Friday Finals: Blizzard blow by 1st place Bruins
Soo Eagles 2 @ Michigan Warriors 4 – The Warriors scored four unanswered goals, including three in the 3rd period to defeat the visiting Eagles, 4-2. After Mike Sabatini and Sandis Zolmanis scored to give the Eagles a 2-0 lead midway through the 2nd period, the Warriors stormed back with a goal from AJ Marcinek in the 2nd period and two goals from Zack Szajner and another from Colin Larkin in the 3rd period to post the win. Boxscore
Austin Bruins 1 @ Brookings Blizzard 7 – On the strength of 14 power plays, the Blizzard blew through the 1st place Bruins on Friday by a 7-1 score. After a fairly close 1st period, which saw Brookings lead 2-1 with power play goals from Michele Marchetti and Andrew Herlofsky, the Blizzard poured it on in the 2nd and 3rd periods as Conor Andrle had a short-handed and a power play goal, Marchetti had another and Eric Brenk and Jared Goudreau also scored. Guillaume Leclerc had the lone Bruins goal. Boxscore
Wenatchee Wild 4 @ Johnstown Tomahawks 6 – Six different players scored and Johnstown scored three goals in the 3rd period to break open a tight game and defeat the Wild, 6-4. Wenatchee scored once in the 1st period from Mike Coyne, twice in the 2nd period from Troy Loggins and Tanner Barnes and once in the 3rd from Matthew Nuttle. Tomahawks goals came from Joe Drabin, Matthew Meier and Brandon Reinholz in the 2nd period and Trevor Recktenwald, Josh Bowes and Shane Bednard in the 3rd period. Boxscore
Port Huron Fighting Falcons 2 @ Janesville Jets 1 – Alex Blankenburg again had the hot hand in goal as he continued he stellar stretch of games making 39 saves on Friday night in a road win over the Jets. All three goals in the game were scored on the power play. Port Huron led 2-0 after two periods on goals from Jonathan Kopacka and Mitch Maloney. Adam Winborg scored in the 3rd period for the Jets, who could not get the equalizer past Blankenburg the remainder of the 3rd period. Boxscore
Springfield Jr. Blues 1 @ Coulee Region Chill 5 – Mac Jansen scored twice and Blake Cates made 44 saves as the Chill continued their hot play with a 5-1 win at home over the Jr. Blues. Jansen scored the first two goals of the contest along with a goal from Jesse Tredinnick to make it 3-0. After a goal from Springfield’s Nick Belger, the Chill scored twice more in the 3rd period to put the game out of reach on goals from Richard Zehnal and James McGing. Boxscore
Minot Minotauros 1 @ Bismarck Bobcats 6 – Fliip Starzynski scored twice and Bismarck outshot Minot 37-13 on their way to a convincing 6-1 win at home. It was all Bobcats in the first two periods as Starzynski scored twice and Tommy Malkmus and Dan Kovar added the others. After a goal from Minot’s Colton Kramer, Evan Giesler and Seth Blair scored for the Bobcats to put the game on ice. Boxscore
Amarillo Bulls 4 @ Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees 2 – Two, 1st period goals were the difference as the 1st place Bulls doubled up the 2nd place Killer Bees. Kyle Gattelaro scored twice for Amarillo, including the game’s opening goal. Matt Sieckhaus and Brady Ferguson also scored as the Bulls jumped out to a 3-0 lead before the Killer Bees could respond with goals from JB Baker and Dylan Abood. Collin Delia made 23 saves in the win. Boxscore
Topeka RoadRunners 5 @ Lone Star Brahmas 2 – Three, 3rd period goals were the difference as the RoadRunners topped the Brahmas, 5-2 on Friday. Five different players scored for Topeka including Jasen Fernsler in the 1st period, Tomas Nechala in the 2nd period and Sly Sutter, Andrew Roye and Peter Halash in the 3rd period. The Brahmas had goals from Matt Lison and Cole Rose in the loss. Boxscore
Aberdeen Wings 3 @ Minnesota Magicians 2 (SO) – Just as it looked like the Magicians were on their way to a win, the Wings tied the game with just a second to go in regulation on an extra attacker goal from Jake Horton and then carried the momentum to a 3-2 shootout win over Minnesota. Patrick Pollock and Colin Herndon had the goals in regulation for Minnesota, while Erik Baskin had the other goal for Aberdeen. The Wings got shootout goals from Erik Gollenbeck and Lennart Palausch. Boxscore
Minnesota Wilderness 1 @ Fairbanks Ice Dogs 2 (SO) – Both goalies shined in Fairbanks on Friday, but it was the Ice Dogs Jacob Hetz who scored in regulation and again in the shootout, who played the big offensive hero in a 2-1 win. Johno May had the lone goal in regulation for Minnesota, who got 37 saves on the night from Kasimir Kaskisuo. Kevin Aldridge was equally as good in the Fairbanks net, making 24 saves and not allowing a single goal in the shootout. Boxscore
Wichita Falls Wildcats 3 @ Kenai River Brown Bears 2 – Chase Munroe made 38 saves as the Wildcats used a last-minute goal to defeat the Brown Bears, 3-2. The teams traded goals in the 1st period as Nathan Colwell scored for Kenai River and Sam Piazza answered for the Wildcats. After Alfred Johansson gave Wichita Falls a 2-1 lead in the 2nd period, Jack Gassert tied the game early in the 3rd period for Kenai River. That set up Will Vosejpka’s goal with just :43 seconds to go in regulation for the game-winner. Boxscore
