Friday Finals: Jackalopes Win Big In Home Opener

Northeast 4 @ Danbury 5 (SO) - Danbury topped Northeast 5-4 in a shootout Friday. The Generals came out flying in the first period with Jake Gutwirth scoring his sixth goal of the season. The Hat Tricks responded to tie the game at one just over three minutes later. David Utkin netted the goal on the power play. Northeast was unphased by the answer and potted two more goals of their own in the final 5:28 of the opening frame. John Halverson and Jaden Sikura grabbed their first and second goals respectively to put the Generals up 3-1 after one. The second period played the exact opposite of the first. Goaltenders Ryan Nolan and Jack Fialkoff shut their opponents down to keep the score at the 3-1 after 40 minutes of play. Danbury opened the final frame with the spark they desperately needed. Niko Tournas’ fifth and Gates Omicioloi’s seventh goals of the season at 4:32 and 5:52 quickly pushed the game back to a deadlock. The score remained tied at three for nearly 10 minutes before Tournas scored his second of the game. The go-ahead goal came with only 4:54 to play. However, the Hat Trick lead did not last long. Northeast’s Masen Culley tied the game at four on the power play with only 1:17 remaining. The teams would need bonus hockey to decide a winner. Following a scoreless overtime period, Danbury secured the extra point via a 1-0 shootout victory. The Hat Tricks improve to seven points on the year (3-7-1-0) while the Generals grab the loser point to push their total to 10 (4-4-1-1).

Maine 4 @ New Hampshire 3 (SO) - Maine took down New Hampshire 4-3 in a shootout last night. The game began with a bang as the sides combined for five first period goals. Ethan Rosenoff started the scoring. The goal was Rosenoff’s first of the year to put the Nordiques up 1-0. The Mountain Kings responded just 2:02 later as Kim Hilmersson cashed in to tie the game. Just 3:06 later, Maine’s Shane Kozlina grabbed his team-leading seventh goal of the young year. The Nordiques now lead 2-1. The game went quiet for around 10 minutes before New Hampshire struck for a pair of goals in quick succession. Oli Genest and Hilmersson each scored their seventh goals which tied the pair for tops on the Mountain Kings. Hilmersson’s tally was his second of the game. The teams went to the first intermission with New Hampshire leading 3-2. It was now the goaltenders’ time to shine. Sam Scopa kept the Nordiques off the board following the late first period goals while Carter Richardson was tagged with just a single blemish in the final 50 minutes of regulation. Maine’s Vito Biondo’s first of the year at 14:56 in the second was that lone blemish. It was also enough to not only force overtime but a shootout. Maine’s Tomek Haula along with Rosenoff were able to beat Scopa while New Hampshire’s William Francisco-Parent and Genest were both stopped by Richardson. Maine took home the extra point in the shootout and won the game 4-3. Maine improves to an East Division best 15 points (7-2-1-0) with the win while New Hampshire’s point pushes them to seven (3-6-0-1) on the year.

New Jersey 5 @ Philadelphia 3 - New Jersey rode a three-goal third period to a 5-3 road victory against Philadelphia. The first two periods of this game played similarly to one another. The opening frame saw Archer Brown score his first of the year for the Titans midway through the period before Linas Dedinas answered for the Rebels at 18:11. The game was knotted at one apiece after 20 minutes. The second period was opened quickly thanks to New Jersey’s Ryan Shaw. His second goal of the year came just 1:15 into the frame. Like the first, Philadelphia answered later in the period. Ryan Bunting scored his fourth of the year just over seven minutes later. The game entered the final frame deadlocked a two. Ryan Novo changed that under five minutes into the period with his fourth of the season to put New Jersey back on top. Caden Wells extended the Titan lead at the 11:27 mark but Nicholas Bianchi pulled Philly right back within one 38 seconds later. However, the comeback effort fell short as Jack Hillier iced the game with an empty netter. Austin McNicholas stopped 29 of 32 shots he faced in the 5-3 win while Beau Lane made 23 saves in the losing effort. Both teams now sit with nine pints in sixth and seventh in the East.

Maryland 0 @ Rochester 2 - Rochester defeated Maryland 2-0 in a battle of top three teams in the East Division. It was a one-line show in the box score for the Jr. Americans last night. Rochester broke the ice with just 32 seconds to play in the first period. Hugo Branthsson struck on the power play to put the Americans up 1-0. Branthsson scored again midway through the second period as well. The goal gave Rochester a 2-0 lead and put Branthsson in a tie for the team lead in scoring. Jaden Dyke and Adam Gionta both assisted on each goal. Rochester goaltender Danick Lerouz pitched the 28-save shutout while Maryland goalie Benji Motew was solid in the loss stopping 24 of 26 shots he faced. The win pushed Rochester (5-1-2-2) into a tie with Maryland (7-3-0-0) on points. Both teams have 14 each through 10 games.

