Game Preview
Springfield Jr. Blues vs. Johnstown Tomahawks
October 5, 2013
7 p.m.
Cambria County War Memorial Arena, Johnstown PA
By Ed Sheets
Tonight, the Tomahawks look to make it three straight wins, as they welcome the Springfield Jr. Blues to the Cambria County War Memorial Arena. The Tomahawks and Jr. Blues will meet eight times this season, with the first four being played in Johnstown. Last season, Johnstown went 1-2-1 against Springfield, picking up its win in the series on March 1st in Illinois. The Tomahawks and Jr. Blues sit second and third in the North Division standings, and are separated by one point.
THE TOMAHAWKS
The Tomahawks enter tonight’s game after taking two of three from the Soo Eagles last weekend. They fell in Friday night’s game 5-2, getting goals from Jordan Watt and Brandon Reinholz. After going down 2-0 early in Saturday’s game, the Tomahawks battled back to tie the game with 4:50 remaining in regulation, thanks to goals from Omar Mullan and Shane Bednard. After a scoreless overtime, the Tomahawks and Eagles battled for six scoreless rounds in the shootout, before Zach Wallace scored to secure the 3-2 victory. In the weekend finale, Jordan Watt scored two goals, including a penalty shot goal with 2:09 remaining in the third period to give the Tomahawks a 2-0 win. Alex Okicki was solid in net in both wins, including stopping all seven shots in the shootout on Saturday.
Joe Drabin and Brandon Reinholz lead the team with six points each. After his three goal performance last weekend, Jordan Watt leads the team with five goals, and Drabin leads with five assists. Goaltenders Okicki and Colin DeAugustine both have two wins and a shutout this season.
Following this weekend’s games, Johnstown travels to Flint, MI to take on the Michigan Warriors Oct. 11 and 12. They take a weekend off before returning to the War Memorial to take on Soo Oct. 24-26.
THE JR. BLUES
The Jr. Blues have won three straight games and four of their first six. Last weekend, they swept a weekend series against the Topeka RoadRunners with a pair of 4-3 shootout wins. In its first game, Springfield took the early 2-0 lead, thanks to goals from Mike Gambino and Patrick Curry less than six minutes into the game.
Topeka would get on the board halfway through the second period, before Curry made it 3-1 with his second goal of the game. Topeka tied the game with two goals in the first ten minutes of the third period, to send the game into overtime and a shootout. In the shootout Kyle Shreve scored the lone goal to give the Jr. Blues the 4-3 victory.
In the weekend finale on Saturday, Topeka and Springfield exchanged goals throughout the game. The Jr. Blues took a 3-2 lead in the third period on a Davis Dekorte goal. Less than 30 seconds later, Topeka’s Michal Uhrik tied the game at three, sending the two teams into overtime and a shootout for the second straight night. Springfield received shootout goals from Alex Baskakov and Gambino to sweep the weekend series.
Both Springfield goaltenders picked up wins, as Sandro Aeschlimann stopped 37 of 40 shots on Friday night, and Stefanos Lekkas stopped 29 of 32 shots in Saturday’s game.
Kyle Shreve leads the team with five points (2-3-5), and Michael Mylchreest has a team-leading three goals. Seven Springfield players have at least three points this season. Springfield goaltender Sandro Aeschlimann is in the top ten in the league in Goals Against Average and Save Percentage.
Following this weekend’s games, Springfield returns home to take on the Soo Eagles next weekend.
KEY STATS
· The Tomahawks are 3-0-1 this season when scoring first
· Springfield has a .958 Penalty Killing Percentage this season