Friday Finals: Topeka clinches first playoff spot in South
Topeka 3 @ Wenatchee 2 – Two goals from Mike Gornall and 37 saves from Drew Vogler gave Topeka their second straight one-goal win in Wenatchee this weekend with a 3-2 victory on Friday night in front of over 3,800 fans in Wenatchee. Gornall scored the first two goals in the 1st and 2nd periods to put Topeka ahead 2-0. The Wild cut the lead to 2-1 on a goal from August Von Ungern-Sternberg. Luka Maver scored for Topeka early in the 3rd period in what would be the eventual game-winning goal. David Powlowski added the other goal for the Wild. With the win, the RoadRunners clinched the first playoff spot in the South Division. Boxscore
Fairbanks 4 @ Kenai River 3 – Hans Gorowsky’s goal with :38 seconds to go in regulation was the difference as Fairbanks beat the Brown Bears in Kenai River on Friday night. 4-3. After a scoreless 1st period, each team scored twice in the 2nd period with Alex Jackstadt and Maurin Bouvet scoring for Kenai River and Yannick Vedel and Jesper Ohrvall scoring for the Ice Dogs. Ryner Gorowsky put Fairbanks ahead early in the 3rd period, which was answered by a goal from Jeff Solow for Kenai River to tie things at 3-3. Patrick Munson made 24 saves in the win, while Alec Derks made 37 saves in the loss. Boxscore
Aberdeen 3 @ Bismarck 2 – Andrew Shortridge made 38 saves as the Wings picked up a big 3-2 road win in Bismarck in front of a big crowd. Both teams scored a goal in the 1st and 2nd periods as the Bobcats jumped out to leads only to see answer right back. Cullen Willox put the Bobcats ahead early in the 1st period, which was answered by a goal from Victor Ostling. Willox scored again in the 2nd period, only to see it answered again, this time by Tucker DeYoung. The game-winner came off the stick of Bjorn Sigurdarson midway through the 3rd period. Boxscore
Austin 1 @ Brookings 4 – Brookings goalie Ryan Kubic made 36 saves as the Blizzard upset the 1st place Bruins on Friday in Brookings, 4-1. The Blizzard were bolstered by a strong start, scoring three, 1st period goals from TJ Samec, Connor Spetz and Garrett Elmore. That chased starting Austin goalie Evan Smith from the net. In the 2nd period, Alex Jasiek scored the lone Bruins goal midway through the period, but that was answered late in the period by Spetz’s second goal of the game to make the final 4-1. Smith took the loss, making 4 saves. Jake Kielly made 17 saves in a relief appearance. Boxscore
Lone Star 2 @ Rio Grande Valley 3 (SO) – For the second straight game, the Killer Bees beat the Brahmas in a shootout, 3-2. On Friday night, it was the Killer Bees who jumped out to a 2-0 lead thanks to 1st period power play goals from Dallas Gerads and Cam Bleck. The Brahmas would respond with two goals from Oskar Andren in the 1st period and Ludvig Larsson in the 2nd period to tie things up at 2-2. In the shootout, Bleck, Parker Wood and Anthony Croston scored for the Killer Bees to pick up the extra point. Ben Johansson picked up the win, making 13 saves, while Jake Kupsky made 26 saves in the shootout loss. Boxscore
Soo 5 @ Johnstown 2 – Three, 3rd period goals were the difference as the Eagles picked up a key road win in Johnstown on Friday night by a score of 5-2. Five different players scored for the Eagles, which included 1st period strikes from Mitch Vanderburg and Chase Matson. Johnstown tied the game at 2-2 with 2nd period goals from Casey Lickenheld and Nick Le Sage, but the Eagles would respond with three goals in the 3rd period from Raymond Brice, Michael Caruso and Will Gauthier. Chad Catt made 17 save in his season debut for the Eagles, while Ryan Bednard made 30 saves in the loss. Boxscore
Springfield 1 @ Michigan 2 – Ryan Wischow made 42 saves to lead the Michigan Warriors to their third straight win in a 2-1 victory over Springfield. Scoring was hard to come by in the game, but Michigan struck first just 1:13 in the 1st period as Peter Bates scored his second goal in as many games to put the Warriors ahead 1-0. Springfield responded with their lone goal of the game in the 2nd period from Matt Long. Midway through the 3rd period, Tyler Groat scored the game winner. Dryden McKay made 37 saves in the loss. Boxscore
Janesville 1 @ Keystone 0 – In the battle of the top two teams in the North, the Jets scored an early 3rd period goal to keep their winning streak alive as they won their 11th straight game in a 1-0 shutout at Keystone. The Ice Miners poured 45 shots on goal, but goalie Matt Jurusik stopped all 45 for his 3rd shutout of the season. Alex Blankenburg made 24 saves in the Keystone loss. The lone goal came from Nils Rygaard with assists to Adam Winborg and Mitch Fossier. Boxscore
Corpus Christi 5 @ Amarillo 3 – The IceRays erased an early deficit and scored five goals in the final two periods to defeat the Bulls in Amarillo, 5-3. The Bulls took an early 2-0 lead in the 1st period on goals from Cody Gylling and Joe Leonidas. The IceRays came back in the 2nd and 3rd period to score the next four goals as Nic LaBurn found the back of the net twice and Keenan Spillum and Wes Michaud also scoring goals. Cody Gylling scored shorthanded to draw the Bulls to within 4-3, but the IceRays secured the win with Wes Michaud’s second goal of the game. Boxscore
Odessa 4 @ Wichita Falls 5 – A late 3rd period goal from Nikita Litviak was the difference as the Wildcats picked up a 5-4 home win over Odessa. The Wildcats jumped out to leads of 2-0 and 3-1 with two goals from Evan Okeley and another from Matt Koch. The Jacks responded with three goals in the 2nd period from Matt Beranek, Andrew McLean and Derek Brown. Colin Staub gave the Wildcats the lead back midway through the 3rd period, which was trumped by Brown’s second goal of the game to tie things at 4-4. Just :34 seconds after Brown’s goal, Litviak struck for the game-winner. Boxscore
