Saturday Scores: Bobcats complete road sweep in Fresno

Bismarck 3 @ Fresno 2 – The Bismarck Bobcats struck three times in the second period and held on for a 3-2 win Saturday over the Fresno Monsters at Selland Arena, sweeping the two-game road series from the Monsters.  The Bobcats caught a stroke of good luck 8:37 into the second period when a Shane Omdahl shot rocketed off Mac Haight and to the back glass but careened off a stanchion straight back toward the front of the net, where Adam Knochenmus batted it out of mid-air and in for a 1-0 Bobcat lead. Fresno pulled even exactly three minutes later, receiving some good fortune of their own when Trevor Husch spun a bad-angle shot across the Bobcat goal line that bounced off of Aaron Nelson to make it 1-1.  Husch’s equalizer seemed to spur the Bobcats on, as the visitors dominated the ensuing minute of play, culminating in Mike Dockry taking a short entry pass from Kevin Becker for a short breakaway that the second-year forward converted with a shot through Haight’s legs for a 2-1 Bobcat lead just 1:06 after the even-up goal.  With 1:15 to go in the frame, Omdahl put an exclamation mark on the Cats’ second-period surge on the rush, roping a one-timer from Knochenmus into the top corner of the net to push the lead out to 3-1 after two.  Jordan Haskell pulled the Monsters within one just 4:33 into the third, popping a one-timer of his own through Nelson’s legs to halve the lead at 3-2, but the home side would not get any closer as the Cats held Fresno to just six shots in the third period to hold on for a 3-2 victory. Boxscore

Brookings 3 @ Coulee Region 1 – Thomas Williams scored twice as the Brookings Blizzard completed a weekend home-and-home sweep of the Coulee Region Chill with a 3-1 win on Saturday.  Drew Weigman made 24 saves in the win.  Brookings jumped out to a 2-0 lead on goals from Vsevolod Kramarev and Williams’ first goal.  Matt Williams drew the Chill to within one in the 3rd period, but another goal from Williams on an empty-net secure the win for Brookings. Boxscore

Austin 5 @ Aberdeen 3 – For the second straight night, the Wings could not hang on to a 3-1 lead as the Bruins stayed in 1st place in the Central with a 5-3 win and weekend road sweep in Aberdeen.  After Austin Nelson opened the scoring for the Bruins, Aberdeen got three straight from Zach Kraft, Tyler Cisar and Justin Parizek.  However, the Bruins stormed back with four straight goals to win from Zach Johnson, Brandon Wahlin, Josh Bretner and Cody Dixon. Boxscore

Texas 0 @ Amarillo 4 – The Bulls completed a weekend home sweep of the Tornado thanks to a 30-save shutout performance from goaltender Paul Berrafato.  The Bulls scored in all three periods including a goal in the 1st period from Hampus Gustafsson, two in the 2nd period from Gage Christianson and Omar Mullan and one on the 3rd period from defenseman Jame LaDouce.  The Bulls outscored the Tornado 11-2 in the weekend series.  Hunter Leisner made 32 saves in the loss. Boxscore

Soo 2 @ Michigan 1 – The Soo Eagles moved into 2nd place in the North Division thanks to a weekend road sweep of the Michigan Warriors with a 2-1 win on Saturday night.  The Warriors led 1-0 through two periods of play thanks to a 1st period tally from Levi Erkkila.  However, Soo struck twice in the 3rd period on goals from Chris Waterstreet and the eventual game-winner from Michal Toman.  Zach Nagelvoort made 36 saves in the win for the Eagles. Boxscore

Topeka 5 @ Odessa 4 (SO) – The Jackalopes squandered a 4-1 lead thanks to three, 3rd period goals from the RoadRunners as they won on their 7th shooter in the shootout in a 5-4 win over Odessa.  The Jacks were looking good after a 4-1 lead after two periods, which included a hat-trick from Lawrence Cornellier and another goal from Ryan Doucet.  However, 3rd period markers from Sean Gaffney, Michal Pastor and Kyler Sharkey sent the game to extra time where Trace Strahle scored the lone goal. Boxscore

Jamestown 4 @ Port Huron 1 – The Ironmen salvaged a weekend split and moved back into 1st place in the North Division with a 4-1 win on Saturday thanks to 28 saves from Reid Mimmack.  The Ironmen were in control the entire game, leading 3-0 after the 1st period with goals from Ryan Urso, Luc Gerdes and Huba Sekesi.  Jamestown made it 4-0 in the 2nd period with a goal from Elliot Tisdale, before Port Huron spoiled Mimmack’s shutout bid with just :41 seconds remaining on a goal from Matthew Uvodich. Boxscore

Johnstown 4 @ Kalamazoo 5 (OT) – The K-Wings got two goals, including the overtime-winner from Robbie Payne in a 5-4 win over visiting Johnstown.  The Tomahawks got the game to overtime after erasing a 4-1 Kalamazoo lead in the 3rd period with goals from Cody Gilling, Brandon Reinholz and Mike Sandor.  Payne, Kyle Gattelaro, Lucy Boby and Nolan Culver all scored in the 2nd period to answer a 1st period goal from Reinholz.  Boxscore

Janesville 1 @ Springfield 3 – It took until the late stages of the 3rd period, but the Jr. Blues scored three goals in the final seven minutes to complete a weekend sweep of visiting Janesville.  Zach Diamantoni gave the Jets a 1-0 lead heading to the 3rd period, but the Jr. Blues got 3rd period goals from Brett Skibba and two from Mike Fazio in the win.  Fazio also picked up an assist on Skibba’s goal for a three-point night.  Ryan Kellenberger made 21 saves in the win. Boxscore

Minot 6 @ Wenatchee 3 – The Minotauros got 41 saves from Tyler Parks and erupted for a season-high six goals to earn a weekend road split with the Wild in Wenatchee by a 6-3 score.  Jadin Martin had a goal and two assists in the win for Minot.  Minot led 2-0 early on goals from Denis Dalidovich and Jake O’Borsky.  The Wild then scored three straight from Evan Schmidbauer, David Powlowski and Jono Davis, but Minot answered with the last four from Wesley Iverson, Travis Maxwell, Steven Sherman and Martin. Boxscore

Wichita Falls 2 @ Kenai River 5 – Matt Seidel and Vincent Stefan each had a goal and two assists as the Brown Bears completed a weekend sweep of the Wildcats with a 5-2 win on Saturday.  Gustaf Johansson made 30 saves in the win.  After the Wildcats got on the board first, the Brown Bears tied the game with a goal from Brad LeLievre.  Kenai struck for two more goals in the 2nd period from Zac Lazzaro and Stefan.  Colin Staub cut the lead to 3-2, but goals from Seidel and Ansel Duesenberg secured the win. Boxscore

Corpus Christi 3 @ Fairbanks 1 – Hayden Stewart made 26 saves as the IceRays took three of four points over the weekend, which included a 3-1 win on Saturday night in Fairbanks.  After a scoreless 1st period, the IceRays jumped on the board with a power play goal from AJ Jarosz.  Perry D’Arrisso and Joe Ginley then set up the next two goals, the first by Eric Purcell, the second by Emil Romig.  Niklas Mayrhauser scored the lone Ice Dogs goal late in the 3rd period to spoil Stewart’s shutout bid. Boxscore