Jets Hold Best Record in NAHL, On Franchise Record Win Streak
February 14, 2005 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Fargo-Moorhead Jets News Release
Fargo (ND) Fargo-Moorhead Jets are on a franchise-record seven game win streak, and continue to lead the North American Hockey League's West Division, following two wins last weekend.
The Jets defeated the Fairbanks Ice Dogs 6-2 at the Carlson Coliseum on Fri. Feb. 11, then won a thrilling 4-3 overtime decision on the road against the Bismarck Bobcats on Sat. Feb. 12.
In addition, the week features the return of the NAHL All-Star Game on Tues. Feb. 8 in Frisco, TX, where Jets' representatives Dain Prewitt (Westminster, CO) and Andy Stricker (St. George, UT) were very impressive.
All of this adds up to a West Division leading 30-10-1 record and 61 points. The Jets .744% win percentage is the highest of any other NAHL team.
Prewitt finished the Jets' two weekend games with a goal and two assists. In fact, Prewitt's oal was the overtime winner against Bismarck. Trevor Bruess (Minneapolis, MN) also netted a goal and two assists and veteran Tom Dickhudt (Woodbury, MN) had three assists.
The Jets seven game win streak âFM hasn't lost since Jan. 14 at Bismarck 3-2- is the longest in the team's two-year existence. This season, the Jets had two other time when they won five games in a row, but were never able to keep those streaks going.
Also, the Jets overtime win against Bismarck was the team's first overtime game since Nov. 19, and just their sixth extra session of the season. The Jets had played 19 games without an overtime period, the longest streak in the NAHL. Fargo-Moorhead still hasn't had a shootout since Oct. 8, a span of 40 games.
Fri. Feb. 11 Jets 6 Fairbanks Ice Dogs 2
Fargo (ND) Apparantly, a long rest doesn't necessarily destroy a teams momentum.
The Fargo-Moorhead Jets returned from a 13 day All-Star break with a 6-2 win over the Fairbanks Ice Dogs before 726 fans at the Carlson Coliseum.
Ryan Cramer (International Falls, MN) scored the game's first goal, and also assisted on a key goal late in the second period, to carry the Jets to the win. Tom Dickhudt (Woodbury, MN) and Joe Schuster (Grand Rapids, MN) each added two assists for the Jets.
The Jets scored two goals, 29 seconds apart, midway through the opening period to take control. Cramer scored on a wrist shot from the high slot at 9:26. Todd Alexander (New Hope, MN) then made it 2-0 when he scored off a Jets' face-off win in the Fairbanks zone a few moments later.
Ice Dogs' starting goalie Bruce Christianson was lifted after the first period, after he only stopped seven of nine shots. His replacement Jerad Kaufmann didn't fare much better.
On the first shot Kaufmann faced -35 seconds into the second period - the Jets scored again. This time it was Jon Skoog (Long Lake, MN).
Fargo-Moorhead worked the lead to 4-0 at 6:52 of the second period on Phil Fox's (Stillwater, MN) sixth goal this season against Fairbanks.
Kyle Kinda gave Fairbanks some hope late in the second period, making the score 4-1 at 17:21. However, Trevor Bruess (Minneapolis, MN) made it 5-1 Jets, scoring less then a minute later. Bruess took a beautiful feed from Cramer, who was behind the Ice Dogs' net, to set-up the goal.
Shane Wheeler scored for Fairbanks to cut the lead to 5-2. Nonetheless, the Jets would add a power play goal from Matt Moreland (Grand Forks, ND) at 8:31 of the final period to cap the scoring.
Sat. Feb. 12 Jets 4 Bismarck Bobcats 3 OT
Bismarck (ND) If one could write a script for a "perfect" week, looking back at the previous few days for Jets' captain Dain Prewitt (Westminster, CO) would be a great start.
A week that started with a successful trip to the North American Hockey League All-Star Game in Texas, was capped off on Saturday night when Prewitt scored an overtime to goal.
Prewitt's overtime game-winner, with 1:44 left in the extra period, gave the Jets an exciting 4-3 win over their rivals the Bismarck Bobcats before a full house at the VFW Sportscenter.
In a game that had the feel of a playoff game (and could prove to be a preview of a first round series), Prewitt provided the heroics. After Lance Malark (White Bear Lake, MN) won a key defensive zone face-off, Prewitt carried the puck up ice.
Prewitt first took a shot from the high slot which deflected behind the Bismarck net. The puck bounced off the end boards, back to Prewitt, who unleashed a wrist shot from between the circles, which beat Bismarck goalie Matt Koening.
