'Dogs Maul 'Cats

November 26, 2012 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Wichita Falls Wildcats News Release


The week started out strong for the Wildcats, picking up a 6-1 win over the Texas Tornado on Wednesday, but they capped it off on a low-note with losses to the Fairbanks Ice Dogs 2-1 and 5-3 on Friday and Saturday respectively.

Wednesday's game was a great continuation of last weekend's 6-2 win over Kenai River as the Wildcats took home a 6-1 victory over the Texas Tornado down in Frisco. Sami Salminen got the Wildcats on the board only four minutes into the game, picking up his own rebound and putting it past Tornado goalie Hunter Leisner for a 1-0 lead. Eliot Grauer picked up the lone assist on the goal. Grauer would extend it to a 2-0 lead with a powerplay tally later in the period, aided by Conor O'Neil and Colin Staub.

The 'Cats continued to pour on the offense in the second period with defenseman Erik Ouellette's low shot finding its way through Leisner's five-hole for a 3-0 lead. Tyler Ledford and Salminen assisted. With under a minute to go in the middle frame, Grauer scored his second of the game, also assisted by Ledford for a 4-0 lead.

The Tornado got on the board early in the third with Brad Pung scoring their lone goal. The Wildcats tacked on two insurance markers with Jake Townsend's shot getting deflected in off a Tornado player, then Sami Salminen walking across the crease and depositing a backhander for the 6-1 final. Both third period goals were assisted by Grauer and Ledford. At the back end, Evan Cowley stopped 28 of 29 shots as the Wildcats outshot the Tornado 40-29, including 29-15 in the first two periods.

Friday the Wildcats had a bad bounce end up as the goal of record in a 2-1 loss to the Fairbanks Ice Dogs. Brett Gervais got the Ice Dogs on the board in the first, then almost exactly 20 minutes later, Will Vosejpka scored from the slot from a centering feed from Conor O'Neil to even things at a goal apiece. Even the shots on goal were dead even, 17-17 through the first two periods.

The Wildcats controlled play in the third period, but the Ice Dogs got the lone goal via an unlucky bounce. Evan Cowley directed a shot on goal off to the left in an innocent-enough play, but it hit off a Wildcat defenseman and bounced in the net for the eventual game-winner. Garret Clemment was credited as the goal scorer as he was the last Ice Dog to touch the puck, giving them a 2-1 victory.

On Saturday night, the Wildcats dug themselves an early hole before making it interesting ten minutes later in a 5-3 loss to the Ice Dogs. It took only 25 seconds before Duggie Lagrone's shot from the high slot went in for a 1-0 Fairbanks lead. A minutes and a half later, Patrick Newell scored on a 2-on-0 breakaway and the Wildcats found themselves down 2-0 with the first two shots ending up in the net. Midway through the period, the Wildcats got on the board with Conor O'Neil scoring off assists from Will Vosejpka and newcomer Robson Cramer for a 2-1 game. Two minutes later, defenseman Bryan McFarlane tied things up, assisted by Tyler Ledford.

The teams traded goals in the second with Lonnie Clary giving Fairbanks a 3-2 lead, followed by the Wildcats' Ben Kucera re-tying the game, aided by Colin Staub and Robson Cramer. But three minutes later, another breakaway would be the Wildcats' undoing as Clary tallied his second of the period for a 4-3 game. The Ice Dogs added one more in the third to finish it off at 5-3.

NOTES: The last five-point game in Wildcats' history before Grauer's effort on Wednesday was by Dakota Klecha in the 2010-11 season. Likewise, it had been a while since the Wildcats had a four-assist game: before Ledford on Wednesday, the last one was by Daniel Gentzler back in 2010 against Texas. Forwards Ryan Dau and Oliver Janzen came back to the lineup on Saturday after missing the previous few weeks due to injuries.

Scouting the Topeka Roadrunners, November 30-December 1

The Wildcats head back out on the road in December for their last four games of the 2012 calendar year, starting with a pair in Topeka. The Wildcats and Roadrunners will play a total of 12 times this season, with the first two coming this weekend.

Veteran forwards Sean Gaffney and Kyle Sharkey are the team leaders on offense. Gaffney has 15 goals and 19 assists for a team-leading 34 points, while Sharkey has 17 goals and 16 assists for 33 points. Codey Hansen is among the NAHL's leaders in penalty minutes, spending 87 minutes in the box between Topeka and Johnstown.

Spencer Viele, one of the goalies for the St. Louis Bandits in their Robertson Cup runner-up season last year, has been the main netminder for the Roadrunners this year, going 12-2-1 with a sparkling 1.61 GAA and .944 save percentage.

Upcoming Wildcats' Events

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!

Get out on the ice! We have open skating every Sunday in December (except the 16th) from 3-5 pm. It's $8 including skate rental, or $6 if you bring your own skates. 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

Chad Costello is currently averaging two points per game with Colorado in the ECHL. In three games against the Florida Everblades this past week, he had two goals, seven assists, and a shootout goal, including four helpers in a 7-4 loss on Wednesday.

Kyle Kraemer also put up a four-assist night on Saturday for Ontario in the ECHL in a 7-3 win over the Bakersfield Condors. Kraemer was named third star of the game.

Andrew Conboy, the ECHL's penalty minute leader, also showed some offensive touch, picking up two assists on Friday. His Trenton Titans beat the Evansville Icemen 3-2, coming back from a 2-0 deficit at the end of the first.

Ian Young got the scoring started for Colorado College on Friday, fighting back from a 4-0 deficit to a 4-4 tie against New Hampshire.

Kyle Gallegos had two goals and two assists for Tufts in wins over Curry and Brockport.

Ryan Frost put up a goal and two assists in a pair of Castleton wins over the weekend.

Jason McAloon had four assists as Lake Forest beat and tied Hamline by 4-0 and 3-3 scores.

Lawrence dropped two games against St. Norbert and St. Scholastica, but Renato Engler put up a pair of goals in those games.

Across the pond, Luke Salazar has 24 points in 20 games for Frisk Asker in Norway's top league, leading the team in scoring and assists. He's tied for tenth in points and fourth in assists league-wide.



North American Hockey League Stories from November 26, 2012


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