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Struggling Twins unable to come up with win

January 10, 2005 - SPHL (SPHL)
Winston-Salem Polar Twins News Release


The Winston-Salem Polar Twins had a rough schedule to work with last week and the wariness was apparent by Saturday. After playing at close game at home against Huntsville, the Twins took to the road to play in Jacksonville on Friday night. By Saturday's game at home against Fayetteville, there was no gas left in the tanks of the Polar Twins.

Thursday, January 6 v. Huntsville: The Polar Twins fought hard, with Brett Cross tying the game with only five seconds remaining in regulation but Brad McDonald's goal with 1:31 remaining in overtime lifted the Havoc over the Polar Twins 6-5.

Geoff Rollins put the Polar Twins on the board only 1:24 into the game with his sixth goal of the season. Rollins entered the zone on the left wing side and got in close enough to shovel a backhander under the pads of Huntsville goaltender Matt Carmichael for the 1-0 lead. Bill Cass and Troy Ilijow were credited with the assists on the play.

Huntsville came back to tie it at the 5:37 mark of the first frame. Jeff Dams beat his man at the top of the right faceoff circle and beat Jomar Cruz over the left shoulder for his seventh of the season from McDonald and a 1-1 game. Corey Dean scored with three minutes left in the opening period for a 2-1 Havoc lead heading into intermission.

In the second period, the Polar Twins got another quick start, scoring only 31 seconds into the frame to tie the game 2-2. Troy Ilijow beat Carmichael for his fifth goal of the season from Rollins and Brett Cross to even the score. Ilijow then capitalized on a two-man advantage late in the period to regain the lead for the Polar Twins, 3-2. Marcus Willy's assist on the play was his first since November 21.

Huntsville came back in the third, netting one only 41 seconds into the period. Josh Liebenow rifled a shot from inside the right faceoff circle that beat Cruz low to the stick side tie it up at 3-3. Steve Howard and Doug Merrell added goals, both on four-on-four situations, for a 5-3 Huntsville lead midway through the third.

Jason Bone brought the Polar Twins within one at 12:02 of the third, muscling to the net from deep in the right corner to backhand his second goal of the season past Carmichael for a 5-4 game. Cross' game-tying goal at 19:55 of the third brought the game to overtime where McDonald capitalized on a defensive mistake to get the game winner for the 6-5 final.

Friday, January 7 at Jacksonville: On Friday night while Polar Twins Head Coach Bryan Wells was serving a one-game suspension from an altercation the previous week, his Polar Twins were playing a close one in Jacksonville. Richard Gustafsson put the Polar Twins up 1-0 with a power play tally at 2:41 of the first period. Geoff Rollins and Brett Cross were credited with the assists on the play. Jacksonville (14-13) then came back with two to gain the 2-1 lead. First it was Glenn Crawford, who tied things up at the 4:58 mark of the period. Jason Silverthorn then put the Barracudas up at 13:49 of the frame. The Polar Twins would tie things up before the first intermission, as Steve Lajoie netted his fifth goal of the season from Marcus Willy at 18:53.

Winston-Salem grabbed the lead again in the second with Cross scoring his first shorthanded goal of the season only 1:21 into the frame to make it 3-2. The goal was Cross' fourth point since returning to the lineup on December 30. Jacksonville surged ahead later in the period, netting three straight goals to make it 5-3 Jacksonville heading into the third period.

Troy Ilijow pulled the Polar Twins within one in the third with his third goal in two games from Willy and Lajoie at 7:30 of the final frame but it would not be enough as the Barracudas held on for the 5-4 final.

Saturday, January 8 v. Fayetteville: Steve Roberts had two goals, both on the power play, to lead the Fayetteville FireAntz to a 6-1 victory over the Polar Twins Saturday night. Roberts' first power play tally at 9:27 of the first period put Fayetteville up 1-0. With only four seconds remaining on a Polar Twins' penalty, Andrew Dickson found Roberts who was wide open at the left goal post. The FireAntz leading goal scorer made quick work of the open net for his 17th goal of the season.

Fayetteville would score a total of five goals before the Polar Twins could get past FireAntz goaltender Glen Ridler. Roberts scored his second of the game on the power play just 1:01 into the middle frame for a 2-0 Fayetteville lead. Josh Fey, Tyler Perry, and Nick Kormanyos also scored for the FireAntz in the second period for the 5-0 lead heading into the third.

Shaun Aebig got the Twins on the board at the 10:01 mark of the final period with a power play tally from Trevor Karasiewicz and Geoff Rollins but it would not be enough as Fayetteville Captain Mike Fournier put the last nail in the coffin for a 6-1 final.

Calendar

Upcoming schedule of appearances, practices, games, and promotions

Practice: Monday 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. LJVM Coliseum Annex

Upcoming Games

Tuesday, January 11 Polar Twins @ Macon Trax 7:05 p.m. Macon Centreplex

Thursday, January 13 Polar Twins @ Huntsville Havoc 8:30 p.m. Von Braun Center

Friday, January 14 Polar Twins @ Asheville Aces 7:30 p.m. Asheville Civic Center

Saturday, January 15 Polar Twins @ Columbus Cottonmouths 7:30 p.m. Columbus Civic Center

Transactions

Roster changes for the week

01/03 G Rick Nichol placed on waivers

01/03 G Nathan Grobins assigned from Fort Wayne (UHL)

01/03 D Chris Kovalcik traded to Asheville for 3-game tryout

01/07 Signed D Brent Gardipy

01/07 Signed F Justin Kot

01/09 G Nathan Grobins recalled by Richmond (UHL)

01/09 F Brett Cross recalled by Richmond (UHL)

01/09 Signed G Rick Nichol

01/10 F Brett Cross assigned by Richmond (UHL)

Willy returns to pre-injury form

Winston-Salem defender puts up points

Before injuring his shoulder on November 23 in Macon, Polar Twins defenseman Marcus Willy had tallied 12 points (2G, 10A) to lead all Winston-Salem blueliners in scoring. Last week, Willy returned to the score sheet after an eight game absence, putting up two assists on Thursday against Huntsville and again on Friday in Jacksonville for a total of 16 points (2G, 14A) in 22 games this season.

Other notable performances:

Trevor Karasiewicz – 14 points in his last ten games

Brett Cross – Two goals and three assists since returning from injury on December 30, including game-tying goal with only five seconds remaining in regulation Thursday night against Huntsville

Troy Ilijow – Three goals and three assists in three games this week

Team leaders

Points Shaun Aebig – 26 points (12G, 14A)
Goals T-Shaun Aebig – 12 G
T-Chester Gallant – 12 G
Power Play Goals Shaun Aebig – 5 PPG
Penalty Minutes Jason Bone – 94 PIM over 12 games (7.83 average per game)
+/- Mike Walling – +3 (+3 with Macon, Even with Winston-Salem)
Shots Richard Gustafsson – 96 shots
Game-Winning Goals Chester Gallant – 3 GWG

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