Jets Weekly
March 17, 2008 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Fargo-Moorhead Jets News Release
Tuesday Night
The Jets couldn't make it through the express lane tonight as they were taken down by Southern Minnesota in an overtime loss 4-3. Jordy Trottier came out strong with two goals tonight, one of them bringing the score to a tie. But the Express finished even stronger with a quick goal only thirty-two seconds into overtime.
Marc Harrie nabbed the opening face-off and tipped it down to defenseman, Sean McNeely. The Jets were in a must-win situation tonight, so putting the pressure on early was essential. Both teams were on tonight, as they continued to frustrate each other in the zones. A slashing call at 15:38 gave the Jets their first power play opportunity, but the Express continued to play hard and fought it off.
Express goalie, Scott Pederson, brought a tough wall in front of the cage and the Jets started to feel like scoring a goal was like putting a square peg in a round hole. This wasn't the same story for the Express as Danford shot one right past Adam Buegler's right side off an assist from Arrigoni to put the Express up 1-0 with 8:49 left on the first period clock. Another two penalties went by on both the Jets and Express to end the period with the Jets still trailing 1-0.
It was up to the Jets to win the draws in the second period, but they were hoping for much more than that. After having established nothing offensively on the board in the first period, the Jets really needed to make something happen. Something happened alright, but not to the favor of the Jets. On a power-play advantage, Inderieden came crashing into the crease to upend Buegler in the goal. Unfortunately, the puck went into the goal before the goal came out of position, putting the Jets at a 2-0 deficit.
The Jets had plenty of scoring chances, but still, nothing was going into their favor. They "were throwing everything but the kitchen sink at Pederson", according to broadcaster, Mark Weiby. It seemed as though he was right. With just under seven minutes of play left and still no score from the Jets, Elliot Okland made two beautiful saves, on the left side of the net. But the third time was a charm for the Express as Unkelsbay racked a third goal for the Express to put them at 3-0.
By this time, the Jets had had enough. On a 5-on-3 man Power Play advantage, the Jets finally put a goal up on the board. Although it took them until 12 seconds left in the power play, Jordy Trottier still put the puck through Pederson nonetheless. The fans felt a little déjà vu about two minutes later as the Express went on a 5-on-3 power play. Thankfully, nothing came of it and the period ended with the Jets still trailing 3-1.
The Jets won all three face offs, but they still needed two goals to tie the game back up. Instead, the Jets started out with two fights. Punches thrown left and right from both Andrew Harrison and Marc Harrie distracted the Jets from getting on the horn and making some goals. With less than five minutes left in the game, there were no ifs, ands or buts about scoring; it needed to be done. So, Robby Phillip took it upon himself to do just that. With an assist from newcomer Ryan LaDouceur, he brought the score to 3-2 at 4:17.
Trailing by one goal still wouldn't do it, so the Jets needed to make some big measures to try for the tie. By taking Okland out and adding an attacker, Trottier fought his way through traffic and grabbed that third goal with 19 seconds left to put the score to 3-3.
Overtime was short and sweet as the Express took the win in 32 seconds flat. Okland broke down for just a second, and the Express pounced.
LaDoucuer finished with two assisted and Trottier added another pair of goals in the losing effort. Philipp did what he could by adding a goal of his own but it wasn't enough.
Wednesday Night
It was a repeat of last night as the Jets fell, once again, to the Southern Minnesota Express 4-3. The game-winning goal would come from Brodhag on a penalty kill. This would be Brodhag's second goal of the night. Jets' defensemen Erick Galt also scored two tonight, but his goals, along with Andrew Muir's, couldn't put the icing on the cake.
Four Jets veterans stepped onto the ice to open the tangle with the Express. As per usual, the opening draw went to the Jets with Andrew Harrison to send the puck down. Contrary to last night, the Jets seemed to be playing a bit more casually, giving the Express plenty of opportunities to pack in the action. Just after two minutes of play, the Express took one of those opportunities as Unklesbay struck first while Okland had slipped behind the net after coming out to play the puck. Okland could only watch the puck careen into the goal through the mesh.
