Soo Eagles Defeat Tomahawks, 5-4, in Shootout
SAULT STE. MARIE, MI – Swedish forward Robin Hoglund, who will play next season at Notre Dame, scored two goals in regulation and added the only goal of the shootout Friday night as the Sault Ste. Marie Eagles beat Johnstown, 5-4, to snap the Tomahawks’ three-game winning streak.
The Tomahawks, who have earned points in five straight games (3-0-2), forced overtime when defenseman Ian Spencer scored his first goal of the season on the power play with 10:41 to play in the third period to forge a 4-4 tie. It was the third power-play goal of the game for the Tomahawks, who have scored six power-play goals in the past three games.
But Hoglund ended the six-round shootout by beating goaltender Chris Truehl, who had stopped all 17 shots he faced in regulation and overtime after replacing starter Bodhi Engum at 13:34 of the second period – after Hoglund broke a 3-3 tie by beating Engum from the neutral zone.
The game was the first of four meetings in nine days between the teams, who play at 7:30 Saturday night in Sault Ste. Marie and then face each other next Friday and Saturday at the War Memorial. The Tomahawks (4-3-4) remain fifth in the North Division, two points behind fourth-place Soo (6-4-2).
The Tomahawks, making their first appearance on the 73-year-old Pullar Stadium ice, allowed the first goal of the game for the first time in eight games when Hoglund beat Engum with a one-timer from the between the circles at 6:34 of the opening period. Alexander Taulien set it up.
The resurgent Johnstown power play, now 12-for-63 (19.0 percent) for the season, tied the game at 11:03 when Brandon Reinholz scored his third goal of the season by converting the rebound of a Jesse Kessler shot from the left circle. But just 14 seconds later, Michael Covach pounced on a loose puck after Engum stopped Jared VanWormer, restoring Soo’s one-goal lead at 2-1.
Johnstown, coming off a home sweep of Janesville last weekend in which it outshot the Jets, 84-28, held a 14-11 edge after one period Friday and went on to outshoot Soo, 55-36 – establishing a team record for shots in one game.
Soo took a 3-1 lead just 1:42 into the second period when VanWormer converted an Eric Rivard pass from behind the net, but it didn’t take long for the Tomahawks’ power play to answer again. Brandon Brossoit made it 3-2 at 6:48 by beating goaltender Tyler Marble on a one-on-two rush during a Johnstown power play, and Spencer set up Codey Hansen’s second goal of the season at 12:13 to tie the game, 3-3.
After Hoglund’s fluke goal put Soo back ahead, Truehl shut down the Eagles. His best stop came with two seconds to play in regulation when Rivard got behind the Johnstown defense but could not beat Truehl.
The Tomahawks failed to score on a 1:30 two-man advantage midway through the third period before Spencer scored on a shot from the right circle while Rivard was still serving a slashing penalty.
NOTES: Brossoit’s goal was his fourth of the season, tying him for the team lead with Cody Gylling and captain Mitch Kontny. Brossoit has 10 points to lead the Tomahawks in scoring. . . Forward Mike Sandor made his Johnstown debut. . . Casey Nelson had eight shots for Johnstown. . . The Tomahawks killed all four Soo power plays.