Wildcats finish 2011 with a win
Published on January 3, 2012 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Wichita Falls Wildcats News Release
After a largely forgettable 8-3 loss in Amarillo on Wednesday, the Wildcats traveled to Corpus Christi to finish off the 2011 calendar year and picked up a split. Corpus Christi won Friday 3-2, and the Wildcats took Saturday's match 2-1.
Friday night's game started out strong for the Wildcats, as they scored the lone goal of the opening period. Tanner Fahlstedt got hauled down on a shorthanded breakaway opportunity leading to a penalty shot, which he flipped high glove side on goalie Anthony Stolarz for a 1-0 lead. But the second period went to the Ice Rays, as they scored twice, including the go-ahead goal on a power play midway through the period.
The Ice Rays extended their lead to 3-1 two minutes into the third period, but the Wildcats mounted a late comeback effort with Nick Szopinski cutting the game to a one-goal deficit. However, a late penalty cost the Wildcats a chance to pull the goalie for an extra attacker until the final fifteen seconds, and the Ice Rays held on for the win. New goalie Jojo Jeanetta stopped 23 of 26 shots for the Wildcats.
On Saturday, a slow start didn't derail the Wildcats as they came back for a 2-1 win to close out 2011. Corpus Christi got on the board first in a remarkably quiet first period, as Michael Dery scored with just over five minutes to play for a 1-0 Corpus Christi lead. The teams combined for only 12 shots on goal and no penalties. The penalty-free period was only the second in 54 periods played between the two teams that no one went to the box.
The Wildcats tied things back up early in period number two, as Tanner Fahlstedt scored his second goal of the weekend, aided by Brad Shumway and Renato Engler. Corpus Christi again outshot the Wildcats in the second period, but Matt Leon was near-perfect in net, stopping 14 of 14 in the second and 30 of 31 in the game as a whole.
The game stayed tied until late in the third, as Renato Engler's attempted cross-crease pass bounced off a defenseman and past Stolarz for a 2-1 lead. Fahlstedt picked up an assist to go with his earlier goal. The Wildcats defense shut down the Ice Rays late, including on a defensive-zone faceoff with four seconds left and the Corpus Christi net empty for the victory.
The Wildcats play at home for only one of their next five games-Saturday, January 14 against Texas. The Cats hit the road this weekend for two games in New Mexico.
WEEKEND NOTES: Jeanetta played earlier this season with NCAA Division 3 St. Scholastica and is a native of Duluth, MN. Saturday's win was the first win in regulation to close out a calendar year in Wildcats' history. The only other calendar-closing win came in overtime over Topeka in 2008. Fahlstedt's goal was the first for the Wildcats on a penalty shot since Grant Everett did it in a 4-2 win over Topeka on October 6, 2007.
Preview: Wildcats vs. New Mexico, January 6-7
The Wildcats kick off 2012 with a pair of games out west as they face the New Mexico Mustangs on Friday and Saturday. The Wildcats have struggled with the Mustangs this season, going 1-2 out at the Santa Ana StarCenter. They won on November 18 by a 2-1 score, before losing the next two nights 5-4 and 3-2 respectively.
Adam Barlow and Chris Pontello are the Wildcats' offensive leaders against New Mexico this season. Barlow has 4 assists, while Pontello has two goals. For the Mustangs, Charles Baldwin continues to be a Wildcat killer with three goals against them this season. In 72 career NAHL games, Baldwin has 28 goals, but 12 of those goals have come in just 14 games against Wichita Falls.
Upcoming Wildcats' Events
We're on the air! Join us for the Wildcats' Coaches' Radio Show at P2 The Deuce downtown on Tuesdays at 7 pm. The Voice of the Wildcats, Drew Pelto, will interview the Wildcats' coaches and your favorite Wildcats' players. If you can't get to the show, tune in on the radio at 7:30 pm on 94.9, KOLI, The Outlaw. We're back on the air tonight!
Adult hockey and open skating: Check WFWildcatsHockey.com for the schedule under the Games and Ice Events tab! We also offer birthday party packages at a Wildcats game or an open skating session. Any questions about our ice programs? Contact Sarah Scrivner in the Wildcats office.
Alumni Report
NORTH AMERICAN PRO LEAGUES
Chad Costello, the ECHL's leading scorer, has been called up to the AHL's Springfield Falcons, the top-level minor league affiliate of the Phoenix Coyotes. Last season, he played briefly with the AHL's Lake Erie Monsters.
A couple other Wildcats players made their 2011-12 ECHL debuts in the past week. Anthony Iaquinto was briefly called up by the Toledo Walleye, while Chris Nutini got into a game with the Utah Grizzlies.
Adam Kuhn had his first career multi-point game with two assists in the Pensacola Ice Flyers' 3-2 win over the Mississippi Surge. Apparently he liked it so much that he did it again the next night, picking up a goal and an assist in a 4-3 win over the Mississippi Surge. Through 22 games in the SPHL, Kuhn has 2 goals and 5 assists, and is third in the league with 90 PIM.
COLLEGE, DIVISION 1
Luke Salazar had two goals and added an assist in Denver's 7-1 over Air Force on Saturday.
COLLEGE, DIVISION 3
Erick Cinotti had a pair of 40-save efforts over the weekend as Castleton went 1-1. He stopped 42 of 44 in Friday's 5-2 win over Utica, and stopped 40 of 42 in a loss on Saturday to Plattsburgh.
INTERNATIONAL
Miha Stebih had a goal and two assists for Slovenia at the World Junior Championships. He was the alternate captain for the team as well. Slovenia placed fourth in Division 1A behind Germany, Belarus, and Norway, but ahead of Austria and Great Britain.
Ville Aman is the leading scorer for Huddinge in Sweden's Division 1 pro league. He has 16 goals and 14 assists for 30 points through 27 games.
North American Hockey League Stories from January 3, 2012
- Wildcats finish 2011 with a win - Wichita Falls Wildcats
- Rays Report: IceRays Split to End 2011 - Corpus Christi IceRays
- IceRays Aquire 6'4'' Goaltender, Release Komma - Corpus Christi IceRays
- IceRays Sign Heuser to Tender - Corpus Christi IceRays
- NAHL Announces Combat Hockey 3 Stars of the Week - NAHL
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