Friday Finals: Bulls running over competition
Corpus Christi 3 @ Amarillo 10 –One Amarillo hockey history record was set while another was equaled on Friday night at the Amarillo Civic Center. The Amarillo Bulls fired a record four shorthanded goals, including three alone in the second period and went on to blast the Corpus Christi IceRays 10-3. Those four shorthanded goals set a new record by an Amarillo hockey team pro or junior, while the victory was the Bulls 10th in a row that tied a mark set by two Amarillo Gorillas’ teams. The Bulls saw their South Division lead increase to 14 points. A couple of turnovers led to the game’s first two goals in the opening period. First Corpus Christi tallied on a turnover inside the Bulls territory. But Tyler Deresky tied the game up almost two minutes later for Amarillo when he stole the puck away from the Corpus Christi defenseman and fired the puck past the goaltender. Less than three minutes later, the Bulls took the lead when Geoff Forman converted a scramble in front of the net by scoring his second of the season. The Bulls outshot Corpus Christi 17-6 in the opening 20 minutes. The Bulls put on a penalty killing clinic in the second period scoring an Amarillo Hockey History record setting three shorthanded goals. TJ Sarcona, Brooks Behling and Greg Gibson notched those markers that were part of a five goal second stanza. Behling added a second goal, while Matt Johnson picked up a single. The Bulls fifth goal chased starting goaltender Anthony Stolarz who struggled right from the opening face-off. The Bulls didn’t let off the gas pedal in the third period and added three more goals. Michael Davis scored 17 seconds into the period and then Brooks Behling completed his hattrick. After the IceRays scored their third goal, TJ Sarcona netted his second to round out the scoring. Sarcona finished the game with two goals and three assists for five points and was plus six. Mike Taffe got his 14th win of the season and made some key saves when he was called upon. Boxscore
Fairbanks 1 @ Kenai River 4 – The Brown Bears returned from break posting a convincing 4-1 win over the Ice Dogs. Brett Lubanski had a goal and assist and Kenai River also got goals from Bobby Murphy, Matt Thompson and Kellen Patrick. Austin Severson was the star in goal stopping 44 of 45 shots. Boxscore
Wenatchee 3 @ Fresno 1 – The Wild kept climbing the West standings with a 3-1 win in Fresno. Trace Redmond, Chris Knudson and Jerad Tafoya all scored for Wenatchee, while Robert Nichols made 20 saves. The Wild now sit alone in 3rd place in the West with 38 points. Boxscore
Wichita Falls 6 @ New Mexico 3 – Tanner Fahlstedt recorded a hat-trick and Brennen Parker, Sergei Soloviev and Brad Shumway all had multi-point games as the Wildcats doubled up the Mustangs on the road, 6-3. Evan Johnston had three points in the losing effort for New Mexico. Boxscore
Austin 2 @ Bismarck 3 – The Bobcats completed a weekend sweep of the Bruins with a 3-2 win. Caston Sommer’s power play goal in the 2nd period was the difference in this tight game. Dan Zawacki and Shane Omdahl had the other goals for Bismarck while Brandon Wahlin and John Simonson scored for Austin. Boxscore
Odessa 2 @ Texas 1 – Connor Hellebuyck stifled the Tornado again, making 31 saves as the Jacks handed the Tornado their second straight home loss in as many nights. Josh Obregon and Tyller Robert scored for the Jacks, while Ondrej Kopta scored for Texas. The Tornado outshot Odessa, 32-18. Boxscore
St. Louis 0 @ Topeka 4 – Peter Traber did it again and posted his third straight shutout, matching an NAHL season-high. Traber had to face 21 shots and Topeka fired off just 15 shots, but got goals from Gage Hough, Jake Lynes, Dan Dupell and Ryan White. Topeka is just four points from 2nd place in the South with two games in hand.Boxscore
Chicago 2 @ Janesville 4 – The Jets increased their lead in the Midwest Division to three points with a 4-2 win at home over the Hitmen. Adam Frank scored twice for the Jets and Darren McCormick and Jordan Bancroft also had multi-point nights for Janesville. Tony Kujava made 22 saves in the win. Boxscore
Kalamazoo 2 @ Springfield 3 (SO) – The Jr. Blues outshot the Jr. K-Wings 42-23 and got the decisive goal from Mitch Rogge in the shootout as they edged Kalamazoo, 3-2. Kalamazoo opened up a 2-0 lead with goals from Anthony Appleyard and Jacob McDowell, but Springfield answered in the 3rd period to tie the game with goals from Kyle Cook and Jordan Johnson. Boxscore
Aberdeen 4 @ Coulee Region 3 – Cory Ward scored twice in regulation and again in the shootout as the Wings edged the Chill, 4-3. Shayne McLaughlin had the other goal for the Wings, while Jake Useldinger scored twice and Tommy Miller added the other for Coulee Region. Boxscore
Traverse City 4 @ Michigan 3 (SO) – Alexander Taulien scored in regulation and again in the shootout as the North Stars snapped their skid with a 4-3 shootout win in Michigan. Mitchell Snider and Nathan Harris had the other goal for Traverse City and Kyle Haak had two point in his NAHL debut, while Chris Eckler had three points in the loss for the Warriors. Boxscore
