Friday Finals: The Rhinos Continue Their Dominance on Home Ice

Photo Credit: Jesse Morrison

Maine 1 @ Elmira 2 - The Elmira Aviators earned a 2-1 win against the Maine Nordiques on Friday night at the LeCom Events Center, using a strong third-period push to secure the win. After a scoreless first period and a scoreless second period, both teams carried momentum into the third period while continuing to generate shots and control the puck. Elmira opened the scoring with 5:45 left in the third period when Luke Rubin recorded a power-play goal thanks to assists by Andrew Horn and Max Campbell. The Aviators added another goal at 3:54 when Cael Primanti scored, assisted by Matt Maglio and Maximus McGuire, giving Elmira a two-goal lead. Maine responded at 1:43 when Joe Gasperko scored his sixth of the season with an assist from Austin Borggaard. The Nordiques continued to generate opportunities late in the third period and finished the night with 44 shots, but the Aviators held strong to secure the win. Goaltender Aiden McKenna made 43 saves on 44 shots for Elmira. Lukas Fursten made 26 saves on 28 shots for Maine. With the win, Elmira improved to 8-10-1-0 while Maine moved to 12-4-1-1.

Johnstown 1 @ Philadelphia 4 - Johnstown heads to the Hollydell Ice Arena looking to extend their winning ways into this weekend, while Philadelphia is looking to bounce back after being swept last weekend. The matchup kicked off with the Rebels scoring first, thanks to a tally by third-year veteran Charlie Spencer, finding the back of the net in the first frame. The Rebels had the 1-0 edge moving into the first intermission. The second period kicked off with Philadelphia’s Justin Vlassis scoring his first of the season at the 16:19 minute mark. The captain for Johnstown, Nick Jarmain, tallies his 15th of the season with a goal on the man advantage to cut the Rebels’ lead in half. However, Philadelphia responds with another goal in the frame when Marshall Swanson finds the back of the net for the first time this season at the 3:22 minute mark. Heading into the final 20 minutes, the Rebels have a 3-1 lead. Philadelphia would continue the scoring when Alex Lunski notched his fifth of the year to give the Rebels a 4-1 victory. Between the pipes for Philadelphia, Luc Beauparlant turns aside 27 out of 28 shots, securing a win in the blue paint.

New Jersey 4 @ Maryland 1 - The New Jersey Titans took a 4-1 win against the Maryland Black Bears on Friday night at Piney Orchard Ice Arena, recording goals in all three periods. New Jersey opened the first period with a goal at 17:06 when Kristofers Krumins scored his seventh of the season with assists from Tate Pecknold and Matt Hanscom. The Titans extended their lead early in the second period when Nikolas Doumas scored at 5:56, with assists from Archer Brown and Owen Leahy. In the third period, Arseniy Zharikov scored at 13:21 with assists from Skogen Schrott and Nikolai Meshkantsov to make it a three-goal game. Maryland responded at 8:15 when Jaden Sikura recorded a power-play goal assisted by Liam Doherty and Trey Hinton. New Jersey added an empty-net goal at 2:05 when Doumas scored his second of the night. Goaltender Tyler Rounds made 30 saves on 31 shots for the Titans. Dom Gatto made 18 saves on 21 shots for the Black Bears. With the result, New Jersey improved to 10-5-1-2, while Maryland moved to 15-3-1-1.

Rochester 5 @ Northeast 3 -The Rochester Jr. Americans faced the Northeast Generals at Canton Ice Center, where they earned a decisive 5-3 victory. The Jr. Americans got a point on the board first after Michal Tkac found the back of the net in the opening frame. The Generals responded in the second period with a goal by Owen O’Rear, but Rochester earned their lead back with a goal scored by Konner Powell. Alec Hall and Kody Moyer each earned points for Northeast to kick off the final frame, giving them a one-point lead. However, Rochester responded with three more tallies to end the contest: Owen King, Colin Dustin, and Michael Sandruck each found the back of the net to help give the Jr. Americans a 5-3 win. Jensen Carlstrom defended Rochester with 20 saves for the night, and Will Mizenko earned 28 saves in net for Northeast.

