Outlaws Pick Up Three Points, Ready to Head North
January 1, 2007 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
North Iowa Outlaws News Release
The North Iowa Outlaws came back from the break just shy of a .500 record, and in the first official weekend of the second half of the season, North Iowa nearly accomplished that task. Three great games saw the Outlaws go 1-1-1, while picking up three points to bring their record to 14-17-2, and a tie for fourth in the Central Division with Bismarck. Despite the two loses on the weekend, on in regulation and one in overtime, North Iowa played some of their best hockey and could have won all three.
Friday night, the Southern Minnesota Express came to Mason City, and the Outlaws and Express put on a show for the fans. North Iowa battled from three goals down to tie the game at the end of the second period, but for the second consecutive game, the Express picked up the two points with a goal by Scott Kozlak with 2:32 seconds remaining in overtime. The Outlaws got goals from Mike Wallgren, Bobby Moe, Joe Harcharik, and Nick Follmer. For Follmer, it was his first goal in the NAHL.
Coming off a 5-4 overtime lose to the Southern Minnesota Express on Friday night, the Outlaws tried to rebound on the road with a match-up with the Springfield Jr. Blues. North Iowa entered the game three points behind the Jr. Blues with a pair of games and a chance to jump ahead in the standings with a pair of wins, starting on the road in Springfield on Saturday.
The Outlaws fell behind in the first period, 2-0 after Springfield capitalized on a 4-4 chance and added to it on a 5-3 power play. In the second, Bryant Skarda found the back of the net for the Outlaws with a turnaround shot from the circle that handcuffed Adam Roy and pulled the Outlaws within one.
Heading into the third period the Outlaws looked for their fifth come from behind win of the season, but Roy played strong in the third period, stopping a last ditch effort from the Outlaws. With a minute to go, Coach Boitz pulled Jay Clark for the extra attacker and with the Outlaws on the power play, Roy came up big to preserve the win for the Jr. Blues.
After Saturday's fight, Sunday's game promised to be a great one as the Outlaws and Jr. Blues were meeting for the last time in the regular season. It took 65 minutes to finish off the Springfield Jr. Blues, but the Outlaws took the victory in the final meeting, 3-2 in a shootout. North Iowa's Trevor Doden fired a shot passed Adam Roy in the fourth round of the shootout, and Robby Moss stopped all five attempts by the Blues to give the Outlaws the victory.
North Iowa battled back twice in the game with Max Mobley tying the game at one after the Blues scored early in the second period. Andrew Berecz scored a power play tally at 13:11 in the second to give Springfield a 2-1 lead at the break. In the third, the Outlaws got the equalizer from Joe Harcharik with under five minutes remaining. After tying the game, Moss came up big, stoning the Jr. Blues, stopping 20 of 22 shots in the win.
Neither team scored in the overtime and threw the first four rounds of the shootout until Trevor Doden sniped Roy to the stick side to put the Outlaws up. Moss then shut the door on Berecz to seal the victory.
With the first three games, and the rust from the ten-day holiday break shaken off; the Outlaws set their sights on the frozen north. Thursday morning the Outlaws head to Minneapolis and on their way to Alaska for five games during their ten-day stay. They open the trip with three games in Fairbanks on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. They will spend the week there before returning to Anchorage the following Friday for a two-game set with the Avalanche.
The Outlaws enter their trip at a crucial point of the season. The Outlaws have climbed back into a playoff spot and with some non-divisional games, ground can be made up on other teams with some success.
NOTES:
Giebe Scores as Germany Downs Star Studded Team USA in OT
Outlaws defenseman Chris Giebe opened play at the World Junior Championships in Sweden on Tuesday and showed his team and the world not to mess with the Germans. Team USA got that message loud and clear as the German Junior team downed the future NHL filled roster of Team USA 2-1 in overtime. Under the guidance of former NHLer Uwe Krupp, the German's have the toughest pool to be in, facing off against powerhouses USA, Canada, and Slovakia.
North Iowa's Giebe scored the first goal for Germany as they opened pool play. Germany finished with 5 points after defeating Team USA and Slovakia, before falling to Canada and Sweden. Team USA defeated Sweden, ending the hopes for a Quarterfinal appearance for the Germans, who will finish in the Regulation games and look to remain in the top division at the World Junior Championships for the first time in years.
Giebe will rejoin the Outlaws at the conclusion of the tournament, catching up with the team in Alaska next week.
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North American Hockey League Stories from January 1, 2007
- Outlaws Pick Up Three Points, Ready to Head North - North Iowa Outlaws
- Former FM Jets Star Playing for Finland at WJC - Fargo-Moorhead Jets
- Team USA Beats Sweden in OT Thriller - U.S. National Team
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