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Streak Continues With Sweep

January 14, 2013 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Wichita Falls Wildcats News Release


The Wildcats' extended their winning streak to three games with a sweep of the Odessa Jackalopes over the weekend, taking home victories of 6-2 and 9-3 on Friday and Saturday respectively. Five different players had multi-point games on Friday, while Sami Salminen had a hat trick on Saturday.

Friday started off surprisingly slowly as neither team managed any scoring in the opening period, but the Wildcats brought the heat in the second, starting with defenseman Chris Knudson picking up his second goal of the season for a 1-0 lead for the 'Cats. Exactly ten minutes later, Colin Staub knocked one home to extend the lead to 2-0. The final five minutes of the second kept the official scorers busy as even after the Staub goal, each team would add one more-- Odessa got on the board with Anthony Olguin scoring 13 seconds later, followed by the Wildcats regaining a two-goal lead as Sami Salminen scored his first on the weekend with 1:07 left in the middle frame.

The momentum of the late scoring kept rolling into the early part of the third as Ben Kucera and Matt Robinson each scored for a 5-1 lead. The Jackalopes got one back as leading scorer Lawrence Cornellier got in on a shorthanded breakaway and cut the Jackalopes' deficit back to four goals, but Nick Farmer added a redirection on the power play late for his second of the season, capping off a 6-2 win. Evan Cowley stopped 19 of 21 shots in net for the Wildcats. At the other end, Nick Deery was pelted with 47 shots, making 41 saves.

Five power play goals helped the Wildcats to their 9-3 victory on Saturday. Odessa got on the board first as Lawrence Cornellier put them up 1-0 only four minutes into the game. The lead would be their only one of the weekend, and short-lived to boot. Will Vosejpka tied the game a minute and a half later, followed by a pair of Salminen power play goals for a 3-1 lead.

Odessa kept it interesting to start the second, as the period began remarkably similarly to the opener: this time it was Anthony Olguin capitalizing just over four minutes in, making it a 3-2 game, followed a minute later by Wildcats' captain Patrick Yudez getting it back, his first goal since returning from injury a week ago. Tyler Ledford added a power play goal less than two minutes later for a 5-2 lead, and an end to the night for Odessa netminder Phil Heinle. He faced 30 shots (over a shot per minute), making 25 saves. The goaltending change and a fight between Colin Staub and Johan Sjoden sparked the Jackalopes briefly, as Cornellier struck for his third goal of the weekend, but the offense would end there for them. Cooper Cook came in to replace Cowley (who shut down 9 of 12 shots faced), and the Wichita Falls defense only let four shots get on Cook the rest of the game, all of which he stopped. At the offensive end, the onslaught continued as George Pagonis and Kyle Bauman scored 39 seconds apart, and the Wildcats led 7-3 through 40 minutes.

While it would be easy to just sit back on a four-goal cushion, the Wildcats kept pushing for more, outshooting the Jackalopes 16-2 in the third, and getting Bauman's second of the night only four minutes into the period, followed by Salminen's hat trick goal midway through the final frame for the 9-3 final. The 9 goals are the most scored by the Wildcats since they hung 9 on the board in a 9-4 win over Texas on February 27, 2010, and their 52 shots on goal are the first time they have broken the half-century mark in the 2012-13 season.

The Wildcats will try to continue their hot streak with four games coming up this week: two at home against Corpus Christi, two on the road in Topeka.

WEEKEND NOTES: The Wildcats were active on the transaction wire this week, trading forward Corey Schafer to Johnstown for defenseman Kristaps Bazevics. Bazevics made his debut Saturday. Released were defenseman Robson Cramer and forward Oliver Janzen, while defenseman Brian LeBlanc was acquired from the USHL's Chicago Steel. He was a +6 with an assist in his first weekend with the Wildcats... Tyler Ledford had the team's first Gordie Howe Hat Trick of the season (a goal, an assist, and a fighting major in the same game) on Saturday. The last player to have one with the Wildcats was Tanner Fahlstedt in 2011... Cooper Cook's relief appearance in net was his first game since December 1.

NAHL SOUTH NOTES: Typical of Topeka lately, they split their weekend series out in Amarillo, winning 4-3 in a shootout on Friday and losing 7-2 on Saturday... The Wildcats' southerly neighbors, the Texas Tornado, did the 'Cats some good, sweeping the Corpus Christi IceRays in a two-game weekend series. The Wildcats now trail the fourth place IceRays by 7 points with the start of a pivotal two-game set coming tomorrow.

BACK TO BACK?: Last week Conor O'Neil did indeed win the NAHL South Division Star of the week honors, as well as KFDX 3 Sports' Athlete of the week. Could Sami Salminen be in the running for it this week? Keep an eye out at NAHL.com!

Scouting the Corpus Christi IceRays, January 15-16; Topeka Roadrunners, January 18-19

The Wildcats wrap up their homestand with their lone mid-week series of the season, taking on the Corpus Christi IceRays on Tuesday and Wednesday before hitting the road for a Friday-Saturday series in Topeka.