Trailing 1-0 early in the period should have given the Jets a little more motivation, but they only seemed to find some bad estimation of passes and plenty of penalties. At the 11:15 mark, the Jets were able to test Zach Hansen's wingspan in the cage, and even though the Express goalie was lacking in size, he made up for it in saves. The Jets weren't even able to execute a goal during a brief segment of 5-on-3 around the nine minute stanza.
A penalty kill at 6:50 marked the second Express goal of the night. A minute into the kill, Beaudoin got a shot directly to the top right shelf to put the Jets at a 2-0 deficit. The crowd cringed as the Jets received another penalty kill off the stick of Galt at 4:53. This time, though, the Jets weren't ready for another goal between their posts! Marc Harrie caught a breakaway and it took his stick, skate, and right glove to maneuver a pass to Andrew Muir for a shorthanded goal at 4:09.
This was exactly the kind of incentive the Jets needed. Immediately going from casual to black tie optional, the Jets finished out the period strong to leave the score at 2-1.
After a trip to the locker room, the Jets came out for the second period with a fresher attitude. It took a little over five minutes, but after two consecutive penalties on the Express, the Jets went 5 on 3 for the second time tonight. The Jets seemed to be lovin' the 5 on 3 action as Erick Galt recorded a big time blast from the right circle at 14:15 to tie the score at deuces.
The ice seemed to be a little slippery around the cages tonight as Okland tipped over for a second time. Flopping on his stomach just outside the left of the cage, Okland sprawled all 6 feet, 3 inches to slap his glove down over a puck that was slowly edging into the goal. Talk about phenomenal saves!
But the saves didn't last. With exactly five minutes left in the period, Brodhag found an opening and slapped the puck through Okland's legs right before he closed up shop to give the Express a 3-2 lead. Two Jets' penalties later, Okland found himself being tested again... this time with only three men to help him out. With a beautiful defense and another great save, the Jets fought off the 5-on-3 kill and ended the second still trailing 3-2.
The third period would play host to another plethora of power plays, but the Jets just couldn't capitalize on the advantage. Even a 74 second 5-on-3 wouldn't help the Jets out tonight. Okland stayed solid for the first half of the period, but at 9:56 Brodhag recorded his second goal of the night, shorthanded to double the score 4-2.
As time drained away, Okland was finally pulled from the goal to give the Jets an extra attacker. This did the trick as Erick Galt scored his second goal of the night with another blast through Hansen and his defense. Less than two minutes left on the clock and another goal needed to tie it up, the Jets needed to dig in their skates for the remaining buck fifty-nine. Luck was not on their side as the last few seconds dripped off the clock and the buzzer sounded with 4-3 on the board.
Friday Night
It was another collapse after a solid first period for the Jets as they fell 6-2 on the road Friday night.
After falling behind 1-0 on a goal by Jared Rickord for Blues 6:06 into the game, the Jets rebounded on a goal by former Jr. Blue Justin Kirchhevel. Justin played a total of seven game collecting eight points (4G, 4A) last season before leaving to playing high school hockey and football back in Brookings, SD. Marc Mihulka would net his team leading 18th bomb of the year with less than one minute to play in first giving the Jets a short lived lead at 2-1. The Jets pounded goal tender Phil Cook for 15 saves on 17 shots as the Blues made just nine deflects on Adam Buegler.
Buegler wasn't very sharp in the first 20:00 minutes so he regrouped during the intermission to start the second stronger until the period was half way over. The Jr. Blues worked yet another power-play and a soft goal given up to Matt Larke to tie the game. This would be the spark needed burn the Jets from there on out for Springfield as they never looked back. Kyle Greco bagged the go-ahead goal on an assist from Larke to give the lead back to the Jr. Blues and end the second on top, 3-2. The Jets were out shot badly 16-7 in the poor period.
The third was dropped again for the Jets as 3-2 lead was sent to 4-2 by Cory Patterson who's heading to Army next fall. Buegler would remain in net as Scott Keeven and Larke peppered the net for the 6-2 lead. Though the Jets never scored again after taking a 2-1 into the first intermission they seemed to be out of sync the rest of the way. The Jets would end out shooting the Blues 36-31 but it didn't matter and they fell 6-2 as Alexandria won 7-5 at Kenai River.
