Jets Return Home, Handed a 5-3 Loss
January 12, 2008 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Fargo-Moorhead Jets News Release
(Fargo, ND) The Jets were thinking there's no place like home tonight as they finally hit the ice in the comforts of the John E. Carlson coliseum for their first game at home in over a month. With a tangle that could improve either team's standings, both the Jets and the Blizzard were looking to break the 26 point deadlock and move into a solid fifth place. But home didn't prove to be as sweet as they would've hoped, as they fell to the Blizzard 5-3.
The face off went to the Blizzard's favor, but the Jets refused to let them take the advantage. The puck continued to be dominated by neither team as both the Jets and the Blizzard played cat and mouse for the majority of the first period. Justin Kirchhevel made the first shot on goal of the game, and the puck was immediately caught in the glove of Dylan Woodring. At 15:22, the Jets received their first power play advantage due to a hooking call, but they were unable to make anything out of it.
With 9:59 on the clock, the Jets encountered their second power play, but the opportunity also proved useless. The Jets continued to be unable to capitalize on the one man advantage. The Blizzard answered back to two penalty kills with a goal from Joe Hartman with 6:21 left on the clock. Adding insult to injury, the Jets found themselves on a penalty kill with just over five minutes on the clock, but rallied back with an assist from Justin Kirchhevel, fresh out of the penalty box, and the Jets first goal from Andrew Harrison. Two more penalties were called on both teams to start out the second period tied at ones and four men on the ice a piece.
The puck visited every board of the arena tonight, as the second period face-off went to the Jets. But again, capitalization seemed to be the trend the Jets were lacking in tonight as the fourth power play of the evening went scoreless. Just after four minutes of play, Blizzard forward Garrett Grimstead went down, courtesy of Michael Benedict, and had to leave the ice. In retaliation, the Blizzard scored another two goals at 15:10 and 10:58; this time, courtesy of Mikael Lickteig, leaving the score at 3-1 Alexandria.
It seemed as though the Blizzard had complete control of the period when Marc Mihulka, with help from Justin Kirchhevel, blew them out of the water with a beautiful shot from just inside the blue line with 7:23 left on the clock, bringing the score up to 3-2, leaving the Jets with a one goal disadvantage. Save for another Blizzard player, Brandon Larson, being knocked down and taken off the ice, the remainder of the period was uneventful, leaving only the third period to decide both teams' fate.
The third period started with a player from each team in the box, but both teams still at full strength. The Jets won the face-off, but control easily slipped out of their hands and off their sticks as the puck found its home in the Jets' goal for a fourth time as Brandon Bahnemann upped the stakes to 4-2 with 16:21 on the clock. But the Blizzard couldn't handle it for long. Not even three minutes later, Marc Mihulka racked his second goal of the night, with an assist from Mason Swenson, to put the score back up at 4-3. But that's how the Jets' score stayed as the Blizzard fought off another three penalty kills and a final shot on the open net from to end the game at a final score of 5-3.
In the end it was Mikael Lickteig who nailed home three goals including the clincher as time expired. Mihulka notched two more goals to his season total of 11 but it simply wasn't enough. The Jets hit the pavement for Alexandria tomorrow night with a 5pm showdown and the Runestone CC. Don't forget that Friday night is Fraser, Ltd night sponsored by Butler Cat of Fargo.
The FM Jets Junior A Hockey Club is in its fifth 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 32nd 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 fmjets.com and video broadcast through B/2 Network.
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North American Hockey League Stories from January 12, 2008
- Outlaws top Bismarck, 2-1 - North Iowa Outlaws
- Jets Return Home, Handed a 5-3 Loss - Fargo-Moorhead Jets
- Rangers Stumble Again - Marquette Rangers
- U.S. National Under-17 Team Splits With Mahoning Valley - U.S. National Team
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