Tornado power play comes to life in 9-4 win
March 5, 2011 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Texas Tornado News Release
Thanks to five power play goals, the Tornado snapped their three-game skid with a 9-4 win over the Mustangs in New Mexico on Friday night. Tornado defenseman Ralfs Freibergs had a four point night and forward JD Howard recorded a hat-trick. Nate Sliwinski, Jack Prince and Marc Biggs all had three point night's and Jake Stafford got the win in goal, stopping 24 of 28 Mustangs shots.
For the first time in five games, the Tornado would score the first goal of the game. On an early power play, Jack Prince popped home his 24th goal of the season as he got a great pass from behind the net from JD Howard to give the Tornado a 1-0 lead. Defenseman Ralfs Freibergs also assisted on the play. However, the Tornado came out flat after their opening goal and New Mexico responded as a turnover at the Tornado blueline led to a 2 on 1, which was deposited home by Patrick Anderson past Tornado goaltender Jake Stafford, who was making his first start since February 11th. The Tornado regained the lead thanks to a broken play that got the puck in the low slot to Taylor Herndon who beat Marco Weiser for Herndon's second goal in as many nights. But again, the Mustangs would respond as Brad Wilhelm got around the Tornado defense for a breakaway, which was denied by a sprawling Stafford, but the rebound went right to a wide open and unmarked Ian McGilvrey, who tied the game at 2-2.
The 2nd period was one of the more up and down affairs of the season. New Mexico came out of the lockerroom on fire and took the lead right off the 2nd period face-off. With the Tornado on the power play, Patrick Anderson took the puck to the corner and threw a pass to the front of the net, which deflected off the skate of Walker Hyland and in behind Stafford for a 3-2 Mustangs lead. Minutes later, the Mustangs made it 4-2 as a shot from the point was denied by Stafford, but Diego Breckenridge put home the rebound to give New Mexico their biggest lead of the night. The Tornado would fight their way back, thanks to their power play as Nate Sliwinski got free in the high slot and fired a low shot past Weiser to make it 4-3 Mustangs with assists to Jack Prince and Jackson Leef. The Tornado tied the game at 4-4, again on the power play as Marc Biggs ripped a shot from the top of the circle that was redirected by JD Howard in behind Weiser. Minutes later, the Tornado took the lead with their 4th power play goal of the night, as Walker Hyland wristed a shot from the point that beat a screened Weiser. Texas wrapped up the period with a 2 on 1 goal as Nate Sliwinski patiently held the puck on a rush and sauced a pass to Ralfs Freibergs , who put home a one-timer on the backdoor to make it 6-4 Tornado at the conclusion of a wild 2nd period.
With the momentum clearly on the Tornado's side heading in the 3rd period, Texas put the petal to the metal with three more goals to put the game out of reach. JD Howard scored his second goal of the night to make it 7-4, as he dangled his way out of the corner and into the high slot, where he beat Weiser over the blocker side. Jackson Leef made it 8-4, scoring the 5th Tornado power play goal of the night as he wove his way into the high slot and rang a shot in off the crossbar. Howard finished the scoring with a hat-trick after a nifty passing play from Marc Biggs and David Rigatti.
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North American Hockey League Stories from March 5, 2011
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