Ice Miners Dig Deep, Complete Third Period Comeback
Published on September 14, 2014 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Keystone Ice Miners News Release
CONNELLSVILLE, PA - The Ice Miners scored three third period goals to lift them a come from behind win over North Division rivals, Johnstown in their inaugural game in Western Pennsylvania on Saturday night at The Ice Mine. Moon Township, PA native Jacob Coleman scored two goals and added an assist in his NAHL debut while Garrett Hallford netted the game winning goal with just 2:33 remaining in the third period.
Coleman scored the first goal of the game at 10:35 of the first period when a Lucas Little's point shot found him sitting at the side of the net. Coleman slammed the puck past Johnstown goaltender Ryan Bednard for his first NAHL goal. Less than a minute later, on a powerplay, defenseman Alex Archibald shot a puck through traffic and in behind Bednard for a 2-0 Ice Miners advantage. Late in the first period, the Tomahawks got on the board when captain Brady Bender took a pass from Andrew Romano and put one over a lunging Alex Blankenburg to make the score 2-1 at the end of one.
The Tomahawks dominated the second period, scoring all three goals of the frame. Tanner Barnes scored a powerplay marker at the 40-second mark, and Trevor Recktenwald found the back of the net at 2:10 to give Johnstown their first lead. at 6:48 of the period, Johnstown struck again with the man advantage when Jake Houston was able to bury a rebound past Blankenburg and give the Tomahawks a 4-2 lead. 4-2 was the score after fourty minutes.
Coleman would spark the Ice Miners rally in the 3rd, scoring his second goal of the night at 6:27, taking a pass from Scott Donahue, and then setting up the game-tying goal at 12:06, finding Noah Batis (Latrobe, PA) with a cross ice pass on a powerplay. With just over three and a half minutes left in reguation, Garrett Hallford found himself alone in front of the net and took a pass from Nick Le Sage, depositing the game winner.
Blankenburg made 28 saves in the victory while Bednard made 27 in the loss. The Ice Miners will travel to Blaine, Minnesota for the annual NAHL showcase starting Wednesday with a game against Topeka at 6:00 ET. All four games of the showcase will be broadcast on FASTHockey.com. The Ice Miners next home game will be "opening weekend," against the Michigan Warriors on October 4th and 5th. Tickets will be available for online purchase starting Monday, September 15th.
North American Hockey League Stories from September 14, 2014
- Runners Power Their Way to Sweep - Topeka Pilots
- Roadrunners Rebuff 'Rays, 5-2 - Corpus Christi IceRays
- Ice Miners Dig Deep, Complete Third Period Comeback - Keystone Ice Miners
- Jackalopes Take Season Opener against Wichita Falls - Odessa Jackalopes
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