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NAHL Amarillo Wranglers

Brahmas Survive Impressive Wranglers Comeback

December 28, 2024 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Amarillo Wranglers News Release


Amarillo, TX - The Lone Star Brahmas defeated the Amarillo Wranglers 5-4 in a shootout at the Budweiser Bull Pen on Friday Night. The Wranglers erased a 3-0 deficit to earn a point in the shootout.

The Wranglers and the Brahmas met for a standalone game in late December at the Budweiser Bull Pen. In the history of the rivalry between these two teams, fans had grown accustomed to low scoring and low event games - this one did not follow that trend. Amarillo started goaltender Charlie Zolin between the pipes for the third consecutive game, while Lone Star went with Jack Spicer in net.

The Brahmas wasted no time getting to work, as just 14 seconds into the game, Saxton Tess pinballed a puck into the blue paint and over the goal line for the game's opening goal. Tess' goal would be the first of three consecutive goals from Lone Star to open the first period, as 9:35 into the first, Lone Star got on the board for the second time with a power play goal from Elias Kumlin to make it 2-0. Following Kumlin's goal, Zolin was pulled in favor of Charles-Antoine Girard after stopping 6/8 shots. In the late stages of the period the Wranglers went up on the power play with hopes of generating something offensively, only to see Tess score a shorthanded goal with 3:07 left in the period to put the Brahmas ahead 3-0. Things had not gone the Wranglers way in the first 17 minutes of the first, but Will Welburn breathed some life into the Wranglers before the period's end with his 2nd goal of the season with 1:16 left in the opening frame. Jake Boulanger assisted Welburn on the goal that made it 3-1 after 20 minutes of play.

Welburn's goal marked what would be the first of three straight goals from the Wranglers to tie the game, as just 1:57 into the second period, Andrew Morton made it 3-2 with his 5th goal of the season from Trace Day and Sal Cerrato. About midway through the period, the Wranglers went to the power play and were able to convert as Morton scored his second of the night from Cerrato to make it a 3-3 game with 10:56 left in the middle period. The tie was held for only a brief moment, as Lone Star pulled back ahead thanks to a power play goal from Camden Prier 2:51 after Morton's second goal to make it 4-3. Through two periods of play the Brahmas led the shot count 25-18.

Amarillo added to the drama tying the game again in the third period to make it a 4-4 tie. Alexander Aleslov tipped in a Heikki Peipinen shot for the tying score 7:58 into the final frame. The game would remain tied through regulation and overtime, sending the game to a shootout. The shootout featured four rounds and saw the Brahmas prevail, as Lone Star went 2/4 with with goals from Cappello and Faughnan, and the Wranglers going 1/4 with the lone goal coming from Aleslov. Despite being down 3-0 at one point, the Wranglers did find a way to claw back into the game and earn a point against the defending champs. Day and Cerrato extended their point streaks to 6 games with assists, and Girard stopped 24/26 in relief of Zolin.

It's a quick turnaround for the Wranglers as they host the Odessa Jackalopes on Saturday night for Guaranteed Fight Night at the Bull Pen, with live wrestling matches going on on the concourse all night long. Fans can get their tickets at panhandletickets.com or at the Civic Center Box Office. Make sure you follow the Wranglers on Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok and YouTube to stay up to date with the latest news and promos.

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