Outlaws pick up pace in race for playoffs
Published on February 21, 2007 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
North Iowa Outlaws News Release
The Outlaws are back in the Hunt for the 2007 Playoffs. North Iowa picked up four of a possible six on the weekend, capped off with an exciting shootout win on Sunday over Alexandria.
This weekend, the Outlaws will hit the road, heading to Alexandria for a pair of games with the Blizzard. It will be the final time during the regular season the Outlaws and Blizzard will face-off with each team right in the thick of the Central Division log jam for the final two playoff spots.
One Point Back after Successful Weekend
A week after the North Iowa Outlaws saw a chance to jump into the playoff spot slip away with two losses to the Alexandria Blizzard, Coach Dave Boitz saw his troops rally back in a big way. With three games this past weekend, the Outlaws picked up four of a possible six points and pulling back within one point of a playoff spot. During weekend, the Outlaws also collected their franchise record 19th win, and gained the top spot in shorthanded goals with 15.
Friday night, the Outlaws started on the road against their rivals from Southern Minnesota. After spending a few weeks looking for the franchise record 19th win, the Outlaws came out in the third period trailing by a goal determined to get it. Trailing the entire game, North Iowa's relentless third period attack wasn't denied as they answered with two goal and fought off some late penalties to win 2-1.
The first period saw the Express again jump out to a lead when Gabe Guentzel found the back of the net on the power play. With five seconds left and a face off in the Outlaws zone, North Iowa attempted to clear the puck, but the Express held it in with a quick shot from the point that beat Jay Clark, but the shot was just a second late as time as already expired and the outlaws caught their first real break of the series. North Iowa came out in the second period and out shot the Express, but couldn't find the back of the net behind Paulgaard. In the third, the Outlaws came out firing and tied the game when Mike Wallgren pounded home a rebound off the back wall to tie the game. After hitting two or three post later in the period, the North Iowa Outlaws finally caught a break. With just over three minutes to play, Chris Giebe picked up his first goal of the season at a big time, to give the Outlaws the 2-1 lead.
With under two minutes to play, the officials handed the Express opportunity after opportunity to tie the game, putting the Outlaws two men down for the final: 30 seconds of the game. With an empty net on the Express end, three Outlaws outworked the six Express attackers and sealed off the victory. Jay Clark was solid down the stretch and picked up his 8th win of the season.
Saturday night the Outlaws headed back to Owatonna and for the second night in a row, the North Iowa Outlaws tried to battle back for a goal down in the third period, but this time the Express had different plans. Southern Minnesota held off an attack from the Outlaws in the third to pick up a 3-1 victory. North Iowa added a league leading 15th shorthanded goal, their only tally on the night. The Express came out firing in the opening minute and Dusty Jackson got a little luck, sliding a puck between the legs of Jay Clark to give the Express a 1- 0 lead. North Iowa answered at the midway mark in the period with Steve Mcleod and Ross Ring-Jarvi connecting for a league leading 15th shorthanded goal to tie the game.
In the second, Scott Kozlak tallied the games first power play goal as the Express regained the lead after two periods of play. In the third, the Outlaws looked to mount a come from behind win in the third period for the second night in a row, but the Express battled to deny their effort. Dusty Jackson added a third period goal to give the Express the 3-1 victory. The Outlaws host Alexandria on Sunday at 5:00 PM at the North Iowa Ice Arena.
Sunday evening, the Outlaws had a chance to pull within one in the standings, seeing the Bismarck Bobcats and Springfield Jr. Blues stumble on the weekend. Sunday also offered a chance for redemption after the Blizzard swept the Outlaws the weekend before. North Iowa weathered the storm against the Alexandria Blizzard of Sunday evening, winning in a shootout 1-0.
Both teams had the opportunity to break a scoreless game, but the net minders were solid and sent the game to overtime with goose eggs on the scoreboard. In the overtime, neither team had the chances, sending the game to a shootout. In the shootout period, Mario Mjelleli scored in the fourth round but the Blizzard answered back to tie with their first shooter in round five. With a chance to close out the game, Coach Dave Boitz send out Mason City native Alex Maginnis and he blew it past Dustin Carlson to set off the celebration. The Outlaws pull within one of the Bismarck Bobcats and Springfield Jr. Blues for the final playoff spot.
North American Hockey League Stories from February 21, 2007
- U.S. National Under-18 Team Returns Home for Three-Game Weekend - U.S. National Team
- Outlaws pick up pace in race for playoffs - North Iowa Outlaws
- Cloutier named Player of the Week - Mahoning Valley Phantoms
- NAHL announces Showcase dates - NAHL
- 149 and Counting - Fargo-Moorhead Jets
- Jets Attendance Significantly Up - Fargo-Moorhead Jets
- Hull's Bandits to Play Team USA at Scottrade Center - St. Louis Bandits
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