Four teams remain undefeated after Day 3
Springfield 3 vs. Corpus Christi 1 – The Springfield Jr. Blues scored all three goals in the 3rd period as they moved to 2-1 at the Showcase with a 3-1 win over the IceRays, who fell to 1-2 at the Showcase. After a scoreless 1st period, Brad LeLievre scored to put the IceRays ahead. The Jr. Blues fought back in the 3rd period as Trevor Stone scored to tie the game at 1-1. Less than two minutes later a power play goal from Anthony Scarsella would end up as the game-winner and Brady Tomlak added a third goal, also on the power play. Tommy Napier played well in the win making 14 saves. IceRays goalie Graham Hunt made 30 saves in the loss. Boxscore
Lone Star 3 vs. MN Wilderness 2 – The Brahmas handed the Wilderness their first loss of the Showcase as they staged off a late rally to win, 3-2. It was all Brahmas in the 1st period as they scored all three of their goals in the opening stanza. Tomas Brejcha opened the scoring, which was followed by goals from Peter Kessel and Alex Berardinelli. The Wilderness tried to claw back with a 2nd period goal from Alex Toscano and a 3rd period goal from Mitch Slattery. However, the Brahmas hung onto win thanks to 20 saves from Corbin Kaczperski. Dylan Lubbesmeyer took the loss making 8 saves and was pulled in favor of Chase Munroe after the 1st period. Boxscore
Brookings 4 vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 2 – The Blizzard improved to 2-1 at the Showcase thanks to a 4-2 win over the Knights. The Blizzard jumped out to an early lead with three 1st period goals. Defenseman TJ Samec made it 1-0 just over two minutes into the game. Steven Kelly answered for Wilkes-Barre, but the Blizzard regained their lead with a power play goal from Connor Hutchins and then made it 3-1 with a power play goal from Garrett Elmore. After a scoreless 2nd period, the Blizzard made it 4-1 early in the 3rd period with a goal from Blake Busch. Paul Maust added a late goal for the Knights. Josh Kuehmichel made 17 saves in the win, while Grant Valentine took the loss making 24 saves. Boxscore
New Jersey 3 vs. Topeka 2 – A strong start propelled the Titans to a close 3-2 win over the RoadRunners as New Jersey moved to 3-0 at the Showcase while Topeka fell to 1-2. The Titans took a 2-0 lead with 1st period goals from Darren Brady and Anthony Cusanelli. Topeka answered in the 2nd period with a goal from Tyler Hayes to make it 2-1. Before the period was out New Jersey scored the eventual game-winner off the stick of Jesse Farabee. Hayes added his second goal of the game midway through the 3rd period to make it 3-2, but the RoadRunners could not find the equalizer thanks to 24 saves from Josh Creelman. Vladimir Cibulka made 12 saves in the loss. Boxscore
Minot 6 vs. Amarillo 3 – Minot got two goals from Jack Murphy and scored three goals in the 2nd period as they doubled up the Bulls, 6-3. Both teams scored power play goals in the 1st period as George Mika scored for Amarillo and James LaDouce answered for Minot. The Bulls regained a one-goal lead early in the 2nd period with a strike from Jacob Nitsche, but Minot scored three goals after that to take a 4-2 lead with goals from Johnny Walker, Austin Martinsen and Murphy. The Bulls brought the lead to within one with an early 3rd period goal from Joey Molinaro, but the Minotauros put the game out of reach with goals from Grayson Gavin and another from Murphy. Lucas Murray made 15 saves in the win, while Jacob Weatherly made 33 saves in the loss. Boxscore
Fairbanks 6 vs. MN Magicians 2 – Fairbanks stayed perfect on the season and perfect at the Showcase with a 6-2 win as they scored three times in both the 2nd and 3rd periods. Cayden Cahill scored twice in the 2nd period and Todd Burgess also scored as the Ice Dogs jumped out to a 3-0 lead midway through the game. Eric Shaw answered for Minnesota’s first goal before the period was out to make the score 3-1. The Magicians made the score 3-2 early in the 3rd period with a goal from Casey Jerry, but the Ice Dogs struck for three more goals from Alex Mehnert, Marc Sullivan and Liam Stirtzinger to put the game away. CJ Boothe made 26 saves in the win, while Andrew Lindgren took the loss with 39 saves. Boxscore
Wichita Falls 8 vs. Kenai River 3 – Adam Goodsir scored twice and Ben Lown had three points as the Wildcats improved to 3-0 at the Showcase with an 8-3 win over the Brown Bears. After an opening goal from Brown Bears forward Cameron Cook, the Wildcats erupted for six straight goals, including two from Goodsir and others from Nikita Litviak, Andre Pison, Garrett VanWyhe and Max Reisinger. Jeffrey Fasegha scored the second Kenai River goal late in the 2nd period, but the Wildcats answered with :01 second remaining in the period on a tally from Lown. In the 3rd period Nick Rosa scored for Wichita Falls, while Charles Spetz scored for Kenai River. Justin Kapelmaster made 20 saves in the win, while Nick Nast took the loss with 18 saves. Boxscore
Austin 4 vs. Aston 2 – Jade Miller continued his impressive Showcase with two more goals as the Bruins came from behind to beat the Rebels, 4-2. Aston put themselves in front late in the 1st period with a goal from Guy Roby. The Bruins answered right back less than a minute later with a strike from Jacob Paganelli. The Rebels took a 2-1 lead into the intermission with a goal from Evgeny Yakovlev. The 2nd period was all Bruins and the main difference in the game as Austin scored three goals, including two from Miller and another from AJ Drobot to post a 4-2 win. Kristofer Carlson played well in the win, making 34 saves. Tim Grounds took the loss with 28 saves. Boxscore
Johnstown 3 vs. Coulee Region 2 – Johnstown stayed perfect at the Showcase with a close 3-2 win over Coulee Region. Casey Linkenheld started the scoring for the Tomahawks with his first goal of the season. That was answered towards the end of the period by the Chill’s Isaac Theisen to make the score 1-1. Johnstown jumped ahead 3-1 with goals early in the 2nd period from Kelly O’Brien and Luke Lynch. Oleg Khalemin answered back before the period was done to make it 3-2, but it would be as close as the Chill could get. Johnstown goalie Camden Burggrabe made 24 saves in the win, while Matiss Kivlenieks made 21 saves in the loss. Boxscore
Odessa 3 vs. Bismarck 2 – Dean Shatzer made 33 saves as the Odessa Jackalopes held off a late Bobcats rally to defeat Bismarck 3-2 and move to 2-1 at the Showcase. Odessa jumped out to a 2-0 lead with a 1st period goal from Eric Carreras and a 2nd period power play goal from Brandon Tucker. Bismarck answered late in the 2nd period to make it 2-1 on a goal from Aaron Herdt. The eventual game-winner came early in the 3rd period off the stick of Brandon Tucker, who scored his second goal of the game. Willie Brown brought the Bobcats to within 3-2 with a power play goal, but Bismarck could not find the equalizer. Bismarck goalie David Fessenden made 24 saves in the loss in his NAHL debut. Boxscore
Aberdeen 1 vs. Janesville 0 – In a classic goaltenders duel, Wings goalie Gavin Paczosa posted his first career NAHL shutout by stopping all 24 shots that came his way in a 1-0 win over the Janesville Jets. Jets goalie Jack LaFontaine was also solid in the game, giving up just a single goal on 27 Aberdeen shots. The one shot to get through came off the stick of Gavin Payne who scored late in the 1st period on a power play with assists to Carter Roo and Tucker DeYoung. Boxscore
