Blizzard win two on Montana trip
December 9, 2004 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Alexandria Blizzard News Release
The Minnesota Blizzard traveled to Montana for a series of four games over a five-day span in the past week. The Blizzard returned home with two wins, remaining in third place in the North American Hockey League's West Division.
The trip started with a comeback win in Billings on Wednesday, December 1. Billings took a 4-1 lead into the third period. The Blizzard stormed into the lead, with four goals in the first 10 minutes of the final period. Dan Swanson (Menomonie, Wisconsin), Jake Nelson (Superior, Wisconsin), Paul Henderson (Menomonie, Wisconsin), and Bobby Kuehl (St. Paul, Minnesota) all scored in the four-goal outburst.
After Billings tied the game at 5-5, the two teams skated through five scoreless minutes of overtime. In the shoot-out, Minnesota's Ryan Hawkins (Eden Prairie, Minnesota, pictured above) collected the only goal. He also notched a goal in regulation to go along with two assists. Blizzard goalie Marcus Paulson (Eden Prairie, Minnesota) stopped 35 Billings shots in regulation, plus five more in the shoot-out. Minnesota's 6-5 shoot-out win snapped a two-game losing skid.
On Friday, December 3, the Bozeman IceDogs handed the Blizzard a 4-1 setback. Defenseman Tim Manthey (Anoka, Minnesota) scored his fourth goal of the season, on the power play, early in the second period. However, the IceDogs struck back, with three unanswered goals, two of which came from Filip Macejka. The win was the fourth in succession for Bozeman.
Saturday evening, December 4, the Blizzard matched up with the hottest team in the Division, the Helena Bighorns. Two decisive goals in the final 20 minutes vaulted Helena to a 4-2 win, and gave the Bighorns a 13-0-1 record in their last 14 games. Dan Swanson scored both of the Blizzard goals. Minnesota's chances to halt the Bighorns' unbeaten string was hampered by six penalties in the third period, which put Helena on the power play most of the stanza. Two of Helena's four goals in the game were scored on the power play.
The four-game trip through Montana wrapped up Sunday, December 5, and featured another Blizzard comeback in Billings. After Mike Mayra's goal put the Bulls up early in the second period, the Blizzard countered, with Dan Swanson's power-play goal at 15:45 of the middle period. The game would stay tied, 1-1, until late in regulation. Brian Baker (Brooklyn Park, Minnesota) flipped a nifty pass into the slot, where teammate Scott Motz (Maplewood, Minnesota) slammed home the game-winner, with just 2:37 to go. The goal for Motz was his second of the season, and his first since Opening Night. The 2-1 Minnesota victory at Billings gives the Blizzard a 15-8-2 record for 32 points, just three points back of the Division co-leaders, Helena and Fargo-Moorhead.
Ahead, for the Blizzard: A home game this Saturday, December 11, when the Blizzard will host the Fargo-Moorhead Jets. Fargo-Moorhead leads the season series, having won three of the five match-ups versus the Blizzard. Saturday's game at the Runestone Community Center starts at 7:00 p.m. Then the Blizzard will play four games in four days, starting December 16.
North American Hockey League Stories from December 9, 2004
- Bighorns notch record seventh straight win - Helena Bighorns
- Ringing in the season - Bismarck Bobcats
- Ribiero's breakout weekend earns Sher-Wood NAHL Offensive Player of the Week honors - Springfield Jr. Blues
- Tornado fight back for two wins despite Friday loss - Texas Tornado
- Jets Alaska trip ends with two wins, plenty of memories - Fargo-Moorhead Jets
- Indians still under construction - Soo Indians
- Wildcats drop a pair - Wichita Falls Wildcats
- Blizzard win two on Montana trip - Alexandria Blizzard
- Three-win weekend vaults Phantoms into first place - Mahoning Valley Phantoms
- USNTDP players 'equal' to the pros - Yzerman - U.S. National Team
- Kessel, 13 NAHL alumni to help defend world junior title - NAHL
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