Friday Finals: Wolverines, Tomahawks clinch playoff spots
Holt Oliphant celebrates his overtime-winning goal, which clinched a spot in the 2022 Robertson Cup Playoffs for the Tomahawks.
MN Magicians 2 @ Anchorage 5: The Anchorage Wolverines punched their ticket to the Robertson Cup playoffs as they beat the Minnesota Magicians 5-2. Talon Sigurdson and Aiden Westin each had a goal and an assist for the Wolverines. Jackson Krock, Clay Allen and Cameron Morris all got on the scoresheet for Anchorage. Raythan Robbins was magnificent as he stopped 40 shots to pick up the win in the blue paint. Trevor Kukkonen and Gavin Best were the goal scorers for the Magicians while Josh Seeley took the loss in goal. He stopped 36 shots for Minnesota.
Danbury 2 @ Johnstown 3 (OT): Holt Oliphant found the back of the net 3:17 into overtime to lift the Tomahawks past Danbury on home ice. The win clinched a playoff spot for the Tomahawks. Danbury took a commanding lead early, as Peter Lajoy and Owen Simmons each tickled twine in the 1st period. Johnstown’s Jacob Badal beat the goaltender for his 20th of the season to cut the lead in half after 40 minutes. In the 3rd, Holt Oliphant scored his 1st of the night on the power play to tie the game and bring it to overtime. Matthew O’Donnell grabbed the win making 19 saves on 21 shots. Adam Johnson completed the night with 31 saves for the Jr. Hat Tricks.
Jamestown 0 @ Maryland 2: Netminder Michael Morelli stopped all 15 shots that came at him to help secure the Nordiques’ shutout victory over Jamestown. After a scoreless 1st period, Brad McNeil gave Maryland the lead with a goal 13:09 into the middle frame. Six minutes into the 3rd period, defenseman Matthew Davies scored his 5th of the season to double the lead and help seal the win. Nolan Suggs completed the night with 35 saves on 37 shots for the Rebels.
New Jersey 3 @ Northeast 4: Northeast scored two power play goals in the back half of the 3rd period to take the lead and secure the comeback victory over the Titans. Sixten Jennersjö and Jared Scott each buried goals in the opening period for Northeast. New Jersey’s Chris Carroll scored the lone goal in the 2nd period to draw the visitors within one goal before the 3rd. The Titans carried momentum into the final frame as Anthony Calafiore and Michael Young each lit the lamp before 90 seconds had passed in the period. Alex Krause found the back of the net 12:06 into the 3rd period to tie the game for Northeast and David Andreychuk scored just minutes later to secure the lead and the game winning goal . Cullen DeYoung snagged the win making 25 saves on 28 shots. Andrew Takacs was dealt the loss stopping 34 of 38 shots faced.
MN Wilderness 2 @ Chippewa 7: Seven different Chippewa skaters found the back of the net in their convincing win over the Wilderness. Kade Nielsen, Brady Yakesh, and Jackson Bisson all scored in the 1st period to give Chippewa an early 3-0 lead. Nick Sajevic, Sam Rice, and Kaden Shahan all scored 2nd to continue the pressure. Minnesota’s goals came early in the 2nd period as Cole Crusberg-Roseen and Haden Kruse each scored, Kruse’s coming on the power play. Chippewa’s Ryan Remmick scored the lone 3rd period goal to seal the victory. Croix Kochendorfer was the victor between the pipes, completing the night with 27 saves on 29 shots. Matthew Smith and Konrad Kausch split time between the pipes for the Wilderness, Smith being credited the loss with 12 saves on 15 shots.
Wichita Falls 3 @ Amarillo 1: Brandon Milberg kept out all but one of 35 shots faced to lead the Warriors past Amarillo on the road. Kristaps Skrastins gave Amarillo the opening lead with a goal 5:47 into the 1st period. Riley Brueck and Cade Lemmer both answered with scores to give the Warriors a 2-1 lead after 20 minutes. After a scoreless middle frame, Philip Tornqvist found the back of the net 9:44 into the 3rd to provide insurance and seal the victory. Carter Clafton completed the night with 33 saves for the Wranglers.
