Tornado win wild South shootout, 7-6
Published on March 12, 2011 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Texas Tornado News Release
In one of the more wild and back and forth games of the season, the Texas Tornado outlasted the Corpus Christi IceRays on Friday night in a shootout by a score of 7-6. Nate Sliwinski and Brett Hebel had two goals each and Ralfs Freibergs added two assists and the shootout-winning goal. The win gave the Tornado a sweep of the IceRays, which also included Thursday's 5-1 win. It's now no rest for the weary for the Tornado as they take the seven-hour bus ride home to Frisco, where they will host the Wichita Falls Wildcats on Saturday, March 12th at a special noon (12:00pm) start time. Tickets are available by calling 972-335-9800.
It would not take the IceRays long to score less than two minutes into the game as a pass from behind the net found the stick of Cody Milligan, who slid a backhand shot underneath Tornado goaltender Jake Stafford for a 1-0 IceRays lead. The Tornado would equalize just minutes later as Nate Sliwinski got a pass in the low slot from Jackson Leef and deked âRays goaltender Mason Murovich for the first Tornado tally of the night. The âRays regained the lead as a 2 on 1 rush by Petr Stlokal dropped the puck to Jordan Miller, who wristed a shot past Stafford for a 2-1 lead. The Tornado would again answer right after killing a penalty on a face-off win got the puck back to Ralks Freibergs who dished to Brett Hebel in front from a wicked wrist shot that beat Murovich to tie the game at 2-2. The IceRays regained the lead at 3-2 as Seth Blair got loose behind the net and stuffed a wrap-around past Jake Stafford.
It would not take the Tornado long in the 2nd period to tie the game for a third time as Jimmy Murray converted on the power play as a shot from the high slot by Walker Hyland went wide, but the rebound bounced off of Marc Biggs right to Murray to deposit on the open net. Just a minute later the IceRays pressure saw them grab their 4th lead of the night, as some pressure in the Tornado end kept the puck alive in the offensive zone, and Joe Smereck was able to get free and sent a sharp angle drive over the right shoulder of Stafford to give Corpus Christi a 4-3 lead. However, the Tornado would tie the game yet again as a pass from Mike Fleming to Brett Hebel down the left wing saw him take a slapshot which was stopped by Murovich, but the rebound redirected off the left of IceRays defenseman Mychal Monteith and in behind Murovich to tie the game at 4-4. That would be the end of the night for Murovich, who was pulled in place of Pheonix Copley. The IceRays would regain the lead yet again, as a bouncing puck would end up on the stick of Beau Walker, who fired a wrist shot past Stafford to give the âRays and 5-4 lead and chase Stafford from the net in favor of Jimmy Kruger. But, the never-say-die Tornado tied the game yet again as Jackson Leef put home a rebound drive from the point off a Taylor Herndon shot with help from Ralfs Freibergs to tie the game at 5-5 heading into the 2nd intermission.
The Tornado would finally regain their first lead of the night after some opening saves by Jimmy Kruger, as Nate Sliwinski scored his second goal of the night as a pass from behind the net by Taylor Herndon found Sliwinski in the high slot, who ripped a shot off an IceRays defenseman and past Copley for a 6-5 Tornado lead. However, with less than five minutes remaining in the 3rd period and on a power play, Colton Saucerman fired a slapshot that beat a screened Jimmy Kruger to tie the game at 6-6.
Texas controlled the overtime, outshooting the âRays 8-3 in the extra session, but the game would go to a shootout. After two goals from Marc Biggs and JD Howard put the IceRays on the brink, two consecutive goals by Saucerman and Beau Walker evened the shootout up. The 8th shooter for Texas, Ralfs Freibergs, picked the upper corner to put the Tornado up in the shootout, then Jimmy Kruger stopped Josh Obregon to give the Tornado the wild 7-6 shootout win.
North American Hockey League Stories from March 12, 2011
- Bulls Fall to Topeka 7-4 - Amarillo Bulls
- Bobcats Overpower Bruins 3-1 - Bismarck Bobcats
- Archers strike back, 3-1 - Traverse City North Stars
- Nate Milam Erupts as 'Runners Torch 'Cats - Topeka Pilots
- Tornado Edged in Shootout by 'Cats, 4-3 - Texas Tornado
- Bulls Host Topeka In First Of Big Weekend Showdown - Amarillo Bulls
- Wild Knock off Ice Dogs in Shootout, 2-1 - Wenatchee Wild
- Bulls Roll Along, Beat Stangs 3-1 - Amarillo Bulls
- Tornado win wild South shootout, 7-6 - Texas Tornado
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