Friday Finals: Walker's big night leads Minot to win in home opener
Derek Brown helped Odessa take their home opener with a 4-2 win against Topeka.
MN Magicians 2 @ Aberdeen 3 (SO) – The Wings took their home opener thanks to a 3-2 shootout win on Friday. The 1st period was even with Tyler Bossert scoring the opening goal for the Wings, which was answered by Rico Ratajczyk for the Magicians. Aberdeen regained their one goal edge in the 2nd period with a goal from Tucker DeYoung, but the Magicians had an answer late in the 3rd period from Travis Brown. Four players scored for the Wings in the shootout, including DeYoung, who netted the winner. Peter Thome picked up the win in goal after coming in at the start of the 2nd period and making 25 saves. Andrew Lindgren took the loss with 32 saves. Boxscore
Topeka 2 @ Odessa 4 – A quick start in the 1st period led the Jacks to a 4-2 win during their home opener over the RoadRunners. Odessa started strong with two goals in the 1st period to ignite the home crowd. Oliver Celec and Eric Carreras delivered on the tallies. Topeka scored their first goal late in the 2nd period on a strike from Yu Hikosaka, but Odessa was quick to answer with the eventual game-winner from Derek Brown. Andrew Hart drew Topeka to within 3-2 in the 3rd period, but a late empty-netter from Hampus Sjodahl secured the win for the Jacks. Gunner Rivers made 25 saves in the win, while Tyler Johnson made 23 saves in the loss. Boxscore
Wichita Falls 7 @ Corpus Christi 1 – The Wildcats stayed in 1st place in the South thanks to a weekend sweep of the IceRays, which included a big 7-1 win on Friday. Aleksi Poikola had a breakout game with four points and Justin Kapelmaster made 34 saves in the win. It was all Wildcats from the start as they scored the first four goals, two of which came from Poikola and others from Andre Pison and Austin Albrecht. Ryan Cusin scored the lone IceRays goal, which came early in the 3rd period, but the Wildcats would answer with three more goals from Ben Lown, Jake Dalton and Nikita Litviak. Boxscore
Amarillo 2 @ Lone Star 7 – The Brahmas ran over the Bulls thanks to seven goals on Friday night. Martin Mellberg scored twice for the Brahmas. Lone Star got off to a fast start with a 3-1 lead through two periods on goals from Joseph Fallon, Peter Bates and Peter Kessel. Keenan Sabatini had the goal in the 1st period for the Bulls. Amarillo drew to within 3-2 early in the 3rd period on a goal from Johan Lundgren, but it was all Brahmas after that as Mellberg scored twice and other goals came from Cody Wickline and Alex Berardinelli. Conor O’Brien made 21 saves in the win. Boxscore
Brookings 1 @ Minot 6 – Johnny Walker had a hat-trick and an assist for a four point night as the Minotauros won their home opener in grand fashion with a 6-1 win over the Blizzard. Brookings struck first early in the 1st period with their lone goal from Nick Cardelli. It was all Tauros after that as Chase Springman, Tyler Jeanson and Walker answered later in the 1st period to make it 3-1. After a scoreless 2nd period, Walker added two more goals in the 3rd period and Owen Larson also scored to make the final, 6-1. Lucas Murray had to make just 13 saves in the win. Boxscore
Kenai River 2 @ Fairbanks 5 – Cayden Cahill scored twice to lead the Ice Dogs to a 5-2 win in front of a sold out crowd during Fairbanks’ home opener. The Ice Dogs jumped out to a 1-0 lead with a 1st period goal from Marc Sullivan. Liam Stirtzinger scored early in the 2nd period to make it 2-0, but the Brown Bears found the back of the net on a goal from Jeffrey Fasegha to make it 2-1 after two periods. In the 3rd period, Cahill scored twice and Logan Coomes added a goal to secure the win for Fairbanks. Cameron Cook had the other goal for Kenai River. Gavin Nieto made 21 saves in the win. Boxscore
Springfield 2 @ Janesville 1 – In a battle of two goalies on the NHL Central Scouting Watch list, neither disappointed as Springfield’s Tommy Nappier made 29 saves to best Janesville’s Jack LaFontaine, who made 21 saves as Springfield took a close 2-1 win, which was their third straight. The Jr. Blues opened the scoring in the 1st period with a goal from Trevor Stone. The lead increased to 2-0 with a 2nd period power play goal from Joe Immormino. The Jets finally got to Nappier late in the 3rd period with a goal from Roberts Smits, but could not find the equalizer. Boxscore
MN Wilderness 4 @ Austin 1 – In a Robertson Cup rematch, Wilderness goalie Chase Munroe made 29 saves as Minnesota left Austin with a 4-1 win on Friday night. The Wilderness led 2-0 after two periods thanks to a 1st period goal from Koby Bender and a 2nd period goal from Alex Toscano. Evan Cholak scored for Austin in the 3rd period to make it 2-1, but the Wilderness would answer with two more goals from Tyler Cline and Michael Mahan to put the game out of reach. Kris Carlson took the loss in goal for the Bruins, making 22 saves. Boxscore
New Jersey 2 @ Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 1 – Spencer Wright made 28 saves as the Titans stayed hot and in 1st place with a close 2-1 win over the Knights on Friday. It was the Knights who struck first in the 1st period with a power play goal from Aiden Beck. New Jersey would knot the game at 1-1 in the 2nd period with a power play goal of their own from Jesse Farabee. The game-winner would come midway through the 3rd period as Adam Hascic scored unassisted. Knights goalie Andrey Svistunov played well in the loss, making 35 saves. Boxscore
Johnstown 3 @ Aston 5 – Five different players scored as the Rebels continued their recent hot streak with a 5-3 home win over the visiting Tomahawks. Scoring came early and often in the 1st period as the Rebels struck for three goals from Drew Blackman, Andrew Zerban and Gvido Jansons. The Rebels got additional goals from Victor Bergstrom in the 2nd period and Dean Balsamo in the 3rd period. The Tomahawks scored once in each period as Alex Alger, Brendan Jaquay and Zak Galambos lit the lamp for the Tomahawks. Darion Hanson picked up the win in goal for the Rebels, making 22 saves. Boxscore
