'Runners Sweep 'Rays with 4-1 Win
Published on December 5, 2011 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Topeka Pilots News Release
After scoring the game winning goal as time expired in overtime the night before, the Topeka RoadRunners needed no such heroics on Saturday as they cruised to a 4-1 win in Corpus Christi.
Ryan White helped get Topeka started when he first blocked a shot from the right point in his own end, then took off with the puck outracing the Ice Rays defense. He made a move and got the shot away but it was knocked down by goalie Anthony Stolarz and the rebound was tapped in by Dan Dupell at 7:09, his tenth goal of the year. In the final seconds of the period, Trace Strahle snapped a pass to Ryan White and White drove down the left side before lofting a backhand pass to Brian Christie on the right wing, who lifted the backhander high into the net for a 2-0 lead.
In the second period the 'Runners were pressuring the crease area on the power play, and a Kevin Patterson shot was turned aside but right to the stick of Kyle Sharkey, and with the goalie up at the top of the crease, Sharkey gave it to Sean Gaffney who slipped in it behind for the 3-0 lead at 3:49. Corpus Christi had some chances, including a penalty shot by Danny Fetzer that goalie Peter Traber kicked aside. It was still 3-0 late in the second when defenseman Michal Pastor was knocked to the ice well behind the play, and while no penalty was assessed, it spawned a series of consecutive fights. The next faceoff saw three different Ice Rays bump into Ryan Doucet while lining up, and as soon as the puck dropped, Ice Ray Ladislav Hruska and Doucet both took off their gloves and helmets and went to work, with Doucet getting the upper hand. The following faceoff saw Ice Ray Greg Chapman square off with Michal Pastor, and in a good spirited scrap, Pastor was able to shift from right handed to left and back again to control the majority of the fight. Unsatisfied, Corpus Christi had another fight in mind but Ice Ray forward Joe Smereck was too impatient and tried to engage Sean Gaffney in a fight before the puck dropped and Gaffney wisely abstained, not wanting to take the game ejection that would have come along with it. Instead, the referee sent both Smereck and Gaffney to the penalty box for delay of game. The fisticuffs weren't over yet. Yet another scrap followed the next faceoff, the third in just :05 seconds of elapsed game clock. This time it was Ice Ray Danny Fetzer going against Gage Hough. Both players threw just a couple of fists that never landed before they both grappled to the ice. The final few seconds of the period went off without incident, and Topeka took a 3-0 lead into the locker room.
The 'Runners lead grew to 4-0 when Brian Christie pounced on a loose puck in his own end, sailed through the neutral zone, and after entering the Ice Rays zone he hooked and curled, spotting Trace Strahle coming right up the middle. A beautiful saucer pass right into the high slot was ripped by Strahle over the blocker of Stolarz at 4:25 and the 'Runners were in complete control. Corpus Christi caught a break when an odd penalty call afforded them a 5:00 major power play. As an Ice Ray player was taking a run at Kevin Patterson along the boards, Patterson raised his stick to protect himself and was instead ejected from the game with a major penalty for cross checking. On the ensuing Ice Ray man advantage, Joe Smereck knocked home a centering pass to make it a 4-1 game but it was all the offense Corpus Christi could muster as Topeka completed the weekend sweep. The 'Runners are now 5-0-0 all time in the American Bank Center and 8-0-0 vs Corpus Christi overall.
Topeka (16-10-2) returns home to face the Wichita Falls Wildcats (9-15-1) and kick off an eight game homestand. The 'Runners have won all four prior meetings this season.
North American Hockey League Stories from December 5, 2011
- Kerr Named NAHL's First Star of the Week - Wenatchee Wild
- 'Runners Sweep 'Rays with 4-1 Win - Topeka Pilots
- NAHL Announces Combat Hockey 3 Stars of the Week - NAHL
- Cats Split in Odessa - Wichita Falls Wildcats
- Tornado Weekly - Texas Tornado
- Jr. K-Wings Weekly - Kalamazoo Jr. K-Wings
- Rays Report: Two Losses - Corpus Christi IceRays
- Kerr-Tain Call: Kerr, Pauly Make History - Wenatchee Wild
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
