Saturday Scores: Magicians clinch final Midwest playoff spot
MN Magicians 5 @ Aberdeen 2 – Thanks to another stellar outing from goalie Vaughan Ahrens, who made 36 saves, the Minnesota Magicians clinched the 4th and final playoff spot in the Midwest Division with a 5-2 win in Aberdeen on Saturday, which completed a weekend sweep. Aberdeen took a 1-0 lead on a goal from Jackson Graalum, but that was answered by four straight from the Magicians including goals from Austin Rueschhoff, Nathan Krusko, Austin Jackson and Nikita Milekhin. Drew Doyon scored the other goal for the Wings to make it 4-2, but an empty-netter from Brady Heppner secured the win and sweep for Minnesota. Boxscore
Topeka 1 @ Amarillo 3 – Anton Martinsson was stellar again in goal as he made 32 saves to help the Bulls pick up a big weekend sweep of the visiting RoadRunners with a 3-1 win. The game was scoreless until the 3rd period when Amarillo opened up a 2-0 lead thanks to goals from Joey DiBenedetto and Will Harrison. Topeka answered with a power play tally from Jasen Fernsler, but a late goal from Riley Christensen secured the win and sweep for the Bulls. Charlie Combs had two assists in the win. Drew Vogler made 26 saves in the loss. Boxscore
Corpus Christi 2 @ Lone Star 3 – There is a new leader in the South Division and it is the Lone Star Brahmas thanks to their 3-2 win over the IceRays on Saturday, which completed a weekend sweep. Lone Star jumped out to a 3-0 lead and survived a late score from the IceRays. The Brahmas led 2-0 after one period with goals from Ludvig Larsson and Alexey Solovyev. A power play goal from Sebastian Vidmar put the Brahmas ahead 3-0 in the 2nd period. The IceRays made it a game in the 3rd period with goals from Taylor Karel and Frankie Melton, but could not find the equalizer. Jake Kupsky made 16 saves in the win. Boxscore
Rio Grande Valley 3 @ Odessa 4 (SO) – Hampus Sjodahl completed his great weekend by scoring two more goals and Eric Carreras added three assists as the Odessa Jackalopes picked up a weekend home sweep over the visiting Killer Bees. Sjodahl got the Jacks on the board first in the opening period, but Rio Grande Valley answered with three straight goals from Dean Balsamo, Elliot Lorraine and Dallas Gerads to take a 3-1 lead. Odessa stormed back with two goals in the 2nd period including Sjodahl’s second of the game and another from Daniel Kiraly. Andreas Soje scored the lone goal in the shootout. Boxscore
Kenai River 2 @ Bismarck 5 – Five different players scored for the Bobcats on their way to a 5-2 win and weekend home sweep of the Brown Bears, who were eliminated from playoff contention with the loss. After Jared Turcotte scored in the 1st period to put Bismarck ahead, Kenai River answered back with two goals from Zack Zulkanycz and Matt Rudin to take a 2-1 lead. It was all Bobcats after that as a goal from Willie Brown later in the 2nd period evened things at 2-2. Bismarck then scored three goals in the 3rd period from Jared Pike, Matt Perry and Jared Spooner to secure the win. Hunter Shepard made 16 saves in the win. Boxscore
Wenatchee 1 @ Wichita Falls 4 – Kevin Charyszyn and Tommy Apap had multi-point nights to help the Wildcats to a 4-1 win and a weekend home sweep of the Wild. Just 1:04 into the game, the Wild scored their only goal from Jake Ahlgren to take a 1-0 lead, but it was all Wichita Falls after that. Charyszyn got things started for the Wildcats in the 2nd period with a power play goal to tie things at 1-1 and Nick Farmer added another in the period to make it 2-1. In the 3rd period two more goals from Austin Albrecht and Austin Azzinnaro capped off the win for Wichita Falls. David Zevnik earned the win making 13 saves. Boxscore
Austin 2 @ Brookings 3 – The Blizzard got 19 saves from Ryan Kubic to help their playoff chances in a 3-2 home win over the Bruins. It was Austin who jumped out to a 2-0 lead on goals from Josh Wilkins in the 1st period and Luke Forfar in the 2nd period. Brookings stormed back with a 2nd period goal from Connor Hutchins and two goals in the 3rd period from Beau Michaud and the game-winner from Nate Colwell, which came with only 1:55 remaining in regulation. Boxscore
Coulee Region 1 @ MN Wilderness 5 – The Wilderness kept rolling and kept pace atop the Midwest Division with a 5-1 home win over the Chill in their lone game of the weekend. Newly signed Minnesota recruit Darian Romanko got the scoring started in the 1st period for the Wilderness, but that was answered with a 2nd period goal from Coulee Region’s Adam Lovick. Dan Litchke scored late in the 2nd period to gain the Wilderness lead back. Aaron Miller then took over the 3rd period, scoring three straight goals for a hat-trick and a 5-1 win. Brock Kautz made 20 saves in the win. Boxscore
Soo 4 @ Janesville 3 (SO) – The Jets run at NAHL history hit a small speed bump as the visiting Eagles picked up a 4-3 shootout win to snap Janesville’s 17-game winning streak. Things looked good for the Jets until late in the game as they got a 1st period goal from Dan Kucerovy, a 2nd period goal from Zach LaValle and a 3rd period goal from Cullen Munson. However, Soo would respond each time with goals from Matt Menta, Denver Pierce and the game-tying goal with less than a minute left in regulation from Leo Lumm. Darren Brady and Keegan Miller had the game-deciding shootout goals. Boxscore
Fairbanks 3 @ Minot 2 – Fairbanks jumped out to a 2-0 lead and hung on in the 3rd period for a 3-2 win and weekend road split in Minot. The Ice Dogs got off to the start they wanted with two, 1st period goals from Ethan Somoza and Mitchell Baumann. After a scoreless 2nd period, Minot would close the gap to 2-1 with a 3rd period goal from Jake Howie. That was answered with the eventual game-winner from Chandler Madry on the power play. Christian Mohs scored late for the Minotauros to make it a 3-2 game, but Minot could not find the equalizer in the final minutes. Kevin Aldridge made 26 saves in the win. Boxscore
Keystone 4 @ Michigan 5 – Peter Bates scored twice as the Michigan Warriors continued to improve their playoff chances with their second win of the weekend over the visiting Ice Miners. Keystone led 3-1 after one period with goals from Michael Maiden, Matt Jones and AJ Coleman. Cody Kuster had the lone goal for Michigan in the frame. The Warriors responded with two straight goals to tie the game at 3-3 with goals from Bates and Mitch Wedding. After Keystone had taken back the lead at 4-3 on a goal from Vito Aluia, the Warriors answered back with a goal from Dalton Skelly and Bates, who scored the game-winner with under a minute to go. Boxscore
Springfield 3 @ Johnstown 2 (SO) – It took an epic 32-man, 16-round shootout, but the visiting Jr. Blues finally triumphed over the Tomahawks 3-2 to improve their playoff chances. The two teams traded goals in the 1st and 3rd periods with Alex Alger scoring both goals for Johnstown, while Springfield got goals from Josh Lammon and Brian Rigali. Rigali’s goal came with just seconds remaining in regulation as Springfield had an extra attacker on the ice. After almost all the players on each bench had gone in the shootout, the winner finally came off the stick of Cameron Cooper. Dyden McKay made 32 saves in the win and stopped 12 of 16 shooters in the shootout. Boxscore
