Ice Miners Force Tomahawks' Playoff Fate into Final Day
March 28, 2015 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Keystone Ice Miners News Release
CONNELLSVILLE, PA - Jacob Coleman scored his fifth goal of the season on Friday night, and four of them have come against the Johnstown Tomahawks. Coleman's goal to open the scoring at 13:04 marked the first time the Ice Miners scored in the first period in seven games. Taylor Fernandez tacked on a goal early in the 2nd period and that would be all Alex Blankenburg needed to backstop a 2-1 victory, the 8th win in 11 tries for Keystone over Johnstown.
After a lengthy broken glass delay stopped the game for about 20 minutes, Coleman took a feed from older brother A.J. at 13:04 of the first to give Keystone a 1-0 lead through one period. Fernandez, who was a healthy scratch on Saturday against Michigan made his triumphant return, beating Johnstown goaltender Jake Gwillim with a backhand between the circles at 1:35 of the 2nd frame. The Tomahawks answered back quickly with Tanner Barners' fourth goal of the season against the Ice Miners at 4:04. The rest of the game belonged to Blankenburg.
Alex Alger was awarded a penalty shot with exactly 2:00 remaining in regulation but Blankenburg made an impressive glove save to hold the score at 2-1. He stopped 26 of 27 shots for his 16th victory in his final NAHL regular season home game.
With Soo falling in overtime to Michigan, Keystone and the Eagles both enter Saturday's regular season finale with 65 points. Soo holds the tiebreaker with one extra win should both teams pick up victories. The Warriors are one point behind Johnstown and hold the head-to-head tiebreaker if they win and the Tomahawks lose in overtime. Tonight's game at the Cambria County War Memorial begins at 7:00 PM and will be broadcast on FASTHockey.com, with the AWAY feed carrying the Ice Miners broadcast.
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North American Hockey League Stories from March 28, 2015
- Home Ice: Ice Miners Complete Sweep of Johnstown, Secure #2 Seed - Keystone Ice Miners
- Ice Miners Force Tomahawks' Playoff Fate into Final Day - Keystone Ice Miners
- IceRays Best Bulls 4-2 in Regular Season Finale - Corpus Christi IceRays
- Big Win for Wings, 4-1 - Aberdeen Wings
- Wildcats Drop Defensive Battle to Brahmas - Wichita Falls Wildcats
- Wings Can't Come Back, Lose 2-1 - Aberdeen Wings
- Tomahawks End Season with 5-2 Loss - Johnstown Tomahawks
- Wild Halt RoadRunners with 3-1 Victory - Wenatchee Wild
- Ice Miners Force Tomahawks' Playoff Fate into Final Day - Keystone Ice Miners
- Bulls Beat Rays 6-1 - Amarillo Bulls
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