Tornado split weekend series with Wichita Falls
Published on September 16, 2004 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Texas Tornado News Release
Rookie goalie Ben Bishop stopped all 14 shots in his first start for the Tornados as the defending National Champions earned a 5-0 win over Wichita Falls Wildcats in Frisco, Texas, last Sunday and split the weekend series with their South Division rivals.
Brett Blatchford had three assists and Nick Mazzolini had a goal and an assist while Chris Nichols, Karl Sellan, and Tom Train had the other goals for the Tornado.
Texas played a much stronger defensive game than they had on Saturday and their special team play also improved as they went two for five with the man advantage and killed off all seven Wildcats power plays.
On Saturday, the Tornado scored early, but fell behind 5-2, then mounted a late comeback late in the 3rd period as they tied the score 5-5, only to lose in a shoot-out.
Nichols had a goal and two assists while rookie forward Ryan Fuller had a goal and an assist. Justin Liut, Sellan and Christian Beaudry also had goals for the Tornado.
The Tornado jumped out to a 2-0 lead, but Wichita Falls answered with five straight goals to take a 5-2 lead. Texas score the next three including Liut's game-tying goal with just 37 seconds remaining in regulation.
The Tornado went 0 for 11 on the power play while Wichita Falls went 0 for 5.
Goaltender Eddie Wheeler played in his first game with a Tornado sweater on and stopped 27 of 33 shots.
"I thought it was good to see us jump on them early, but I thought we let up in the middle of the game and that allowed them some chances," said Tornado head coach Tony Curtale. "It was nice to see us play with some fire in the third period and come back to send it into a shootout, but overall we were not tough to score on. However, that's what these games are for, is to get us ready for the regular season, so in that aspect it was good."
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