Wisconsin 2 @ Chippewa 0 - Wisconsin outlasted Chippewa 2-0 in a low-scoring game last night. The goaltenders dominated this game from start to finish, not allowing a goal until the final period. Cashen Naeve finally broke the ice 50 seconds into that period. Theodore Richardson and Alexios Geogaklis assisted on the goal that put Wisconsin up 1-0. The Windigo added an insurance tally midway through the period as well. Braydon Beahm scored his team-leading fifth goal of the season with assists from Zachary Cline and Elliot Gulley. Lucas Szyszka stopped all 29 shots he faced in the win for Wisconsin while Jakub Irsak made 13 saves in the loss for Chippewa. The Windigo remain atop the Midwest Division with 16 points (8-1-0-0) while the Steel sit sixth with seven points (3-5-1-0).

Watertown 3 @ Minnesota M 4 (SO) - Minnesota took a tightly contested affair with Watertown 4-3 in a shootout. The Shamrocks punched first in the game with a pair of goals 29 seconds apart. Eliott Mikesch potted his first of the year a 12:22 in the opening period before Travis Lefere scored his third of the season at 12:51. Watertown led 2-0 after a period. The Mallards did not go away, though, as Connor Korpatnicki got his team on the board with his first at 7:52 in the second. Minnesota tied the game at 16:24 thanks to an Eli Bailey goal. However, Watertown immediately took the lead back. Atons Macijevskis scored for the Shamrocks 32 seconds after the game was re-tied. Watertown led 3-2 after 40 minutes of play. Minnesota continued to fight with Hunter Hayes cashing in on the power play just over eight minutes into the third period. His team-best sixth goal forced overtime. The teams remained scoreless through the frame. Watertown’s Alexander Sabev stopped 33 of 36 shots he faced in the game while Minensota’s Zane Spaniol made 25 saves in 28 tries. The Mallards were able to best the Shamrocks in the shootout with Mason LeBel playing hero in the sixth round. Minnesota moved to eight points (4-5-0-0) on the season while Watertown continues to struggle with five points (2-5-0-1) and sits in the basement of the division.

Minnesota W 0 @ Springfield 4 - Springfield continued their winning ways last night with a 4-0 victory over Minnesota. Owen Lowe opened the scoring for the Jr. Blues with a power play marker 13:01 into the game. The score remained 1-0 through the first intermission and most of the middle frame until Tyler Smith struck. It was his first goal of the season and came with under three minutes to play in the second period. Springfield continued to pour it on as Logan Ganz found his team-high sixth goal. The game ended with Aidan Hickok scoring into the empty net as time expired to seal the 4-0 win. Frank Murphy was fantastic for the Jr. Blues making 33 saves on as many stops to secure a shutout. Minnesota’s Valdemar Anderson was also solid, stopping 27 of 30 shots he faced. Springfield increases their point total to 12 (6-2-0-0) with the victory while the Wilderness stay tied for the least number of points in the Midwest with seven (3-6-1-0).

New Mexico 0 @ Shreveport 2 - New Mexico’s early season struggles continued last night with a 2-0 loss to Shreveport. The goaltenders stole the show yet again in this game. Both goaltenders carried a shutout into the third period until Shreveport’s Kyan Haldenby finally broke the ice. Haldenby’s goal was his first of the year and came on the power play. Cole Hutchinson and Gleb Akimov assisted the marker. Brent Litchard’s empty netter at 19:19 was the only other scoring of the game. Mudbug goaltender Aden Gariepy stopped all 22 shots he faced in the win while Ice Wolves netminder Jackson Fuller made 30 saves on 31 shots. Shreveport moves into double-digit point totals (5-4-0-0) with the win while Nex Mexico sits at the bottom of the South Division with four points (1-7-1-1).