The goal erupted the Jets' bench which mobbed Prewitt as if the win had just clinched the Gold Cup. In a way, the win is momenumental, for it gives the Jets seven straight victories.
This is the longest win streak in franchise history.
Fargo-Moorhead needed some heroics in regulation too, just to force overtime.
After Bismarck had scored a controversial goal with 7:36 left in the game, the Jets looked as though they were headed for a lost. However, a Bismarck boarding minor moments later gave the Jets a power play.
Kyle Graalum (Fargo, ND) then tied the game with a power play goal off a snap shot from the right circle with 4:52 left in the third period.
The game was scoreless after one period. Creighton Scarpone (Buchanan, MI) and Chris Myhro (Eden Prairie, MN) gave the Jets a 2-0 lead seven minutes into the second period. However, Bismarck scored twice in the second to tie the game, and took the lead on a questionable goal in the third period.
Ben Noah took a shot that was stopped by Jets' goaltender Andy Stricker (St. George< UT). Noah -who was being hooked by two Jets - lost his edge and went crashing into Stricker pushing himself, the goalie, and puck into the goal.
After a long discussion, the referee counted it as a goal, rationalizing thatsince Noah was "pushed" into Stricker by Jets' players, the goal counts.
2005 NAHL All-Star Game Feb. 8 in Frisco TX NAHL 3 Texas Tornado 1
Frisco (TX) Its almost a surreal feeling to be a Fargo-Moorhead Jet during the 2004-2005 season. Whenever there has been a chance for the franchise to put its mark on the North American Hockey League, the team has done so with an emphatic stamp.
Add to that list a successful All-Star performance on Feb. 8 at the Dr. Pepper Star Center in suburban Dallas-Fort Worth. A team of NAHL All-Stars defeated the Texas Tornado 3-1.
Goaltender Andy Stricker (St. George, UT) made nine, highlight-reel saves in the first period (his only one) and didn't allow a goal. Meanwhile, Dain Prewitt (Westminster, CO) gave a large contingent of family members a reason to cheer with a breakway goal in the third period which iced the win.
All the while, head coach Todd Knott was able to smile proudly, a grin that extended from the Lone Star State all the way to North Dakota (and into various college coach's offices). Knott had a rinkside view of his two players performance, as he served as a co-coach for the All-Star team.
Stricker was rewarded with a #3 Star of the Game for his first period acrobatics. Facing nine shots against the top offensive team in the league, Stricker was able to stop them all in his only period. This included two spectacular glove saves, and a kick save with the right pad.
Prewitt capped off a positive night for the Jets with his breakway goal. After Texas had cut the All-Stars lead to 2-1 early in the third period, Prewitt took a pass in the neutral zone and was able to skate past the Texas defense. He proceeded to move from the left circle, cut through the low slot, and slid the puck past Texas goalie Ben Bishop.
The Jets had four representatives who took part in the All-Star Game, in Sticker, Prewitt, Knott and broadcaster Scott Montesano. The four-member group was the largest of any team in the NAHL at the event, with the exception of the Texas Tornado.
Players also had opprotunities to meet National Hockey League stars such as Brett Hull and Rob Blake, who visited the locker room prior to the game.
Last Week's Results
2/11 Fairbanks 6-2 Win
2/12 @ Bismarck 4-3 OT Win
This Week's Games
2/18 Bismarck 7:05pm
Free Foam Pucks to first 1,000 fans courtesy of Happy Hooligans
2/19 Fairbanks 7:05pm
Guys Night Out Promotion
The Jets Booster Club will be holding a pancake breakfast on Sunday Feb. 20 at the Moorhead VFW from 7:30am-1:00pm. FM Jets players will be available for photos, autographs and to simply pal around with fans.
The FM Jets are in their second season as members of the North American Hockey League.
The NAHL is the nation's largest Junior A hockey league and is now in its 29th year of operation. For more information, visit fmjets.com or call (701) 235-2354.
Jets home games are played at the John E. Carlson Coliseum in Fargo, ND. All games are broadcasted on sportsjuice.com.
North American Hockey League Stories from February 14, 2005
- Minnesota Blizzard weekly summary - Alexandria Blizzard
- Jets Hold Best Record in NAHL, On Franchise Record Win Streak - Fargo-Moorhead Jets
- Valentine's Day Treat - Bismarck Bobcats
- Barons complete weekend sweep - Cleveland Barons
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