Ice Chips
April 5, 2014 - Federal Prospects Hockey League (FPHL) News Release
Whalers Take Game 1 in OT
Danbury CT- After a long and grueling regular season, which saw the Whalers finish number one overall in the Federal Hockey League, the defending Commissioners Cup Champions were looking to get off on the right foot in the 2013-2014 finals. An OT winner from Igor Karlov and two goals from Ryan Patsch sent the Whalers on the right path to repeating as Danbury defeated Dayton Saturday night 3-2.
The challengers got the scoring started in the first period on the power play courtesy of the FHL's leading scorer during the regular season Ahmed Mahfouz. The Dayton forward corralled the pass from Dustin Skinner in the circle and fired the puck past Mike Brown to give the Demonz the 1-0 lead. The Whalers had a number of quality scoring chances in the first, but were unable to ripple the twine behind goaltender Matt Kinsella. The home team had a 22-13 shot advantage after the first period.
Co-Rookie of the year Ryan Patsch knotted the game up at 1-1 at the 15:16 mark of the second period with a power play tally. The Demonz had just killed off a long 5 on 3 Whalers power play when Brian Marks took another holding penalty to put the home team right back on the advantage. Patsch carried the puck into the Dayton zone and dangled into the slot where he unleashed a lightning quick wrist shot past the glove of Kinsella. It was the 1st goal of the playoffs for Patsch and allowed the two teams to go into the second intermission tied at one apiece.
The Demonz regained the lead at 4:39 of the third period on the 2nd goal of the playoffs for former Whaler Jason Pietrasiak. Ahmed Mahfouz carried the puck below the goal line before centering a pass out in front of the crease where Pietrasiak tapped it home to make it 2-1. A little less than three minutes later, the Whalers would tie the score on the second goal of the game by Ryan Patsch. The Danbury forward's initial shot in the slot was knocked down by the shin of a Dayton defender. However, Patsch stuck with the puck and somehow guided it past Kinsella to knot the game at two. Despite a number of solid opportunities for both teams in the third, the score remained tied at two after sixty minutes which necessitated an extra frame to decide a game 1 winner.
In OT it was Igor Karlov scoring the game winner at 4:04 on a shot that Matt Kinsella probably wants back. Karlov took the cross ice pass from Andy Willock and sped down the left wing into the Dayton zone where he took a soft wrist shot that somehow trickled under the blocker of Kinsella and sent the Danbury faithful into frenzy.
Mike Brown made 41 saves to earn the win for Danbury, while Matt Kinsella made 48 saves in defeat. Danbury outshot the Demonz 50-43. The win is the 4th straight finals victory for the Whalers over the Demonz dating back to last year. Game 2 is Sunday afternoon at the Danbury Ice Arena with a 5:05 faceoff scheduled.
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