Watertown 4 @ Minnesota M 2 - In an exciting matchup at Forest Lake Sport Center, the Watertown Shamrocks defeated the Minnesota Mallards 4-2. Watertown got on the board first in the opening frame with a goal from Owen Fask. The Mallards responded in the second frame, when Pacey Adduono scored his first goal of the season to tie things up. Minnesota’s Joseph DeLaurentis took the lead with an unassisted goal to start the final frame, but less than a minute later, Watertown would respond. Owen Chartier notched a power-play goal to tie the game for the Shamrocks, and Junior Podein and Justin Obrochta wrapped up the offensive play with two more goals, ending the night with a score of 4-2. Watertown’s Mason Gudridge had a productive night in net with 31 saves, and Cody Niesen defended Minnesota in net with 18 saves.

Aberdeen 1 @ Austin 4 - These Central Division foes meet for an exciting matchup between the first and third-place teams in the division, with both teams looking to add four points on the weekend. The Wings are led by Matthew Martin with an impressive 25 points in 15 games. The Bruins have the exciting brother duo of Siamion and Matsvei Marshchanok, who both lead the team in points. Both teams began the first period trading chances back and forth, but both goaltenders stood tall, turning away all chances for both teams. The second period would continue with back-and-forth action, with Willum Braun of the Wings turning away 26 shots in two periods and Jack Solomon of the Bruins turning away 20 shots. With the second period ending 0-0, we had set ourselves up for an exciting third period. Austin wasted no time in the third, scoring just 13 seconds into the period with EJ Paddington netting his fifth of the season. The Bruins were not done quite yet.  With less than a minute later, Hugo Thulin added his second of the season, giving the Bruins the 2-0 lead early into the period. The game calmed back down with both teams trading chances and the Wings trying to score a goal of their own. Their luck would turn on the power play with Jibber Kuhl scoring a goal assisted by Gavin Reed and Caden Lee, bringing the game to 2-1. The Bruins, however, were quick to answer with Zander Lipsett netting his seventh of the season at the 8:39 mark. Aberdeen would continue to have chances in the third, but Solomon stood tall, turning away 37 of 38 shots in the game. Connor Beckwith would add the final tally with just 13 seconds remaining to bring the game to 4-1. These two teams will face off tonight, with the Bruins looking to add another win

Chippewa 3 @ Janesville 4 (OT) - The Midwest Division brings an exciting matchup between the Jets and the Steel, with the Steel looking to snap a three-game losing streak. The Jets have been consistent this year, with Grant Dillard and Joseph Hyten tied with 15 points on the season. The Steel are led by Quinnipiac commit Kevin Kysohir with an impressive eight points in 12 games in his rookie season. The game started with fast-paced action from the Jets with numerous chances in the first period. The Steel were still looking for their footing in the first, getting only three shots, but Max Kogler was able to turn away all 14 shots for the Jets. The first period would end 0-0 with both teams looking to gain the lead going into the second. The Steel would earn an early power play to start the period, but Joseph Hyten of the Jets would spoil it, scoring a short-handed goal, giving the Jets the 1-0 lead. Once the power play expired, Joc Bukovec of the Steel would tie the game up 1-1 with 12:17 left in the period. The second period would end 1-1, with the Steel only getting two shots in the whole period, while the Jets had 13. With the third period starting, both teams were eager to take the lead. Sammy Smith would give the Jets a 2-1 lead at the 16:41 mark of the third. The Steel were quick to answer, less than a minute later, with Lukas Bellinger scoring his 5th of the season unassisted. The Jets and the Steel continued to trade chances back and forth, but neither team gave up a goal. The Jets would earn a power play, and Nathan Tobey would capitalize, giving them a 3-2 lead with only 9 minutes remaining in the game. Chippewa would battle for a chance to tie the game to no avail until a late power play was awarded on a slashing minor, giving the Steel a chance to tie the game. With just 1:25 remaining, Bellinger would score his second of the game on the power play, sending the game into overtime. Each team only had one shot in the frame, with Sean Truby ultimately scoring the game-winner for the Jets, ending the game 4-3. These two teams face off again at the Mercy Health Arena tonight in what should be another exciting matchup.

