Chiefs Drop Thriller

December 16, 2005 - ECHL (ECHL)
Johnstown Chiefs News Release


(Johnstown, PA)-The Johnstown Chiefs played perhaps their most complete performance of the season. Unfortunately, so did the Fresno Falcons, as the two battled step for step, goal for goal, into a shootout, which was won in the final round, by Fresno. The final score, 3-2.

After a scoreless first period, Jean Desrochers's shorthanded effort got the Chiefs on the board midway through the 2nd. After Dmitri Tarabrin cleared the Chiefs zone, Jean Desrochers chased the puck for the entire length of the ice. He stole the puck from Fresno goalie Mike Brown, behind the net, and beat the goalie with a wrap around at 9:11 of period 2.

One minute later, the Falcons struck back. At 10:11, Brad Both was the lucky recipient of a rebound in the slot. He went top shelf, past a diving Morgan Cey, tying the game at one.

After another 37 minutes of up and down, fast paced hockey, the Falcons took the lead with just over 3 minutes to go. John Wroblewski jumped into the slot and roofed a shot over Morgan Cey.

The Chiefs would not quit. With just 15 seconds remaining and starting goalie Morgan Cey on the bench, Tyler Kindle teed up a slapshot from the right wing circle. After some confusion among the referees, it was correctly called a goal. The score was tied at two.

After a wide-open, edge-of-your-seat, overtime, the teams headed to a shootout. The Falcons apparently used a scouting report to dissect Morgan Cey. Four of the five Falcon shooters tried the identical backhand-forehand deke. While the first two Chiefs scored in the shootout, Jean Desrochers and Justin Kelly, the first two Falcons came up empty.

In the third round, Chiefs forward Adam Henrich hit the post with a 7-foot wrister. That turned the tide, as the next three Falcons scored and the Chiefs did not find the net again.

Morgan Cey rebounded from last Sunday's performance to stop 29 of 31. The Chiefs out-shot the Falcons through regulation, but managed just two shots on net in the extra period. Fresno's Mike Brown stopped 25 of 27.

The Chiefs are in Wheeling, Saturday night. Face-Off is set for 8:05 to accommodate local television. The Chiefs now trail the Toledo Storm by two points for 4th place in the North division. The game can be heard on the Chiefs radio network (850-AM & 990-AM), beginning at 7:45 PM.



ECHL Stories from December 16, 2005


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.

OurSports Central