Mihulka and Kirchhevel got the only goals in the game for the Jets while Buegler lost for the first time this year falling to 6-1-1. Okland remained on the bench despite the soft goals scored by the Jr. Blues on Adam. It would be a loss that proved costly as the hope for the playoffs got smaller with six points to make up and only seven games to play.
Saturday Night
The Jets used five different guys to get the scoring on the board as they downed the Jr. Blues 6-2 Saturday night
With the legendary "Golden Jet" Bobby Hull in attendance, the Jr. Blues thought maybe luck was on their side, well they were wrong. Justin Kirchhevel put the first goal home as he beat Phil Cook at 14:53. Not long after, Marc Harrie came racing in short-handed with Andrew Muir leading the charge on a 2-on-1 break up the right wing and as Muir's shot deflected off of Cook Harrie was there to put back the rebound making 2-0. This would not be the end, because Andrew Harrison took a nice feed in the slot from Harrie and Marc Mihulka on the power-play to beat Cook again. Cook would head to the bench and be replaced by Ales Sila for the remaining 1:35. He would be tested in the right circle from Andy Dittus who rang it off the post to close out a beautiful first period. The Jr. Blues would out shoot the Jets 13-10 but that didn't matter as Okland stood tall for all 13 saves.
The second opened up again with Pat Dietz getting his fourth goal of the season to extend the lead 4-0, Jets. Tyler Klein takes the biscuit from McNeely to beat Cook again who started the second after being pulled making 5-0. The Jr. Blues did however get on the scoreboard with a short-handed goal from Jared Rickord. With the Jets up 5-1 they turned to Harrie for his second of the season and it was 6-1. The period came to closure with the Jets down on shots 26-16 and once again up on the board.
The third period witnessed the Blues snag another goal but it was too little too late in a losing effort 6-2. From the moment Hull dropped the ceremonial first puck to the final one minute nothing went right for the Jr. Blues as they were defeated at home in front of an announced crowd of 1,250 at the Nelson Center.
Marc Harrie took home accolades for the first star with two goals and an assist and Harrison banged a goal and an assist of his own. Harrison's family was in attendance and this time he maintained his composure on the ice with points not penalty minutes. Muir also added two dimes to the cause in the 6-2 route. Last but not least Elliot Okland made the saves needed to secure the win as the Jets moved to within four points of Alexandria who fell 4-2 at Kenai River late Saturday night. Southern MN won 2-1 at North Iowa to inch closer to clinching second place and home ice for the first round of the playoffs.
Still in the Hunt Though the Jets went 1-2-1 over the week they still find themselves only four points behind Alexandria. The Blizzard and Jets meet on Sunday where the Jet shave won the last two meetings on the road on Alex. But of coarse this only means anything if the Jets can get some luck in North Iowa. They have only beaten the Outlaws two times in eight tries with both wins comes in their last meeting at the Coliseum.
Special Teams Win Games The Jets are currently 7th in the NAHL when it comes to the power-play behind Southern MN at 16.39 percent. They have given up a league leading 10 short-handed goals and are ties for that lead with Springfield. Meanwhile on the penalty kill they rank 12th at 82.90 percent and went (2-22) on the kill over last week. It's going to take another solid effort to bring home the bacon this weekend.
Never Say Never... Again The Jet will be looking to never lose again from here on out as the schedule gets tougher and tougher. North Iowa hasn't been a welcome mat for them this year losing all four games there. Then a date with the Blizzard lies beneath on Sunday so ground can be made and definitely lost!
Look Around the League
Alexandria vs. Fairbanks L 5-2 and W 6-2
Alexandria vs. Kenai River W 7-5 and L 4-2
North Iowa vs. Southern MN W 6-1 and L 2-1
North American Hockey League Stories from March 17, 2008
- Sweep lifts Phantoms into playoffs - NAHL
- Jets Weekly - Fargo-Moorhead Jets
- Phantoms Midget AAAs Are National Tournament Bound - Mahoning Valley Phantoms
- Sweep of Stars Secures Home-Ice Advantage for Phantoms in First Round - Mahoning Valley Phantoms
- Jet's Player of the Week - Fargo-Moorhead Jets
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