Saturday Scores: Pilots round out playoff field in South
Adam Stacho had two goals on Saturday to help the Bismarck Bobcats extend their point streak to seven straight games.
Springfield 1 @ Topeka 2 – Guy Blessing made 15 saves to lead the Topeka Pilots to a 2-1 win on Saturday night and help the Pilots clinch the final playoff spot in the South Division. The Pilots took a 1-0 lead with a 1st period goal from Dominci Sandoval. The Jr. Blues responded with a 2nd period goal from Joanthan Panisa to make it 1-1. With just over two minutes in regulation, the Pilots got the game-winner off the stick of Austin McCarthy, which was his 14th goal of the season. Jr. Blues goalie Ryan Wilson made 23 saves in the loss.
Bismarck 3 @ Austin 2 – The Bobcats completed a weekend road sweep of the Bruins and we led by two goals from Adam Stacho in a 3-2 win on Saturday. All of the Bobcats scoring came in the 1st period as they opened up a 3-0 lead with three goals in a six-minute span, which included a goal from Sam Martel and two from Stacho. The Bruins tried to mount a comeback with two goals in the 2nd period from Kyle Oleksiuk and Hugh Quinn, but 29 saves from Bobcats goalie Ryan Ullan kept the Bruins at bay and secured the win and sweep for the Bobcats. Brett Miller took the loss, making just six saves.
Aberdeen 4 @ MN Wilderness 1 – The Wings won their fourth straight game and maintained their seven-point lead atop the Central Division thanks to a 4-1 win on Saturday, completing a weekend road sweep against the Wilderness. Cooper Haar scored twice in the win and Jake Sibell made 27 saves for the Wings. The Wilderness held the early edge with a goal late in the 1st period from Garrett Worth. It was all Wings after that as Haar scored both his goals in the 2nd period to put Aberdeen ahead 2-1. Huston Karpman and Anthony DiPaolo added goals in the 3rd period to make it a 4-1 final. Wilderness goalie Isak Johansson made 21 saves in the loss.
Fairbanks 4 @ MN Magicians 3 (OT) - Parker Brown scored with just three seconds remaining in overtime as the Fairbanks Ice Dogs won their 14th straight game as they outlasted the Minnesota Magicians 4-3. Fairbanks never led in the contest as they overcame deficits of 2-0 and 3-2. Adam Eisele and Matt Kother scored just two minutes apart to match the goals scored by Josh Bohlin and T.J. Sagissor. Joey Foss gave the Magicians the lead again in the second but Tyler Deweese’s shorthanded goal in the third tied the game and set up the overtime winner. Jack Caruso won his his NAHL debut by stopping 22 of 25 shots. Dysen Skinner was stick with the loss as he stopped 28 shots.
Minot 5 @ St. Cloud 0 - Cole O’Connell netted two goals while Wilhelm Wassberg added a goal and two assists as the Minot Minotauros took care of the St. Cloud Blizzard 5-0. Jay Buchholz and Dan Russell also found the back of the net for Minot. AJ Ruskowski picked up his first shutout in the North American Hockey League by stopping all 12 shots fired in his direction. Tyler Bost stopped 31 shots in the loss.
Jamestown 0 @ Johnstown 1 - Tomahawks goalie Alex Tracy stopped all 30 shots that came his way for his third shutout of the season as the Tomahawks crept closer to clinching a playoff spot with a 1-0 win on Saturday, completing a weekend home sweep of the Rebels. The lone goal of the contest came from Bennett Stockdale, who scored his 12th goal of the season with a tally in the 2nd period. Rebels goalie Noah West played well in the loss, making 18 saves.
Chippewa 3 @ Janesville 1 – Steel goalie Trent Burnham made 38 saves in a 3-1 road win over the Jets. The Steel jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the 1st period with goals from Jackson Decker and Luke Farthing. The Jets made it 2-1 later in the 1st period with their lone goal from Justin Thompson. In the 3rd period, Connor McGrath would add an empty-net goal to secure the 3-1 win. Jets goalie Grant Riley made 26 saves in the loss.
Odessa 1 @ New Mexico 4 - For the second straight night, the New Mexico Ice Wolves defeated the Odessa Jackalopes 4-1. Griffin Sanom had a goal and an assist for the Ice Wolves while Spencer Rudrud, Liam Ovington and Jackson Wille all found the back of the net for New Mexico. Henrik Laursen picked up his second win in as many nights as he made 32 saves. Gramm McCormack tallied the only goal for Odessa while Andrew Takacs made 33 saves.
Maine 1 @ Maryland 2 - The Maryland Black Bears salvaged a weekend split and kept their spot in the fourth and final playoff position in the East thanks a 2-1 win against the Maine Nordiques on Saturday. Reid Leibold scored in the 1st period for Maryland, sending a shot through the legs of a Maine defenseman that went past the glove of the Nordiques goalie Avery Sturtz for a 1-0 lead. There was no further scoring until the final period. Aaron Swanson scored his first home goal on an empty netter to make it 2-0. In the final minute, the Nordiques scored and ruined Maryland Goalie, Aaron Randazzo's shutout bid. Maine forward Stefan Owens put the puck on goal and it bounced off the leg of Timmy Kent to make the score 2-1. Randazzo made 23 saves in the win, while Sturtz made 36 saves in the loss.
Northeast 7 @ New Jersey 3 – The Generals put a hold on the Titans playoff clinching party as they got two goals from Chalie Reid in a 7-3 win to earn a weekend split of the season. The Titans took a 2-0 lead with goals early in the 1st period from Matthew Iasenza and Mitch Machlitt. However, the Generals would score seven of the next eight goals, which included a goal later in the 1st period from Reid to make it 2-1. Northeast then scored five goals in the 2nd period, which included another from Reid and others from Alexander Tertyshny, Cam Gaudette, Ryan Kuzmich, and Dylan Schuett. Clark Kerner added another goal in the 3rd period for Northeast, which Gavin Gulash had the third New Jersey goal. Joey Stanizzi made 26 saves in the win, while Ryan Ryan McInchak made 26 saves in the loss, which was his NAHL debut.
Corpus Christi 0 @ Lone Star 4 - Cayden Bailey picked up his league leading 10th shutout as the Lone Star Brahmas blanked the Corpus Christi IceRays 4-0. Joey Baez led the offensive attack with a goal and two assists. Matt Guerra and Evan Googins each picked up a goal and an assist. Josh Martin also found the back of the net for the Brahmas. Jeremy Forman stopped 24 shots in the loss for Corpus Christi.
