Jordan Greenberg strikes in OT, Tornado win 6-5
December 11, 2011 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Texas Tornado News Release
The Texas Tornado trailed the Corpus Christi IceRays 4-2 at the start of the third period and 5-4 with three minutes left in regulation, but battled back to earn a 6-5 overtime victory at AmericanBank Center on Sunday. The overtime winner went to Jordan Greenberg, who scored along with his brother Justin for the fifth time this season. Jordan Lovick also scored twice and now has seven points in his last two games. Reid Mimmack came on in the third period and got the win in goal, making saves on 5 of the 6 shots he faced in limited action.
The game-winner came at the 2:28 mark of overtime, as Greenberg rushed into the zone on the left wing and drove towards the goal. He was tripped up but still managed to slip it through the pads of IceRays goaltender Chris Komma for his ninth goal of the season.
For the second straight game, the first goal of the contest came on the first shot on goal for either team. Saturday, Danny Fetzer scored for the IceRays just 17 seconds into the game. On Sunday, it took a little over two minutes into the game before Lucas Whelan put the Tornado on top 1-0. With Texas on the power-play, Whelan skated towards the right-wing circle and fired a wrist shot that beat IceRays goalie Chris Komma on the first shot he had faced since November 26th against New Mexico.
Just under five minutes later, Lovick bounced off a check in the corner, kept possession of the puck, and found Marc Biggs in the right circle. The Plano native unleashed a wrist shot that beat Komma high-blocker side to give the Tornado a 2-0 lead on Biggs' 12th goal of the season.
Before the first concluded, however, the IceRays got on the board. With 3:10 remaining in the period, Beau Walker, who had the game winning goal against the Tornado on Friday, let loose a heavy slapshot that got past Jutras and cut the Texas lead to 2-1.
Seizing the momentum they earned with the late first-period goal, the IceRays went on to score all three goals of the second, as well. First, it was Frank Misuraca who scored his third goal of the season with a power-play marker at the 9:57 mark. Misuraca took a slapshot from the middle of the blue line that went through a screen and beat Jutras to tie the score at 2.
Four and a half minutes later, the IceRays took the lead on Perry DArisso's first of two goals. After making a save, Jutras lost his footing in the crease. With the rookie goaltender struggling to get back to his feet, DArisso tracked down the rebound and flipped it towards the net. Jutras was still trying to get back upright, and never saw the puck sail over his shoulder and into the net for the go-ahead goal that made it a 3-2 Corpus Christi lead.
Then, at the 18:26 mark, DArisso struck again with the IceRays second power-play goal of the period. Walker made a bid for his second goal of the game with a one-timer from the point, but was stopped by Jutras. The rebound was battled for but eventually controlled by DArisso, who slipped it past Jutras to make it a 4-2 game to close out the second period.
With the game in danger of slipping away, Mimmack began the period in net for the Tornado. Meanwhile, Lovick provided a big boost early in the third with a goal just 51 seconds into the period. Lovick skated in from the left-wing boards and took a wrist shot that beat Komma to draw the Tornado within one. Then, as the midway point of the third period approached and a Tornado power-play was expiring, Justin Greenberg was wide open in the slot. John Kirtland had the puck in the corner but found the younger Greenberg brother, who went top shelf over Komma to tie the game.
The IceRays appeared to seize control with three minutes left in regulation, however, with left when AJ Jarosz broke the tie with a one-time from the slot. Danny Fetzer broke into the zone on the right wing and got past Kirtland, drawing a penalty in doing so. Fetzer stayed on his skates and dropped the puck to Jarosz, who got it past Mimmack to give the IceRays a 5-4 lead.
But 40 seconds later, Lovick scored again to force yet another tie score. Jake Strzalkowski took a wrist shot from the blue line, but Lovick was stationed in between the hash marks, got his stick on the puck, and redirected it past Komma to force overtime and the eventual game-winner by Jordan Greenberg.
The Tornado return to action on Friday, December 17th for the first of two weekend games against the Wichita Falls Wildcats. Friday's contest is scheduled for a 7:00 start from Kay-Yeager Coliseum in Wichita Falls.
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North American Hockey League Stories from December 11, 2011
- North Stars Bounce Back with 4-2 Win - Traverse City North Stars
- Walker, D'Arrisso Shine in 6-5 OT Loss - Corpus Christi IceRays
- Jordan Greenberg strikes in OT, Tornado win 6-5 - Texas Tornado
- North Stars Beat Jr. K-Wings - Kalamazoo Jr. K-Wings
- Bulls Win 23rd, Beat New Mexico 5-1 - Amarillo Bulls
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