The 'Cats have faced the IceRays four times this season, going 3-1. They won a pair of shootouts to kick off the home schedule back in September before splitting a series down south in October, dropping a 7-2 game and winning a 4-2 score. Eliot Grauer has averaged a point per game against the IceRays this year, and Kyle Bauman has added three goals of his own. Three IceRays have put up more than a point per game against the Wildcats-Ian McGilvrey, Perry D'Arrisso, and Rudy Sulmonte each have 5 points in the four games so far. D'Arrisso leads them in all offensive categories: 40 points, 23 assists, and a tie for the team lead in goals with Rudy Sulmonte (17 each). The additions of Ben Myers and Hayden Stewart have helped solidify the shaky goaltending the IceRays had early on.

The Wildcats are 2-2 against Topeka, splitting each of the two-game series the teams have played this year. Conor O'Neil has 7 points in those four games, including a hat trick back on January 5. Will Vosejpka has three assists against the Roadrunners, tops on the team. For Topeka, Sean Gaffney leads in scoring against the 'Cats with 8 points in four games. Tyler Andrew has three goals for the Roadrunners in those four games as well. Goaltender Spencer Viele has been a brick wall against much of the NAHL (16-5-2, 2.15 GAA, .925 save percentage), but the Wildcats have torched him for 9 goals in 133 minutes (4.06 GAA, .859 save percentage).

Upcoming Wildcats' Events

BUY TUESDAY, GET WEDNESDAY FREE! Come to two games this week for the price of one! The Wildcats face the Corpus Christi Ice Rays on Tuesday, and if you buy tickets for that game, you can see the rematch on Wednesday for free! Get yours now at the Kay Yeager Coliseum box office: 940-716-5587.

We're on the air! Join us for the Wildcats' Coaches' Radio Show at our new show host, El Mejicano on Wednesdays 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. All in attendance wearing a Wildcats' jersey will get 20% off! Please note we will not have a show this Wednesday due to the game against Corpus Christi, but we will be back on the air on Wednesday, January 23.

Help those in need, and see a game free! Bring five non-perishable food items to the Wildcats' office and get a voucher for a free ticket to the Wildcats game against Texas on January 25! All food donated goes to benefit the Wichita Falls Food Bank.

Get out on the ice! We have our open skating schedule on the Games and Ice Events tab at WFWildcatsHockey.com. 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.

Become a fan on Facebook! Get all our updates at http://www.facebook.com/WFWildcats

And don't forget to follow us on Twitter @WFWildcats!

Alumni Report

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE

With the lockout resolved and the puck set to drop on January 19, we'll keep you updated on the whereabouts of Dan Sexton, who is still under contract with the Anaheim Ducks. He played briefly in January with their AHL affiliate in Norfolk, tallying an assist in 5 games.

AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE

Chad Costello is making the most of this his fourth career AHL callup. In six games with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, he has a goal and six assists, including three helpers in Sunday's 5-4 win over Albany.

Cal Heeter picked up his second win in a row on Friday, stopping 44 of 46 shots in Adirondack's 3-2 shootout win over Binghamton. Cal was also a perfect 5 for 5 in the shootout.

NCAA DIVISION 1

Kyle Delaurell had a natural hat trick on Friday in Air Force's 4-1 win over Army. He also had the game-tying marker in their 3-3 tie against the Black Knights on Saturday.

Brett Hartung had a goal in Bentley's 3-0 win over RIT Friday.

Dakota Klecha scored what would prove to be the game-winning goal on Saturday as Ferris State beat Ohio State 3-1.

Brian Sheehan had a goal and an assist on Saturday as Sacred Heart lost 6-3 to Canisius.

NCAA DIVISION 3

Brandon Stroud had two goals and two assists for Western New England in losses to Utica and Skidmore.

Alex Brooks had a goal and two assists for Wisconsin-Stevens Point in a weekend split with St. Scholastica.

Adam Cardwell tallied four goals and an assist as Wisconsin-River Falls took it to Wisconsin-Stout in a pair over the weekend.

Chris Leone scored twice, including the game-winner over Geneseo on Tuesday as Adrian went 1-0-2 over the weekend.

Those two ties came against Lawrence, where Renato Engler picked up four assists in the pair of games.

Erick Cinotti stopped 25 of 26 shots for Castleton in Tuesday's 2-1 victory over Plymouth State.

Matt Kenline had a goal and an assist for Salem State as they eked out a 4-3 victory over New England College on Tuesday,

EUROPE

Congratulations to former Wildcats' head coach Mike Flanagan! After winning the AHL's Calder Cup last season as assistant coach of the Norfolk Admirals, this year he was head coach of the HC Valpellice Bulldogs, who won the Coppa Italia-Italy's version of the Stanley Cup-with a 7-3 win over Alleghe on Sunday.

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North American Hockey League Stories from January 14, 2013


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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