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St. Louis Bandits Weekend Recap

March 7, 2011 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
St. Louis Bandits News Release


The St. Louis Bandits entered the weekend looking for victories and found plenty. The team was in no danger of losing the top spot in the division, but trying to keep everyone in their rear-view mirror in the only division that has no playoff spots mathematically clinched was a priority. Although pride may have played into it as well with St. Louis trying to keep pace with rival Topeka for the best record in the league. Regardless, the Bandits came out firing from the first puck drop in Rolling Meadows and did not stop until the final horn on Sunday afternoon.

The Bandits opened the series on the right foot, Friday night. Isak Quakenbush put the club up 1-0 over the Chicago Hitmen at the 7:10 mark of the first period. Though that was the only goal of the opening 20, that's all the Bandits would need. Chris Ciotti and Tucker Long would add goals in the second period. Ciotti's came just 31 seconds into the middle frame and was his 26 of the season. R.J. Kleiman popped home the final goal of the contest in the third. Kleiman has been a good offensive addition for the Bandits, scoring three goals and six points in just seven games since arriving from Motor City. Tom Comunale stopped all 19 Hitmen shots for his 5 shutout of the season.

Saturday's game number two would be more of the same. The Bandits rushed out to an early lead, scoring three goals in the first nine minutes. Taylor Wolfe, another trade deadline addition from Springfield, opened the scoring near the three minute mark. He would be joined by Quakenbush and Long on the scoresheet just minutes later. Nick Booth of the Hitmen would try to make a game of it, scoring two times in the second period, the first of which came on a great individual play. However it was not to be as the Bandits added three more goals in the middle frame. Long, Kevin Crowe and Kevin Zehnder were the scorers. Maxwell Douglas added an ultimately meaningless goal for Chicago in the third to make the score 6-3. Matt Green had a solid performance in goal. Despite only facing 24 shots and allowing three goals, Green stood tall in the second period being peppered with 15 shots. And especially difficult task considering he only saw one puck come his way in the first.

Chicago looked to change their luck in Sunday's contest. The Hitmen struck first just 1:20 after the puckdrop. Brent Formosa slid the puck past Tom Comunale. However the end result would not be different for St. Louis. The Bandits answered twice in the first period. Evan Stibbard banked home the first goal, his first in five games. Chris Ciotti slapped in the second, proving to be the game winner. The Bandits would ice the cake with goals from Grant Gettinger in the second and Kevin Crowe in the third. Tom Comunale settled down and made 19 stops for the second time in as many games en route to his 12 win of the season.

The Bandits will wrap up their season with two games against Chicago a the end of the month, however next up is a three game home stand against Traverse City. The North Stars are trying to catch Janesville for second place and keep ahead of Michigan as the playoffs loom so it should be a hard fought series. Those games will be March 11-13.



North American Hockey League Stories from March 7, 2011


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