Four straight goals lead Texas to victory over OU Hockey
September 8, 2012 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Texas Tornado News Release
After dropping a game to the University of Oklahoma on Friday, the Texas Tornado responded with a 4-1 victory over the same Sooner team on Saturday. Jason Eddy, Justin Greenberg, Leo Lumm, and Nick Neville all picked up goals, with Neville's coming on a penalty shot towards the later stages of the third period. Newcomer Jerry Kaukinen played in goal for the Tornado and was solid, stopping 23 of 24 Oklahoma shots on goal. Texas ends the preseason with a 1-1-0 record.
The Sooners actually struck first, picking up the lone goal of the first period at 10:59. With the puck behind the net, Stan Smrke found Brandon Dennis out front for the goal. Dennis had two goals this weekend, scoring the game-winner on Friday. Oklahoma took that 1-0 lead into the second period, but they didn't beat Kaukinen again the rest of the night.
Shots on goal in the first period were 9-6 in favor of the Tornado, who outshot the Sooners in every period the teams played this weekend. It remained 1-0 through the midway through the second, but at 13:57, Eddy reeled in a loose puck from in front of the net and powered it home to tie the score. It stayed a 1-1 game as the teams headed into the dressing rooms for the second intermission, but not before words were exchanged on both sides. Cooler heads eventually prevailed, however, and the period ended without incident.
Still tied at 1, the Tornado picked up a pair of goals in quick succession early in the third. With just more than a minute gone by, Dennis was whistled for tripping and the Tornado went to the power-play. Texas passed the puck around the perimeter until Brandon Hawkins went circle-to-circle for Greenberg, who sent a one-timer past Sooners goaltender Colin Fernandes and gave the Tornado a lead they would not relinquish. Just over 30 seconds later, Lumm notched a goal of his own and extended the Tornado lead to 3-1.
Following those goals, the hitting started to pick up. The teams combined for 28 penalty minutes in the third period, with 12 of them coming on a check from behind on Oklahoma's Mason Miller. The Sooners committed another penalty in the third, but with Neville on a breakaway, he was awarded a penalty shot. He drove to the net, made a quick deke to his backhand, and slipped it five-hole on Fernandes for the goal.
The Tornado open up the regular season on September 12th against the Michigan Warriors in the first of four games the team will play in Blaine, Minn. as part of the Combat Hockey/NAHL Showcase. The home opener will be played on September 29th against the Wichita Falls Wildcats.
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North American Hockey League Stories from September 8, 2012
- Four straight goals lead Texas to victory over OU Hockey - Texas Tornado
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