Johnstown Tops Wild
December 8, 2013 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Wenatchee Wild News Release
Wenatchee, WA. - The Johnstown Tomahawks withstood a frantic Wild comeback Saturday night, going on to edge Wenatchee 5-4 in a shootout before 3,011 fans at the Town Toyota Center.
A power play goal for Johnstown's Matthew Meier opened the scoring at 11:37 of the first period. The assists went to Mitch Hall and Shane Cuckovich, putting the Tomahawks on top 1-0.
Wenatchee tied the game past the midway point of the second period, as Parker Tuomie (Biemerhaven, Germany) scored on a turn-around shot from straight out in front. Chris Koukis (Brentwood, California) and Troy Loggins (Huntington Beach, California) drew the assists at 11:12, squaring the game at 1-1. Shane Bednard scored an unassisted shorthanded goal at 14:59, putting Johnstown back on top, at 2-1. That lead didn't last long however, as on the same penalty, Tuomie scored his second of the game, a power play goal for the Wild from Loggins at 15:27, tying the game 2-2.
The Tomahawks regained the lead on a Trevor Recktenwald goal, assisted by Mitch Hall at 4:28, gaining a 3-2 advantage. The lead grew to 4-2, as Johnstown's Josh Bowes scored from Bednard at 15:42. Andre Pison (Herlev, Denmark) sliced a digit off the deficit with a power play goal from the top of the right circle late in regulation. The extra attacker goal, assisted by Tuomie at 18:57, drew Wenatchee within one, at 4-3. The Wild, with the goaltender off again, stormed the net and banged home the game-tying goal moments later. Loggins got credit for the goal, with Tuomie and Tanner Barnes (Burnsville, Minnesota) being credited with the assists at 19:34, tying the game 4-4 and forcing overtime.
The two teams went at each other in the extra session with no scoring; sending the game to the deciding shootout, to determine which team would get the extra standings point.
In the shootout, Jakob Ahlgren (Fergus Falls, Minnesota) scored in round one for Wenatchee, but the Tomahawks countered with goals by Tyler Basham in round four and Mitch Hall in round seven, skating away with the 5-4 win. "I thought we played awful well tonight" said Wenatchee Wild Head Coach Bliss Littler. "We kept shooting ourselves in the foot with four breakout turnovers, all went in the back of the net, but I thought it was a very good effort, especially getting the goaltender out and scoring two to tie it up. We've got to quit playing catchup hockey. To be able to come back and collect points is good, but we need to start playing with the lead a little bit more. We're 8-3-1 in our last 12 (games), but we've been doing something the hard way by coming back. We need to make teams work harder to score."
The Wild outshot Johnstown 41-29 on the night. Chase Perry (Andover, Minnesota) made 24 saves for Wenatchee; Alex Okicki had 37 saves for the Tomahawks. The Wild went 2-for-6 on the power play and 2-of-3 on the penalty kill.
Wenatchee is now 13-11-3, Johnstown is 16-10-2.
The Wild wraps up the pre-Christmas schedule with a pair of games at Aberdeen next Friday and Saturday, December 13th and 14th, then a pair of games at Minot on Friday and Saturday, December 20th and 21st. Wenatchee then returns home for a pair of games against Fairbanks on Friday and Saturday, January 3rd and 4th. Individual and group game tickets for all home games are on sale now. Call 509.888.PUCK (7825).
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North American Hockey League Stories from December 8, 2013
- Broken Record - Minot Minotauros
- Tomahawks Finish Strong on West Coast Trip, Defeat Wild 5-4 - Johnstown Tomahawks
- Bulls Fall to Brahmas 4-0 - Amarillo Bulls
- Bulls and Jackalopes Game Postponed - Amarillo Bulls
- Johnstown Tops Wild - Wenatchee Wild
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