Hitmen Split With Rage
January 17, 2011 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Chicago Hitmen News Release
The Hitmen broke an eight game winless streak on Saturday night with a 5-3 defeat of the visiting Dawson Creek rage but were unable to make it two in a row, due to a bad third period on Sunday afternoon. The win was big for the Hitmen who were playing their first game since trading Hunter Brown and Jim Albrecht.
Saturday night saw the Hitmen get off to a slow start and surrender their league high 12th short handed goal against. Eric Szafranski's point shot was blocked and the Rage took it the other way to take a 1-0 lead. Gabe Gervais wasted no time however answering with a goal from the high slot just 22 seconds later. The string of special teams goals continued when Josh Hartley scored for the Rage with Peter Nesper in the box for tripping. Despite three power plays for the Hitmen compared to one for the Rage, Chicago was out-shot 16-10 in the first. The home team came out with a much better effort in the second perhaps sparked by an early goal when Cody Damon setup Tommy Coy who was crashing the net just 1:58 into the period. Not long after the Hitmen goal Shane Piggott and Scott Fellnermayer had one of the better fights of the season. Both players landed big punches but Piggott skated away with the win dominating the second half of the fight. The Rage took the lead again when their leading scorer Dakota Mason, beat Brennan Knoblock on a goal Knoblock would like to have back. The puck hit Knoblock's right pad and popped up and just snuck under the crossbar.
Gervais netted his second of the affair when picked off a breakout pass just outside of the Rage zone walked in and fired a wrist shot high glove with only 8 seconds remaining in the period. The Hitmen then seized control of the game just 13 seconds into the third when Vinnie Somma scored just 13 seconds into the period. Gervais worked hard in the corner to dig the puck out and get it to Somma in the right circle. Somma then cut to the front and beat Andrew Walsh five-hole. The Hitmen played well with the lead keeping the pressure in the Dawson Creek end for much of the third. New captain, Austin Cihak was credited with the easiest goal of his career to ice the game away at 18:36 when Walsh trying to play the puck to a defensman shot the puck off of his own player and into the net. Cihak who was applying pressure on the forecheck was credited with the goal, that pushed the score to 5-3.
Sunday afternoon seemed to be following a similar script to the night before. The Hitmen came out sluggish and trailed by a goal after the first period. Then early in the second the Hitmen scored to tie it when Jake McDowell scored his first for the Hitmen when he came on for Cihak who was just out of the penalty box. The Rage failed to pick him up and he faked the Edward Dyson down and flipped a backhand over the goalies left pad. Just as the night before the two teams were tied after 40 minutes of play. The result unfortunately would be different for the Hitmen however as the DC rolled off three goals in the first 10:52 of the final period to take a 4-1 lead. Damon tried to get the Hitmen back into it when he buried a one-timer an a nice pass from Brent Formosa, but an empty net goal for the Rage pushed the lead back to three and the Rage held on for a 5-2 final.
Quote of the Weekend: "I just wanted to light him up." New captain Austin Cihak on a hit he delivered late in the first on Sunday.
Stat of the Weekend: Newest Hitman, defenseman Anthony Martinez was +2 on the weekend.
Three Stars of the Weekend:
1st Star: Vinnie Somma 3 points (1,2) gwg.
2nd Star: Gabe Gervais 3 points (2,1)
3rd Star: Cody Damn 2 points (1,1)
Next Up: The Hitmen stay at home for a set with the TC North Stars next weekend. Games are Friday and Saturday night with the puck dropping at 8:00 P.M. both nights. Tickets are available at the West Meadows box office.
North American Hockey League Stories from January 17, 2011
- Newest Star Albrecht Headed Home - Traverse City North Stars
- NAHL Announces Players of the Week - NAHL
- Fighting Falcons Add Matt Warren as Assistant Coach - Port Huron Fighting Falcons
- Comeback falls short against Tornado - Wichita Falls Wildcats
- Metal Jackets Split Weekend With Janesville - Motor City Metal Jackets
- Hitmen Split With Rage - Chicago Hitmen
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