North Iowa 1 @ Aberdeen 2 - Goals two minutes apart in the third propelled the Aberdeen Wings to a 2-1 victory over North Iowa to stay undefeated on Friday night. In the first, a early Max Ferkodic goal sent North Iowa to the locker room up 1-0 after 20 minutes. The second brought a whole lot of opportunities, but both goaltenders stood strong, keeping it a 1-0 North Iowa lead after 40 minutes. Early in the third, the tides would change for the Wings, as goals just two minutes apart from Ishan Mittoo and Luke Backel flipped the game on it’s head, and gave Aberdeen a 2-1 lead. North Iowa would storm chance after chance looking for the equalizer, but to no avail, as 34 saves from Damon Cunningham would be the difference maker to seal the deal for Aberdeen, while Kyle Ozgun tallied 43 saves in the losing effort for the Bulls

Austin 2 @ Bismarck 6 - A pair of goals from Jakub Kopecky powered the Bismarck Bobcats to a 6-2 win over the Austin Bruins to continue their undefeated start on Friday night. In the first, Alex Laurenza would get the Bruins started with a power play tally, but just over two minutes later, Keanu Krenn would knot the game at a goal apiece. Just over a minute after that, Jackson Rilei would put the Bruins back up by a goal, and that would be the score after 20 minutes. The second brought just one goal from Evan Hunter to send the game to the second intermission deadlocked at two goals apiece. In the third, goals 63 seconds apart from Kopecky and Matthew Rafalski would break the game open, and just past the midway point of the period, Brendan Ruskowski would tally his fourth of the season, and Kopecky would add the cherry on top with his second of the night with just under three to go on the power play. Tomas Anderson would net 19 saves in the win, while his counterpart Jack Solomon would tally 28 in the losing effort.

Oklahoma 1 @ Odessa 8 - A hat trick, four point night for Zachary Benayon and a five point night for Nick Metelkin powered the Odessa Jackalopes to a 8-1 win over the Oklahoma Warriors on Friday night. In the first, Benayon and Metelkin each began their evening with a goal to put the home side up by a pair after 20 minutes. Just over a minute into the second, Marcus Fechko gave Odessa a three goal lead, and Benayon would add his second at the five-minute mark to put the Jackalopes up four. 47 seconds after, Landon Fleming would cut the lead back to three, but that would be short lived, as with just over three to go in the second, Metelkin would add his second to send Odessa to the locker room up four after 40. In the third, just past the five minute mark, Benayon would complete the hat trick, and with just under five to go, goals twenty seconds apart from Trey Gnetz and Hunter Toms would complete the dominating effort for Odessa. William Karphed would tally 29 saves in the win, and Billy Stuski would tally 20 in the loss.

St. Cloud 3 @ Minot 1 - The St. Cloud Norsemen defeated the Minot Minotauro by a final score of 3-1 on Friday night.In the first, Tyler Wishart and Wes Berg would both tally for the Norsemen to give the visitors a two goal lead after 20. The second would have plenty of chances, but nine saves for Beck Liden and 10 for Lukas Swedin sent the game to the second intermission with the Norsemen still holding the two goal lead. Just before the five minute mark of the third, John Small would cut the Minotauro deficit in half, but Sam Kartch would net his first NAHL goal to seal the deal for the Norsemen. Liden would tally 27 saves in the win, while Swedin would net 19 in the losing effort.

Lone Star 4 @ El Paso 1 - The Lone Star Brahmas continued their winning streak, winning their sixth straight game, defeating the El Paso Rhinos by a final score of 4-1 on Friday night.The first period brought some chances, but strong goaltending kept the game deadlocked after 20 minutes. In the second, Elias Kumlin netted his first NAHL goal to break the scoreless tie just over five minutes in, but just over two minutes later, Jacob Solano would tie the game on the man advantage, and one goal apiece would be the score after 40 minutes. Early in the third, Camden Prier would be the eventual hero, and Anthony Capello and Charlie Emmons would add a goal each, and Lone Star would continue their hot start.

Kenai River 2 @ Anchorage 3 - The Anchorage Wolverines defeated the Kenai River Brown Bears by a final score of 3-2 in the Wolverines home opener on Friday night. The lone goal of the first period would belong to the home side, as Jakub Bednarik would net his first NAHL goal to put the home side up a goal after 20 minutes. In the second, Daniel Bagnole would net a shorthanded goal to double the Wolverines lead, but just under two minutes later, William Esterbrooks would net his first NAHL goal to cut the deficit back to a goal, where it would be at the break. In the third, Brock Devlin would net his second to give the Wolverines the two goal lead once again. Thomas Gunderson would cut that lead back with just over 10 minutes to go, but the Wolverines would hold on to the lead to win their home opener.

Janesville 4 @ Fairbanks 2 - Two goals from Christian Venticinque powered the Janesville Jets to a 4-2 win over the Fairbanks Ice Dogs on Friday night. In the first, Grady Magner would tally his fourth of the year to put Janesville up a goal after 20 minutes. In the second, goals four minutes apart from Venticinque and Jayar Luedke tripled the Jets lead to four goals after 40. In the third, Fairbanks would make it interesting with goals three minutes apart from Ian Norkevicus and Bradley Stieduhar, but Venticinque would seal the deal with an empty net goal to complete the Jets win. 

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