Bulls, Tomahawks extend division leads on Sunday with wins

December 30, 2018

Topeka 4 @ Amarillo 6 - The Amarillo Bulls extended their win streak to eight games and unbeaten string to 16 on Sunday night at the Budweiser Bull Pen in the Amarillo Civic Center as Gabriel Seger scored twice to pace the Bulls past the Topeka Pilots 6-4 in both team’s first game since the Christmas Break. Other marksmen for the Bulls were Jordan Venegoni, Logan Jenuwine, Alex Peterson and Cooper Fensterstock. Peterson also added three assists and Jason Grande notched his 12th win of the season. It was a slow start to the game for the Bulls as they surrendered the first goal after a turnover inside the blue line. Hugh Quinn riffled a shot past Grande just 2:59 into the contest. After that, the Bulls got rolling and settled in to fire 20 first period shots on goal and scored three times. Jordan Venegoni tipped home a pick at the side of the net from Nick Anderson and Ryan Lautenbach. A short time later, Gabriel Seger nudged the puck through the legs of goaltender Emil Gransoe with help from Lautenbach and Venegoni. Just before the period ended, Alex Peterson fired a shot over the shoulder of the goaltender and into the net. Logan Jenuwine and Jason Brancheau earned helpers on the play. The two teams traded four goals in the second period with the power play being the catalyst in three of them. Segar notched his second of the game just 61 seconds into the stanza on a great shot. Alex Peterson picked up the lone assist. The Pilots closed the gap to a pair of goals as Hugh Quinn picked up his second of the game on the power play. Logan Jenuwine got into the scoring act as his high shot found the top corner with help from Jake Willets and Alex Peterson. Topeka added the third and final power play goal of the period when Cole Thiessen scored. The Bulls outshot the visitors 13-10 in the stanza. Topeka came out and pushed the pace in the third period but it was the home side that would answer with a goal. Cooper Fensterstock scored from Brancheau and Peterson.  The visitors added a final tally as Max Finner scored on a deflection. Grande made 26 saves in the win, while Emil Gransoe made 34 saves in the loss. Boxscore

 

Northeast 3 @ Johnstown 5 - Despite a furious comeback by the Northeast Generals, the Johnstown Tomahawks battled back for a 5-3 win Sunday night at 1st Summit Arena in Johnstown. Johnstown tallied the game's first goal midway through the first period when Chris Trouba chipped home a Roman Kraemer pass behind Generals goalie David Fessenden. Trouba's second of the season was also assisted by Sam Solensky. Later in the first period, Solensky got in on the goal scoring with his 18th marker of the campaign. Oliver Benwell and Kraemer assisted on the goal. The 2nd period started with a bang for the Tomahawks as 20 seconds into the frame, Bennett Stockdale fired a power play goal past Fessenden for a 3-0 Johnstown advantage. At the 12:28 mark of the period, the Generals found the scoreboard as Michael Higgins slap a shot through the five-hole of Tomahawks goaltender Carter McPhail to cut the Johnstown lead to 3-1. The Generals would storm back into this game with consecutive goals from Svet Kuchynski and Ryan Rowland, tying the game at 3-3. But the Tomahawks persisted and broke through with a late power play goal from Cameron Hebert to take back the lead 4-3. Solensky scored his second of the contest at 19:56 with an empty-net goal to bring the final at 5-3. Carter McPhail picked up the win in goal for Johnstown, making 32 saves, while David Fessenden took the loss for the Generals with 31 saves. Boxscore