North Iowa 1 @ Bismarck 5  - The Central Division brings the Bobcats and Bulls together for a fast-paced and hard-hitting game this Friday night. Both teams could see movement in the standings after this weekend, with four points up for grabs. The Bobcats hold an 8-2-0-0 record in their last 10 games, while the Bulls sit at 4-5-0-1. The first period began with both teams trading chances back and forth. The Bobcats would kill off an early hooking penalty, setting themselves up for a power play of their own. George Poirier would score on the power play, giving the Bobcats the lead heading into the first intermission. The second period would begin the same as the first, with the Bobcats killing off another penalty successfully. Just under a minute after the penalty expired, Michael Malatino would score for the Bulls, bringing the game to 1-1. The Bobcats were not done in the period quite yet, with Charlie Kresl scoring an unassisted power-play goal to give the Bobcats the 2-1 lead heading into intermission. The third would start right where the Bobcats left off, in less than a minute, Cooper Williams would score his 12th of the season. The offensive firepower was too much for the Bulls to handle, with Trey Fredenberg scoring to bring the game to 4-1. The Bulls would continue to have chances, but with Dane Callaway in the net, the Bobcats turned away all seven shots in the period. With just two minutes left in the period, Williams would add his second tally of the game, bringing the lead to 5-1 to finish the game. The Bobcats completed a commanding victory. Cooper Williams would earn first-star honors, scoring two goals. These two teams face off tomorrow night, with North Iowa looking to bounce back from a tough game.

Odessa 3 @ New Mexico 4 - The New Mexico Ice Wolves returned home to the Outpost Ice Arena in front of 1,150 fans, earning a hard-fought 4–3 win over the Odessa Jackalopes. The Ice Wolves jumped out to an early lead when Brock Fairbanks redirected a shot in front of the net off a setup from Sloan Farmer. Just minutes later, Oskar Edberg capitalized on a loose puck in front after a point shot from Farmer, giving New Mexico a 2–0 lead to close out the first period. The second period brought plenty of action as Sean Gibbons opened the scoring for the Ice Wolves, tallying his first goal of the night and giving Sloan Farmer his third assist of the game. The Jackalopes answered back when Jeremy Jacobs found space in the slot and fired home Odessa’s first goal, cutting the deficit to 3–1. New Mexico quickly regained momentum, with Anton Malyshev sliding a perfect pass across the crease to Sean Gibbons, who buried his second goal of the game to restore the three-goal lead. Odessa responded with a late-period push, as Melker Lovenlund worked the puck behind the net and set up Nicholas Puricelli for a quick finish with just 11 seconds left in the frame, making it 4–2 heading into the third. The Jackalopes kept fighting in the third period, as Caden Ghiossi scored off an assist from Alex Thomas to bring Odessa within one. Despite the late pressure, the Ice Wolves held strong to close out the 4–3 victory on home ice. Kevin Jones stopped 24 shots in net for Odessa, while Conner Roff made 19 saves to secure the win for New Mexico.

St. Cloud 3 @ Minot 4 - The St. Cloud Norsemen looked to bounce back this weekend against the Minot Minotauros after a tough overtime loss last week to the Tauros. This time, the Norsemen hit the road to take on Minot on their home ice. The Minotauros wasted no time getting on the board, striking just 25 seconds into the opening period. Artem Prima fired a shot high from the slot, and after a quick deflection attempt from Braeden Jockims, Mario Fate buried the loose puck to give Minot an early 1–0 lead. St. Cloud responded early in the second period, capitalizing on a power play within the first five minutes. Gabe Gallivan sent a shot from the point that found Alex Sandhu down low, who fed Gabriel Bugeaud for the tap-in to tie the game 1–1. Minot regained the lead midway through the period when Ty James battled along the boards and found Brady Zugec behind the net. Zugec wrapped it around and connected with Chase Pavlesich at the far post, who buried it to make it 2–1 heading into the final frame. The third period brought plenty of action, as both teams traded goals in quick succession. Minot extended their lead with back-to-back goals in the opening ten minutes. Dominic Pajkic scored first, assisted by Artem Prima and Mario Fate, followed by a beautiful redirection goal from Brady Zugec off a point shot from Michael Solominsky to make it 4–1. But St. Cloud didn’t go down without a fight. Less than a minute later, William Esterbrooks found the back of the net with help from Alex Sandhu and Gabe Gallivan to cut the deficit to 4–2. Moments after, Samuel Misak added another goal for the Norsemen off assists from Riley Fast and Cole Bies, making it a one-goal game. Despite a strong push from St. Cloud in the closing minutes, Minot held on for the 4–3 win. Beck Liden finished with 29 saves for the Norsemen, while Devin Rustile turned aside 30 shots to secure the victory for the Minot Minotauros.

