Cats Blown Out by Brahmas

December 17, 2015 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Wichita Falls Wildcats News Release


The Wichita Falls Wildcats were outplayed from start to finish Thursday night and were blown out on home ice by a score of 8-2.

In the midst of their longest winning streak of the season, the Wildcats were eyeballing a tenth straight victory. However, they appeared extremely flat early in the first period. The Brahmas dominated the Wildcats in the first five minutes of the game, scoring three unanswered goals. Alex Berardinelli, Martin Mellberg, and Troy York all scored for Lone Star within five minutes. Berardinelli and Mellberg each scored partial breakaway goals by sneaking shots through Justin Kapelmaster's equipment, and York picked up a stationary puck off an offensive zone faceoff before firing a simple wrist shot into the net.

York's goal would mark the end of Kapelmaster's night, who conceded three goals on seven shots. Though the onus could by no means be placed squarely on his shoulders for the 3-0 deficit, Kapelmaster did not have the start he needed to. To give the Cats a jolt, he replaced Kapelmaster with Julian Sime. The change tipped the scales in the Wildcats' favor a bit, and Adam Goodsir finally got the scoring opened for the Wildcats by burying a rebound past Corbin Kaczperski at the end of a power play.

The Wildcats responded the way they needed to at the onset of the second period. They fired shots on goal early and often, but had nothing to show for it. The Brahmas were the only team to score in the middle frame, as Tyler Drevitch tucked the puck past an outstretch pad of Sime to score his first goal as a Brahma.

Trailing 4-1 heading into period three, the Wildcats knew they had to score quickly if they were to muster a comeback. Garrett Van Wyhe did just that, shooting a rebound past Kaczperski on the power play in a goal similar to Goodsir's. However, after that tally, the Wildcats went into free fall. Alternate Captain Sean Giles scored his first goal of the season.

The Wildcats lost their composure and all but imploded after Giles' goal. Austin Albrecht was ejected from the game for a check from behind, Holden Cronin, playing in his first game in nearly two months, was given a two minute minor for head contact and a game misconduct for abuse of officials. André Pison was given a kneeing major and a game misconduct. The Brahmas would then score two 5-on-3 goals and add an exclamation point on a sentence which had already been written.

Kapelmaster was given his second regulation loss of the season, making four saves on seven shots. Kaczperski was handed his eighth win, stopping 26 of 28 shots. The Wildcats play the Brahmas Friday, December 18th at 7:05 pm in Game 2 of a three-game stint at the KYC.



North American Hockey League Stories from December 17, 2015


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