JOHNSTOWN – The Johnstown Tomahawks rolled over the Northeast Generals 9-1 Thursday night at the Cambria County War Memorial Arena.
The Tomahawks cracked a scoreless tie late in the first period when Logan Stork finished a one-time pass from linemate Nick Bruce to give Johnstown a 1-0 lead. Tommy Horn picked up the secondary assist.
Johnstown headed into the first intermission with a 1-0 lead and a 20-9 advantage in shots on goal.
The second period witnessed the Tomahawks offense explode for three early goals.
Dalton Hunter scored 53 seconds into the second period on the power play to increase the Johnstown lead to 2-0. Hunter’s 21st of the season was assisted by Hayden Rowan and Donovan Ott.
A little under three minutes later, Tommy Horn fired a puck past the glove of Generals goaltender David Fessenden for a 3-0 Tomahawks lead. Stork and newcomer Evan Somoza tallied the assists.
Seven seconds later, Rowan scored a goal of his own at 4:48 of the second period. Mitchell Hale and Somoza registered the assists on Rowan’s ninth of the year.
Generals forward Kohei Sato disrupted Tomahawks goalie Vinnie Purpura’s shut out bid with a power play goal at 13:31 of the second. Sato’s 10th of the season was assisted by Luke Perunovich and Justin Jallen.
The third period saw the Tomahawks answer the Northeast goal from the second period as Hunter netted shorthanded goal unassisted for his second of the game and 22nd of the season. The Tomahawks then led 5-1.
Rowan added another goal this time on the power play for a 6-1 Tomahawks lead. Hunter picked up the lone assist on Rowan’s 10th of the campaign.
At 8:25 of the third, Stork scored his second of the contest to increase the Johnstown lead to 7-1 and then Josh Biasillo netted his fourth of the season two minutes later for an 8-1 Tomahawks advantage.
Chris Trouba fired home his second goal of the season with a shorthanded breakaway goal to set the final at 9-1.
Purpura stopped 22 of 23 shots on goal in the victory while Fessenden stopped 41 of 50 Tomahawks shots on goal.
The Tomahawks and Generals renew acquaintances tomorrow February 3 at 7:30 p.m.