Minnesota W 4 @ Wisconsin 6 - The Wisconsin Windigo took on division-leading Minnesota Wilderness in a close contest that saw Minnesota outshoot Wisconsin 45-43. However, it was Wisconsin’s early dominance of the game that ultimately secured a win for the home crowd. Ronnie Hill got Wisconsin started with a goal late in the first, and the lead doubled with a power-play goal from Ryan Mottau shortly after. Mottau kept the streak going for Wisconsin into the second, with Michael Ryan and Theodore Richardson extending Wisconsin’s further. The Windigo were set to end the second 5-0 until Deegan Hoffbauer found the back of Wisconsin’s net with just one second left in the period, getting Minnesota on the board. The Wilderness started the final 20 minutes with three consecutive goals. These tallies came from Caleb Kim, Jackson Knight, and Avery Anderson. Richardson, assisted by Hill and Ryan, sealed the deal for the Windigo with an empty netter, just thirty seconds before the buzzer, to give Wisconsin a 6-4 win.

Corpus Christi 4  @ El Paso 5 (OT) - In a game of swinging momentum, it was the El Paso Rhinos that came out on top, earning a 5-4 overtime win. Ethan Woolcott, assisted by Troy Hunka, opened the scoring for the Rhinos with an early goal. Woolcott is having a strong season with El Paso, currently averaging around a point per game. Corpus Christi answered back with a goal from Islom Dzhabberganov to leave the teams tied 1-1 going into the middle frame. Gaige Giblin scored the only goal of the second, assisted by Kamden Kaiser, to give the Rhinos a lead. El Paso’s Charles Turner scored another early in the third to extend that lead to 3-1. The IceRays found their rhythm late in the third, netting three goals in under five minutes from Marc-Alexandre Richard, Sam Troutwine, and Chase Nehring. The Rhinos responded with a late goal from Ian Kastamo to force overtime, where Tommy Shore secured El Paso’s 5-4 victory.

Springfield 3 @ Anchorage 5 - The Jr. Blues make their second trip to Alaska, facing off with the Wolverines for the first time this season. The matchup kicks off with Anchorage’s hometown kid, Jason Bourdukosky, burying a goal at the 8:49 minute mark. Less than two minutes later, Springfield’s Owen Lowe evens the score 1-1. The second frame features the Wolverines’ leading scorer, Luc Bydal, tallying his 12th goal of the season. Following shortly behind him, the captain, Cole Frawner, finds the back of the net to give his hometown team the 3-1 lead. Moving into the final 20 minutes of play, the Jr. Blues were hungry to tighten up the matchup. Springfield’s Joey Mugaas tallies his first goal of the season at the 6:22 minute mark, helping to get the Jr. Blues within one. Following behind him, Lukas Wallinheimo evens the score around the two-minute mark for Springfield. The Wolverines got to work and responded quickly. Union College commit Bowen Burke scores the game-winning goal at the 1:14 minute mark for Anchorage. Following shortly behind him, Luc Bydal scores his second of the contest, this time with an empty-netter for the Wolverines. Anchorage walks away with a 5-3 victory thanks to late-game heroics by the Wolverines.

Fairbanks 1 @ Kenai River 4 - The Brown Bears play host to the Ice Dogs for the start of a two-game set. Kenai River was looking for their first win over Fairbanks this season, with the Ice Dogs being 3-0 against the Brown Bears. The first period was scoreless, as both teams traded chances to score. Heading into the second frame, Kenai River lights the lamp first and quickly in the middle period. Joe Gillespie notches a goal at the 19:25 minute mark to give the Brown Bears the 1-0 lead. Later on in the period, Thomas Gunderson doubled Kenai River’s lead. Heading into the final frame, Fairbanks lit the lamp for the first time in the matchup thanks to a tally by Ice Dogs’ veteran, Kyle Rohrer. The Brown Bears would respond to Fairbanks cutting their lead in half with two more goals themselves. Anthony McIntosh finds the back of the net first at the 4:50 minute mark. Not far behind him, Parker Newman notches a goal with 29 seconds on the clock to give the Brown Bears a 4-1 win. The Ice Dogs were running a seven-game win streak that the Brown Bears snapped last night.