Kalamazoo, Port Huron open playoffs with wins
Springfield 1 @ Kalamazoo 7 (Kalamazoo leads best of three series, 1-0)
The Kalamazoo Jr. K-Wings were paced by seven goals, as they handled the Springfield Jr. Blues by a score of 7-1 in game one of the best-of-three North Division Quarterfinals. Kalamazoo was able to explode out to an early lead in the first. Starting at the 9:15 mark of the first, Danny Hamburg sprang on a loose puck and was able to give the Jr. K-Wings an important 1-0 lead. Mac McDonnell extended the lead to 2-0 on a 3 on1 goal. The lead quickly swelled to 3-0 as this time it was Paddy Spellacy carrying in on the odd man rush and ripping a wrister past Springfield goalie, Matt Leon. The Jr. K-Wings stuck to their ways into period number two, as their offensive attack was just getting started. Taylor Burden got the scoring underway in the second with a quick wrist shot that beat Leon, and gave Kalamazoo a 4-0 lead. Just over five minutes later, Kalamazoo added to their already commanding lead as Luc Boby scored. Adding to the lead moments later was Robbie Payne to make it 6-0 and McDonnell scored his second goal of the game on a breakaway to give Kalamazoo a 7-0 lead to take into the third period. The Jr. Blues wouldn’t be blanked for the entire sixty minutes, as Jack Sloan pocketed his first of the playoffs with a heavy slap shot from the blue line that beat Kalamazoo goalie Marcus Due-Boje. Boxscore
Johnstown 0 @ Port Huron 3 (Port Huron leads best of three series, 1-0)
Max Milosek made 22 saves to shut out the Johnstown Tomahawks and lead the Fighting Falcons to victory in Game One of the divisional play-in round of the 2013 NAHL Robertson Cup Playoffs. Ryan Nick, Mitch Maloney, and Rick DeRosa powered the offense for Port Huron. All three goals came in the third period after the solid defensive start to the game. The first period saw both teams with a few chances, but Chris Truehl and Max Milosek held their ground to keep the game scoreless. Port Huron had an early power-play opportunity that was killed off by Johnstown. The second period was much of the same as the defensive battle continued. Port Huron had an early two-on-one opportunity, but Truehl swept the puck off to the corner. The Tomahawks got their first power play of the game, but the Fighting Falcons applied the pressure and killed it off. The scoring broke open in the third when DeRosa shot the puck to the net shorthanded. The puck then bounced off the skate of Ryan Nick and in behind Truehl. The referees conferred about the goal but deemed that it was not kicked in. Less than two minutes later Dan Dupell shot the puck towards the net and Maloney was there to poke home the rebound. With under two minutes to go, Johnstown pulled Truehl for the extra attacker. DeRosa cashed in on the empty net to seal the victory for the Fighting Falcons, 3-0. Boxscore
Click here for the 2013 Robertson Cup Playoff Bracket and Schedule