Corpus Christi 2 @ Lone Star 5: Nicholas Niemo led the way with a goal and three assists as the Lone Star Brahmas defeated the Corpus Christi IceRays 5-2. Artur Turansky and Kyle Furey each logged a goal and an assist in the victory for the Brahmas. Blake Benson also found the back of the net for Lone Star. Jon Spicer picked up his first NAHL win as he turned aside 21 shots. Nathan Burke and Jude Kurtas registered the only goals for the IceRays in a losing effort. Stefan Carney took the loss in goal as he made 37 stops.
Odessa 2 @ New Mexico 7: Sully Scholle had a night to remember as the forward picked up a hat trick and two helpers to lead the Ice Wolves to a 7-2 drubbing of the Odessa Jackalopes. Dillan Bentley finished with a goal and five assists while Nicolas Haviar picked up a goal and two assists. JD Metz and Grant Ellings also found the back of the net for New Mexico. Carsen Stokes won his ninth game of the year as he made 25 saves for the Ice Wolves. Dayne Hoyord notched a goal and an assist while Trevor Taulien also got on the board for Odessa. Noah Rupprecht was given the loss as he made 37 stops.
Janesville 5 @ Springfield 4 (OT) – Jets forward Cade DeStefani scored two goals, including the overtime-winner as Janesville stayed alive in the playoff race with a 5-4 overtime win in Springfield on Friday. The Jets got off to a fast start as they led 3-1 after the 1st period thanks to goals from Grayden Daul, Williams Gustavsson, and Mack Keryluk, while Zach Bade had the Springfield goal. The Jr. Blues turned the tables in the 2nd period as two more goals from Bade and one from Carson Jones tied the game at 4-4. DeStefani, who scored in the 2nd period, scored just over a minute into OT to keep the Jets alive. Jets goalie Owen Millward made 45 saves in the win, while Ethan Roberts made 36 saves in the loss.
El Paso 5 @ Shreveport 1 – Donovan O’Neil and Alexander Babich each scored twice and Jacob Zacharewicz made 36 saves to lead the Rhinos to a 5-1 win in Shreveport on Friday. Shreveport scored the game’s first goal off the stick of Jake Mack. It was all Rhinos after that as Bo Cosman tied the game later in the first period on a penalty shot. Babich and O’Neil then each scored a goal in the 2nd and 3rd periods to secure the win for the Rhinos. Devon Bobak took the loss for the Mudbugs, making 21 saves.
Austin 2 @ Aberdeen 1 – The Bruins secured home ice for the first round of the playoffs thanks to 36 saves from Klayton Knapp in a 2-1 win in Aberdeen on Friday. Anthony Menghini scored both goals for the Bruins, which included an even strength goal in the 1st period and a short-handed goal in the 2nd period. Landry Schmuck had the lone Wings goal, which came early in the 2nd period. Wings goalie Anton Castro made 21 saves in the loss.
St. Cloud 5 @ North Iowa 3 – Five different players scored for the Norsemen as they stayed hot with a 5-3 win in North Iowa on Friday. Blake Mesenburg scored first for the Norsemen in the 1st period. The Bulls took a 2-1 lead later in the period with goals from Tyler Braccini and Simone Dadie. The Norsemen then put the game out of reach with four straight goals, including three in the 2nd period from Peyton Hanson, Nick Young, and Ethan Benz. Kade Peterson added a goal in a 3rd period to make it 5-2. Michael Mesic scored a short-handed goal late in the 3rd period for the Bulls. St. Cloud goalie Ethan Dahlmeir made 26 saves in the win, while Kyle Kozma made 25 saves in the loss.
