryden McKay made 41 saves in the loss. Boxscore
Soo 2 @ Keystone 1 (postponed) – With 12:42 remaining in the 3rd period, a pane of glass on the playing surface shattered and was unable to be repaired. The game will be concluded on a later date.
