Friday Finals: IceRays sting Jackalopes, 8-1

Corpus Christi 8 @ Odessa 1 – The IceRays exploded for a season-high eight goals in an 8-1 road win in Odessa on Friday night.  Rudy Sulmonte had two goals (including the game-winner) and an assist and Michael Economos also had a two-goal night.  The IceRays jumped out to a 3-0 lead on goals from Brandon Berkley, Beau Walker and Sulmonte.  After Lawrence Cornellier scored the lone goal for the Jacks, Corpus Christi responded with five straight including two from Economos, another from Sulmonte and others from Perry D’Arrisso and Brandon Smith. Boxscore

Austin 5 @ Aberdeen 1 – Forward Drew Anderson posted a hat-trick and AJ Reid had three assists as the 1st place Austin Bruins used a big 1st period to defeat Aberdeen, 5-1.  Anderson scored twice in the 1st period along with a goal from Brandon Wahlin, who also had three point on the night and took over the NAHL scoring lead with 43 points.  Anderson posted his hat-trick with a goal in the 2nd period and John Simonson scored in the 3rd period.  Jake Horton scored the lone Wings goal. Boxscore

Springfield 1 @ Janesville 5 – Newcomer Grant Stueve scored two goals in his Jets debut as Janesville posted a 5-1 win over the Jr. Blues on Friday.  The Jets jumped out to a 3-0 lead thanks to goals from Stueve, Conor Lemirande and Ryan Dau.  Stueve scored in the 2nd period to make it 4-0.  Oliver Takacsi-Nagy scored the lone goal for the Jr. Blues in the 3rd period, but Ruslan Pedan also scored in the 3rd period for the Jets to make the final 5-1. Boxscore

Michigan 2 @ Soo 3 – Two, 3rd period goals from Alex Taulien and Jared Van Wormer propelled the Eagles to a 3-2 home win over the Warriors on Friday.  Newcomer Pat Thompson gave the home Eagles a 1-0 lead early in the 2nd period, but the Warriors answered back with two straight goals from Jon Farkas and Martin Gruse to make it 2-1 before the 3rd period comeback for Soo. Boxscore

Johnstown 3 @ Port Huron 2 – It took a 38-19 shot advantage and a goal late in the 3rd period from Mike Sandor for the Tomahawks to outlast the Fighting Falcons on Friday, 3-2.  The Falcons took a 1-0 lead in the 1st period with a power play goal from Nick Horne.  Johnstown answered back in the 2nd period to take a 2-1 lead with two power play goals of their own from Connor Wright and Jordan Watt.  Jonathan Kopacka scored midway through the 3rd period to tie the game, setting up Sandor’s heroics. Boxscore

Kalamazoo 2 @ Jamestown 3 (SO) – It took 18 combined shooters, but a shootout goal from Eliot Tisdale was the difference as Jamestown edged Kalamazoo, 3-2 in a shootout.  Nico Sierra and Tyler Dunagan gave the home side Ironmen a 2-0 lead, but that was erased by goals from Kalamazoo’s Danny Hamburg and Patrick Spellacy in the late 2nd period.  Boxscore

Minot 4 @ Brookings 3 (SO) – Tyler Parks made 34 saves and stopped all four shooters in the shootout as the Minotauros moved into a 2nd place tie in the Central Division with a 4-3 shootout win in Brookings against the Blizzard.  Brookings got off a fast start with a 2-0 lead on goals from Tyler Cayemberg and Eric Brenk.  Minot responded with three goals in the 3rd period, including two from Jake O’Borksy and another from Collin Abitz to answer a Thomas Williams goal.  Cameron Rowat and Scott Dornbrock scored in the shootout, while Parks stonewalled the Blizzard. Boxscore