Wildcats go 1-2 on the weekend
December 20, 2011 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Wichita Falls Wildcats News Release
The Wildcats finished their first half schedule on a down not with a pair of losses, but they did give the fans a memorable present with a 7-3 victory over Texas on Friday night. Chris Pontello recorded the team's first hat trick of the season in the victory.
Friday's game started off very poorly for the Wildcats, as they allowed three goals in the game's first eight minutes. After using their timeout, the team came out much better, cutting the deficit to one goal by the end of the period. Nick Szopinski put the Wildcats on the scoreboard off assists from Matt Purmal and Zach Pochiro, then Pontello scored his first of two power play goals, tapping in a rebound off a Dennis Kravchenko shot. Adam Barlow picked up the secondary assist.
Pontello tied the game up with another power play goal at the 5:31 mark with assists going to Renato Engler and Tucker Poolman. The flood of offense continued with Brennen Parker giving the Wildcats a lead they wouldn't relinquish, assisted by Poolman and Engler. Two and a half minutes later, Tyler Hope joined the scoring parade from Tanner Fahlstedt and Patrick Yudez for a 5-3 lead that ended the night of Tornado goalie Joakim Jutras. It did little to stop the Wildcats though, as they gave backup netminder Reid Mimmack a rude welcome by scoring on the first shot they put on him: Szopinski struck again for his second of the game coming from Jakob Batcha and Zach Pochiro for a 6-3 lead. Fifteen seconds later, frustrations boiled over for the Tornado as a large fight broke out behind the Texas net. Despite the involvement of all five skaters for each team, the only penalties were four fighting majors, a charging minor, and a game ejection to Kravchenko.
The third period remained remarkably calm following the six unanswered goals and line brawl, but the Wildcats would score again, as the Tornado pulled Mimmack for an extra attacker during a power play. The Wildcats killed off the penalty and Pontello scored his third goal of the game on the empty net from 150 feet away for a 7-3 final.
Saturday's game was vastly different from Friday, with only three goals being scored, all coming in the span of a minute in the second period. After nearly 35 minutes of scoreless hockey, C.J. Reuschlein broke through with an unassisted goal for a 1-0 Texas lead. Twenty seconds later, Brennen Parker struck for the second game in a row off assists from Nate Chasteen and Renato Engler tying the game and bringing down a shower of stuffed animals on Teddy Bear Toss Night. After a brief stoppage to pick them up, the Tornado regained the lead just as quickly as they lost it, with Justin Greenberg scoring the eventual game-winner off assists from his brother Jordan Greenberg and Jack Prince. The Wildcats outshot the Tornado 9-4 in the third, but couldn't get the tying goal, losing 2-1.
Monday it was the Amarillo Bulls coming to town and taking a 5-2 decision over the Wildcats. The opening period was an offensive outburst reminiscent of Friday's game against Texas. Amarillo got on the board at the 2:52 mark of the period, but the Wildcats tied things five and a half minutes later as Jason Eddy put in his fifth goal of the year off a Tyler Hope faceoff win for a 1-1 game. Ten minutes later, Amarillo's Ryan Taylor regained the lead for the Bulls, but once again the Wildcats struck back with Luke Sandler redirecting a Tucker Poolman shot for his first goal as a Wildcat, and a 2-2 game. Brennen Parker picked up an assist on the goal as well, his third game in a row with a point.
But that was all the offense the Wildcats would muster, as the Bulls scored twice in the second, then added a third period insurance goal on a Mike Davis breakaway to finish off the game at 5-2.
The Wildcats and Bulls will go at it again on Wednesday, December 28 in Amarillo.
WEEKEND NOTES: Brennen Parker's goal on Friday snapped a nine-game scoreless skid for the veteran forward. The Wildcats' two power play goals on Friday tie a single-game best for the team this season.
Preview: Wildcats vs. Amarillo, Dec. 28; Corpus Christi Dec. 30-31
The Wildcats start off the second half of the season against the Amarillo Bulls with a single game on Wednesday, December 28, then follow it up with two games in Corpus Christi against the IceRays on December 30 and 31.
The Wildcats are 1-4-0 against Amarillo this season, picking up a win back on November 23. The Bulls' Brooks Behling leads the NAHL with 25 goals this season. The Wildcats have held him to only one goal in five games this season, but he has picked up six assists against the 'Cats in that time. The Bulls have picked up points in their last 10 games, and have won their last six.
The Wildcats' trip to Corpus Christi is their first this season. In four games in Wichita Falls, the Wildcats are 3-1-0 against the IceRays this season. Eric Purcell leads the team with 12 goals and 18 points. Their assist leader, Matthew Weis, has moved on to the USHL. A.J. Jarosz, Beau Walker, and Joe Ginley lead the current roster with 12 assists each.
Upcoming Wildcats' Events
Winter Break Open Skating! Come on out and get on the ice over your winter break, with open skating sessions on December 21, 23, 27, and 29 from 1-5 pm, and on December 31 from 3-7 pm. The cost is $10 including skate rental if needed.
We're on the air! Join us for the Wildcats' Coaches' Radio Show at P2 The Deuce downtown on Tuesdays at 7 pm. The Voice of the Wildcats, Drew Pelto, will interview the Wildcats' coaches and your favorite Wildcats' players. If you can't get to the show, tune in on the radio at 7:30 pm on 94.9, KOLI, The Outlaw. We'll be back on the air on January 3.
Adult hockey and open skating: Check WFWildcatsHockey.com for the schedule under the Games and Ice Events tab! We also offer birthday party packages at a Wildcats game or an open skating session. Any questions about our ice programs? Contact Sarah Scrivner in the Wildcats office.
Alumni Report
NORTH AMERICAN PRO LEAGUES
Chad Costello was named the ECHL's Player of the Week last week. The ECHL's press release can be read here: o f-the-week-p174885. This week, Costello had his 14-game scoring streak snapped, but he came back strong with a hat trick and two assists in the Colorado Eagles' 7-2 win against the Utah Grizzlies. He currently leads the ECHL with 42 points and 27 assists, and is fourth in goals with 15.
COLLEGE, DIVISION 1
Tyler Tosunian picked up his first collegiate point, assisting on a goal in Bemidji State's 5-0 win over Alabama-Huntsville on Saturday.
North American Hockey League Stories from December 20, 2011
- Bulls Forward Michael Erickson Commits to Williams College - Amarillo Bulls
- Monsters Weekly - Fresno Monsters
- NAHL Announces Combat Hockey 3 Stars of the Week - NAHL
- Jr. K-Wings Weekly - Kalamazoo Jr. K-Wings
- Wildcats go 1-2 on the weekend - Wichita Falls Wildcats
- Jets Forward Pijus Rulevicius Stars for Lithuania in World Championship - Janesville Jets
- Bulls Attend Panhandle Angels Foundation Christmas Party - Amarillo Bulls
- Bulls Get 26th Win, Beat Wildcats 5-2 - Amarillo Bulls
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