Wildcats Cruise to 5-0 Game 2 Victory on Saturday Night
Published on April 16, 2016 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Wichita Falls Wildcats News Release
The Wildcats rolled to a 5-0 victory at the KYC on Friday night, dominating Game 2 of the South Division Semis for the second straight postseason.
Clearly dissatisfied with the way they started Game 1, the Wildcats came out of the gates flying in the first period of Game 2. Just 50 seconds into the game, Aleksi Poikola gobbled up a rebound conceded by Dean Shatzer and fired the puck into a yawning net to fire up the KYC crowd and the Wildcats' bench immediately. Less than two minutes later, Nikita Litviak scored his second goal in as many nights by ripping a bullet past Shatzer from the right circle to make it 2-0.
The Wildcats' power play was a perfect 3-for-3 in the playoffs in Game 1. At the start of Game 2, it didn't miss a beat. Poikola jammed a shot through Shatzer on a second effort to triple the Wildcats' lead and the Dartmouth commit's night for the second consecutive game. Poikola's power play tally would be his third goal in just two playoff games played with the Wildcats.
It only took 32 seconds into the second period for the Wildcats to prove the first period was not a fluke. Nick Rosa scored off a rebound conceded by Jon Flakne off Austin Albrecht's initial shot. Rosa's goal was his first playoff goal as a Wildcat and dampened the Jackalopes' comeback hopes.
A few shifts later, at 5:18 in the period, Ryan Burnett set up Garrett Van Wyhe beautifully in the Odessa slot, and the rookie Wildcat roofed a shot upstairs on the blocker side of Flakne for his first postseason goal. The Cats would go into the second intermission with a commanding 5-0 lead. Justin Kapelmaster kept the game out of reach for Odessa, denying all 22 shots he had faced through the first 40 minutes.
The Cats buckled down and protected their third period lead for the second straight night. Only eight shots were registered on goal in the final 20 minutes, four apiece. The Wildcats won their second straight Game 2 and secured a 2-0 stranglehold on the best-of-five series. The Jackalopes have now been held without a goal for 101 minutes and 18 seconds played.
Kapelmaster earned his first playoff shutout as a Wildcat and a Kona Ice First Star of the Game performance with an impressive 37 saves. Shatzer was charged with his second straight defeat, allowing three goals on 11 shots. Flakne did well in relief again, stopping 30 of 32. The Wildcats travel to Odessa to play the Jackalopes next Friday, April 22nd to play Game 3 with an opportunity to close the series and advance to the Division Finals for the first time in history.
North American Hockey League Stories from April 16, 2016
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- Back to Kansas - Lone Star Brahmas
- One for One - Lone Star Brahmas
- Bruins Use Power Play to Sink Minot, Even Series - Austin Bruins
- Wildcats Cruise to 5-0 Game 2 Victory on Saturday Night - Wichita Falls Wildcats
- Rebels Win 3-2 - Philadelphia Rebels
- Bobcats Pull Away to Claim Playoff Opener 5-2 - Bismarck Bobcats
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