Friday Finals: Bruins capture Central crown
Austin 5 @ Coulee Region 3 – The Austin Bruins claimed the 2012-13 NAHL Central Division regular season title with a 5-3 win in Coulee Region on Friday. Jay Dickman had a goal and three assists for a four point game. Coulee Region got a goal in each period from Jesse Tredinnick in the 1st period, Hunter Anderson in the 2nd period and Adam Lovick in the 3rd period. But, Austin had too much firepower with goals from Grant Eichstadt, AJ Reid, John Simonson, CJ Smith and Dickman. Boxscore
Wichita Falls 2 @ Corpus Christi 1 – Evan Cowley made 38 saves as the Wildcats crept to within a point of 4th place Corpus Christi and the final playoff spot with a 2-1 win on Friday. Both Wildcats goals came in the 2nd period as Ben Kucera and Eliot Grauer scored even strength markers. Caleb O’Brien tallied the lone IceRays goal in the 3rd period, but Corpus Christi could never find the equalizer. Hayden Stewart made 30 saves in the loss. Boxscore
Brookings 1 @ Bismarck 0 (SO) – Both goalies were literally ‘perfect’ the entire game until something had to give in the shootout and in the end, it was Brookings netminder Drew Weigman who stopped all 45 shots that came his way in regulation and overtime, then stopped all five Bobcats shooters in the shootout to help the Blizzard pick up the 1-0 win in Bismarck. Aaron Nelson was almost equally as good for Bismarck, but a lone shooter, Brookings captain Thomas Williams scored in the shootout. Boxscore
Fresno 1 @ Kenai River 4 – Alex Jackstadt continued his hot play with two goals and an assist as the Brown Bears took care of the Monsters on Friday by a 4-1 score. After a scoreless 1st period, Jackstadt scored both of his goals early in the 2nd period to put Kenai River up 2-0. Jacob McDowell would answer for Fresno to make it 2-1, but a goal from Zack Zulkanycz would made it 3-1 at the end of two periods. Jacob Davidson’s 3rd period tally made it a 4-1 final. Evan McCarthy made 28 saves in the win. Boxscore
Wenatchee 1 @ Fairbanks 3 – The Wild’s 1st place lead got cut down to five points as the Ice Dogs took home another 3-1 win on front of another sold out crowd in Fairbanks. Shots on goal and offense was hard to come by, but the Wild struck first on a 1st period goal from Chris Kerr, his second in as many games. But, it would be all Fairbanks in the 2nd and 3rd periods as goals from Zack Rall and Lonnie Clary in the 2nd period and Kyle Lee in the 3rd period secured the win. Boxscore
Minot 1 @ Aberdeen 3 – The Wings are saving their best hockey for the last part of the season as they won again, this time a 3-1 home win over the Minotauros. Aberdeen got off to a fast start with two goals in the 1st period off the sticks of Jonathan Grebosky and Kyle Kruenegel. Steven Johnson made it 3-0 with a power play goal in the 2nd period. Lucas Oliver finally scored for Minot late in the 3rd period. Goalie Chad Catt made 33 saves in the win, while Tyler Parks took the loss making 29 saves. Boxscore
Topeka 2 @ Amarillo 1 (OT) – RoadRunners goaltender Spencer Viele made 45 saves and RoadRunners defenseman Kevin Patterson scored the overtime winner with just :22 seconds to go as Topeka edged Amarillo on Friday, 2-1 in OT. After a scoreless 1st period, things ramped up in the 2nd period was the two teams exchanged goals. Ryan Cole scored for Amarillo and Brandon Brossoit scored a power play goal for Topeka. Paul Berrafato made 26 saves in the loss for the Bulls. Boxscore
Texas 5 @ Odessa 3 – The Tornado snapped an eight-game losing streak with a 5-3 win in Odessa. The fast start for Texas in the 1st period was the difference as CJ Reuschlein and Justin Greenberg gave Texas a 2-0 lead in the 1st period. Each team would score twice in the 2nd period as Cody Slocum and Jude Warner scored for Odessa and Scott Conway scored both goals for the Tornado. In the 3rd period, Brett Wagner scored a power play goal, which was answered by Greenberg’s second of the game. Boxscore
Jamestown 1 @ Johnstown 3 – The Tomahawks moved closer to a playoff spot with a 3-1 win on Friday over Jamestown in front of a crowd of over 3,000 fans in Johnstown. The Tomahawks struck first in the 1st period as Jeff Bergh scored for a 1-0 lead. That would last until early in the 3rd period as Ian Spencer made it 2-0 for the Tomahawks. Ryan Doucet scored on an extra attacker to spoil the shutout bid of Chris Truehl, but Jordan Watt added an empty net goal to secure the win. Boxscore
Janesville 1 @ Soo 6 – Brandon Adams had two goals and an assist to pace the Eagles to a 6-1 win over the Jets on Friday. Soo jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the 1st period on goals from Matt Menta and Robin Hoglund. Daniel Kucerovy would end up with the lone Jets goal at the end of the period to make it 2-1. All the Eagles damage from that point on came in the 2nd period as they scored four times with two goals from Adams and others from Mike Sabatini and Pat Thompson. Tyler Marble made 35 saves in the win. Boxscore
Springfield 2 @ Michigan 6 – The Warriors kept their playoff chances alive thanks to a strong 1st and 3rd period in a 6-2 win over the Jr. Blues. Brad Pung and TJ Stuntz scored in the 1st period to give Michigan a 2-0 lead. The teams would trade goals in the 2nd period as Davis Dekorte and Brett Skibba scored for the Jr. Blues and Zack Szajner and Jon Farkas scored for Michigan. It was part of a four-point night for Szajner. Colin Larkin scored both 3rd period goals for the Warriors to put the game on ice. Boxscore
