Friday Finals: Jets clinch North title with another shutout
Janesville 2 @ Springfield 0 – Matt Jurusik continue his hot play in goal as the 17-year-old continues to amaze as the Jets clinched the North Division regular season title thanks to a 2-0 shutout in Springfield. It was Jurusik’s fourth straight appearance without allowing a goal, a stretch that includes over 250 minutes of game time. It was Janesville’s 13th straight win. Goals in the game didn’t come until the 3rd period as Zach Yoder and Nils Rygaard lit the lamp for the Jets. Jurusik stopped all 29 shots that came his way for his league-leading 25th win of the season. Dryden McKay made 37 saves in the loss. Boxscore
Minot 3 @ Aberdeen 4 – Kyle Haak had a hat-trick to lead the Aberdeen Wings to a 4-3 win over the visiting Minotauros. It was Minot who got on the board first midway through the 1st period on a goal from Christian Mohs. Aberdeen responded with goals from Eric Moser and Haak to take a 2-1 lead to the lockerroom. In the 2nd period, Jake Howie briefly tied the game at 2-2, until Haak scored twice in less than three minutes to give the Wings a 4-2 edge. A goal in the 3rd period from Minot’s Nick Monfils would not be enough as Andrew Shortridge held the fort the rest of the way, making 32 saves. Boxscore
Topeka 2 @ Lone Star 1 – Drew Vogler made 30 saves as division-leading Topeka widened their lead in the South Division with a big 2-1 road win in Texas against the Brahmas in front of over 2,000 fans. It was the Brahmas who got on the board first as a goal midway through the 1st period from Oskar Andren made it 1-0. The RoadRunners responded with two goals from Tyler Irvine, which would end up being enough for the win. Irvine scored late in the 1st period and early in the 2nd period on the power play, which would stand as the game-winner. Ryan Polin assisted on both goals. Boxscore
Bismarck 3 @ Brookings 4 - The Blizzard come from behind with two, 3rd period goals to defeat the visiting Bobcats 4-3 and stay in the hunt for the playoff spot in the Central Division. Bismarck started strong with two 1st period goals from Cullen Willox and Matt Perry. Ben Campbell had a power play goals in the 1st period for the Blizzard and Viktor Lindell scored one in the 2nd period for Brookings to knot the score at 2-2. Midway through the 3rd period, Jared Pike scored to give the Bobcats a 3-2 lead, but goals from Oscar Odd and a late tally from Joe Anderson would give Brookings the win. Boxscore
Keystone 5 @ Fairbanks 2 – Alex Blankenburg made 28 saves and Austin Romzek had a hat-trick as the Ice Miners picked up a big 5-2 road win in Fairbanks on Friday to snap the Ice Dogs winning streak. After a scoreless 1st period, Keystone went ahead 3-1 in the 2nd period on two goals from Romzek and another from Jon Hall. Romzek added his hat-trick early in the 3rd period to make it 4-1 and Noah Batis scored late to make it 5-1. Lonnie Clary had a power play goal for Fairbanks in the 2nd period and Josef Ingman scored a late 3rd period goal. Boxscore
Johnstown 3 @ Kenai River 1 – Ryan Bednard made 41 saves and the Tomahawks scored three goals in the 2nd period to hand the Brown Bears their 8th straight loss with a 3-1 win in Kenai River on Friday. After a scoreless 1st period, Johnstown erupted for three goals in the second half of the 2nd period as Zac Robbins, Tanner Barnes and Alex Alger all scored in a nine-minute span to put the Tomahawks ahead 3-0. Kenai River got their lone goal early in the 3rd period from Alex Jackstadt, but that would be all Bednard and the Tomahawks would allow. Boxscore
Austin 4 @ MN Wilderness 3 (SO) – The Austin Bruins won the battle of 1st place teams as they captured a 4-3 shootout win in Cloquet against the Wilderness. The Bruins led 3-1 at one point early in the 2nd period on two, 1st period goals from Brian Bachnak and Cory Dunn and an early 2nd period goal from Josh Wilkins. The Wilderness got a 1st period goal from Dan Litchke and then started their comeback with a 2nd period goal from Aaron Miller and a 3rd period tally from Isak Berland. The Bruins then scored three times in the shootout to pick up the extra point. Boxscore
Wenatchee 4 @ Odessa 2 – The Wild strengthened their playoff position thanks to a three-goal 2nd period in a 4-2 win in Odessa. The Wild took a 1-0 lead in the 1st period on a late goal from Dakota Raabe. Three more goals in the 2nd period put the game away for Wenatchee as Raabe added his second goal of the game and Chris Jones and Mike Coyne also scored for the Wild. Derek Brown scored twice in the 3rd period for the Jackalopes, but it would be as close as they would get as the Wild picked up the 4-2 win. Zach Quinn made 29 saves in the win, while Tanner Creel made 31 saves in the loss. Boxscore
Wichita Falls 3 @ Amarillo 7 – The Bulls scored five times in the 2nd period to erase two Wildcats leads to stay alive in the South playoff hunt with a 7-3 win at home. Wichita Falls led 2-0 early on goals from Austin Beaulieu and Austin Azzinnaro. Amarillo responded with two goals from Riley Christensen and Will Harrison to tie the game at 2-2. After Nikita Litviak scored to make it 3-2 for the Wildcats, it was all Bulls after that as they scored five straight goals to win going away, 7-3. Charlie Combs scored twice and finished with a four-point night. Other Amarillo goals came from Joe Leonidas, Joey DiBenedetto and Luke Novak. Boxscore
Rio Grande Valley 4 @ Corpus Christi 1 – Ben Johansson made 31 saves to help the Killer Bees strengthen their playoff position with a 4-1 win in Corpus Christi on Friday night. Two goals in the 1st period from Daniel Nilsson and Logan Wendling put the Killer Bees ahead 2-0. A 2nd period goal from Stathis Soumelidis increased the Rio Grande Valley lead to 3-0. Corpus Christi finally got on the board in the 3rd period with their lone goal from Mason Kreuger, but Anthony Croston added a late, empty-net goal to secure the win for the Killer Bees. Boxscore
MN Magicians 3 @ Coulee Region 4 (SO) – Adam Lovick scored twice and then added the shootout winner as the Chill edged the Magicians in a shootout, 4-3. It wasn’t all bad for the Magicians, as they picked up a point in the shootout loss and now enjoy a five-point lead for the 4th and final playoff spot. After an early goal from Minnesota’s Kris McKinzie, Coulee Region scored three straight goals including two from Lovick and one from Charlie Parker to take a 3-1 lead. The Magicians came back with two goals late in the 2nd period to tie the game at 3-3 on goals from Connor Bucsis and Sam Becker. Lovick scored the only goal in the shootout as Adam Carlson made 35 saves in the win and Vaughan Ahrens made 38 saves in the loss. Boxscore
Michigan 1 @ Soo 4 - The Eagles snapped Michigan’s winning streak thanks to 28 saves from Chad Catt in a 4-1 home win over the Warriors. Soo jumped ahead 2-0 in the 1st period on goals from Keegan Miller and Brad Pung. Michigan responded with their lone goal in the 2nd period from Alex Berardinelli. The Eagles would respond with two more goal before the period was over from Jake Hamilton and Patrick Koch. Sandis Zolmanis, Mitch Vanderburg and Matt Menta all picked up two assists in the win. Boxscore
