Topeka Takes 2-0 Series Lead Over Texas
Published on April 8, 2012 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Topeka Pilots News Release
The Topeka RoadRunners fought tooth and nail to claim home ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs over the final weeks of the regular season. The challenge then became to protect that advantage once the series began. The RoadRunners accomplished that feat by taking a 2-0 series lead by defeating Texas 4-2 in Game 2 of their best-of-five series on Saturday night in Landon Arena.
Game 1 ended with an overtime Jake Lynes wrister that went "bar down" on the blocker side of Hunter Leisner. Game 2 scoring began in similar fashion as Lynes bested Leisner again, this time on the glove side from the right circle at 14:59 of the opening frame and Topeka led 1-0 after the first period.
The first two goal lead of the series came early in the second when Sean Gaffney snapped a hard shot past Leisner at 3:08 and the 'Runners seemed to be in control. Texas got on the board with a power play goal at the 8:00 mark as a Mychal Monteith shot deflected past Peter Traber, then tied it up at 2:22 of the third period on a pretty passing play between Mitchell McPherson and Drew Mayer that Mayer tipped between Traber's pad on an odd man rush. The 'Runners retook the lead when Dan Dupell banked a pass off the right wing wall up to Luke Veitch at the point, and Veitch flung a shot that Jake Lynes redirected up high for a 3-2 lead with 7:26 remaining in the game. As time wound down, Texas pulled goalie Joakim Jutras (who replaced Leisner after the Gaffney goal) with 1:10 left but Kyle Sharkey found the empty net at 19:49 to seal the win. Peter Traber stopped 20 Texas shots to claim his second postseason win.
Topeka has a 2-0 series lead and can advance to the Division Finals for the fifth straight year with one more win as the series shifts to Texas for Game 3 on Thursday April 12, and if necessary a Game 4 on Friday April 13. All games can be heard live with Arch Ecker on countrylegends1069.com and are available on pay-per-view at FASThockey.com.
North American Hockey League Stories from April 8, 2012
- Topeka Takes 2-0 Series Lead Over Texas - Topeka Pilots
- Series Shifts to Alaska - Wenatchee Wild
- Bulls Fall to Jackalopes as Odessa Evens Series - Amarillo Bulls
- Jacks Crush Bulls 5-1 - Odessa Jackalopes
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