Jets ride five-game win streak into All-Star break
February 3, 2005 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Fargo-Moorhead Jets News Release
Maybe this isn't the best time for a long layoff, but at least the Fargo-Moorhead Jets have earned it. The Jets have won five games in a row, following a weekend sweep of the Bozeman IceDogs at the John E. Carlson Coliseum January 28-29. In the process, the Jets were able to extend their lead atop the North American Hockey League's West Division as a result of Billings being swept by Helena.
Fargo-Moorhead will spend the next few days participating in relatively light morning skates, as the team gets a head start on the NAHL All-Star Break. The All-Star Game in scheduled for Feb. 8 in Frisco, TX. Jets captain Dain Prewitt (Westminster, CO), pictured above, and goalie Andy Stricker will play in the game. Head coach Todd Knott will serve as a coach and announcer Scott Montesano will be part of the game's broadcast.
A team of NAHL All-Stars will face the defending league champion Texas Tornado.
Fargo-Moorhead won 3-1 on Jan. 28, then finished the sweep 4-1 on Jan. 29. This sweep followed the Jets three-game whitewash of the Minnesota Blizzard two weeks ago.
This is the third win streak of five games for the Jets this season, though none of them have gone beyond that.
For the Jets (28-10-1), the Bozeman series signaled their last action for a while. Fargo-Moorhead doesn't return to action until a home game Fri. Feb. 11 against the Fairbanks Icedogs. When its over, the break will have lasted a season-high 13 days, longer then the team's holiday break in December.
With a wave of momentum, one would think the Jets would be discouraged by the break. However, Jets' head coach Todd Knott views the break with a positive angle. "A break is never a bad thing during a junior hockey season. It allows a team to recharge" commented Knott.
The Jets used widely distributed scoring, and solid goaltending outings from Andy Stricker (St. George, UT) and Elliot Okland (Fargo, ND) to defeat a slumping Bozeman team.
Lance Malark (White Bear Lake, MN) scored three points (2 goals, 1 assist) and Kyle Graalum (Fargo, ND) finished with two goals during the weekend. Meanwhile, Stricker stopped 30 shots in the Jets 3-1 win on Jan. 28.
Then on Jan. 29, former Fargo North standout Elliot Okland picked up his first ever Junior A victory when he stopped 19 Icedogs' shots in the Jets 4-1 win.
Overall, it was a strong weekend for the Jets who went 3/9 (33.3%) on the power play and continued their recent improvement on the penalty kill going 6/7 (85.7%) in the series.
Game Reports by Lindsay Czarnecki
Jan. 28 Jets 3 - Bozeman Icedogs 1
As the Fargo-Moorhead Jets took on the Bozeman IceDogs on Friday night they saw their winning streak increase and another streak die. The Jets have now won four straight games after a 3-1 defeat of the IceDogs but Dain Prewitt (Westminster, CO) saw his ten game scoring streak come to an end.
In front of a crowd of 716 fans the Jets started their scoring at the 7:55 mark of the first period when Lance Malark (White Bear Lake, MN) deflected a shot from the left point giving the Jets a 1-0 lead.
Unfortunately in the first period the Jets were 0-3 on the powerplay.
The power play struggle would last for just that period, the Jets scored their first of two power play goals on the night just 25 seconds into the second period.
The goal came off of another deflection when a shot from Drew Mahar (Olympia, WA) was tipped by Joe Schuster while he stood alone in front of Bozeman's net. Midway through the period at 10:20 the IceDogs put away their only goal of the night when Filip Macejka used a Jet defender as a screen and managed to beat goalie Andy Stricker (Mount Lake Terrace, WA) on his blocker side. The Jets maintained their 2-1 lead coming out of the second period despite a rare two-on-zero late in the period by the Icedogs where a Bozeman player hit the post.
In the third period the Jets power play was at it again when Chris Myhro (Eden Prairie, MN) took from Tom Dickhudt (Woodbury, MN) in the slot and beat IceDog goalie John Kassel between the pads. Just minutes later Kassel would be kicked out of the game after being called for five-minute kicking penalty at 4:39. Replacement goalie Matt Cleveland held the Jets scoreless during the rest of the game and the five-minute power play with help from Macejka whose aggressive fore checking caused the Jet defense to take a penalty.
Both Phil Fox (Stillwater, MN) and Mahar finished the night with two assists each. Stricker stopped 31 shots in the win, his third in a row.
Jan. 29, Jets 4 - Bozeman Icedogs 1
With a 4-1 win Saturday night the Fargo-Moorhead Jets completed a two-game sweep against the Bozeman IceDogs. While the Jets saw goals from four different players, the man of the night was goalie Elliot Okland who captured his first ever win with the Jets stopping 32 shots.
The scoring for the Jets started early in the first period when they put away two goals in the first two minutes of play. Just 15 seconds into the game and four seconds into their first powerplay, Kyle Graalum (Fargo, ND) netted the Jets' first goal. The next goal came just over a minute and a half later when a shot from the left circle by John Skoog (Long Lake, MN) left a huge rebound for Lance Malark (White Bear Lake, MN) who, with the shot, picked up the game-winner.
The two goals were the only goals in the period for both teams.
The second period brought goals for each team. Directly off a face-off Jon Halstenson (Fargo, ND) beat Icedog goalie Josh Kassel over his left shoulder. Mid-way through the period the Icedogs picked up their lone goal of the game when Ross Johnson was able to put away a powerplay goal off of a rebound. The second period ended with some of the most exciting action of the night for the 627 fans in attendance when a series of fights broke out with less than a minute remaining.
In the third period the Jets held onto their lead and did all they had to do to secure the win for Okland. A play by Chris Myhro (Eden Prairie, MN) and Tom Dickhudt (Woodbury, MN) put the game completely out of reach for Bozeman half-way through the period. Off of a broken play the two players converted a two-on-zero in front of the Icedog goal. Myhro made a nifty move to force Kassel to commit to him making it easy for Dickhudt to put away Myhro's pass.
This Week's Games
None Scheduled
NAHL All-Star Game Feb. 8 in Frisco, TX
Next Game
2/11 Fairbanks 7:05pm Singles Night & College Night
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 3, 2005
- Bandits-Texas showdown set for this weekend - St. Louis Bandits
- Hansen's exploits earn NAHL Defensive Player of the Week honors - St. Louis Bandits
- Blizzard splits pair with Bismarck - Alexandria Blizzard
- Sellan carries Tornado to two wins in Santa Fe - Texas Tornado
- Bozeman's January record for the dogs - Bozeman Icedogs
- Soo moves to top spot - Soo Indians
- Bulls drop weekend series in Helena, four points from top - Billings Bulls
- Bobcats creeping up in West Division standings - Bismarck Bobcats
- Big crowds help Wildcats defeat Jr. Blues - Wichita Falls Wildcats
- Huck named Sher-wood NAHL Offensive Player of the Week - Wichita Falls Wildcats
- Jets ride five-game win streak into All-Star break - Fargo-Moorhead Jets
- Barons drop a pair on weekend - Cleveland Barons
- NAHL and Tornado All-Star jerseys now on eBay - NAHL
- Phantoms news - Mahoning Valley Phantoms
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