By Ed Sheets
If there was any doubt that the Johnstown Tomahawks and Michigan Warriors were fierce rivals, it was put to rest on Friday night. The teams combined for 130 penalty minutes, five game ejections, and 28 penalties. When the dust settled, the Warriors earned the 4-1 victory at Perani Arena.
After a scoreless first period, the Warriors got on the board less than three minutes into the second, as Colin Larkin scored a power-play goal at 2:56. Zack Szajner made it a 2-0 game at 10:35, before Larkin scored his second of the game at 15:10. TJ Stuntz extended the lead to four with a power-play goal at 8:06.
Brandon Reinholz got the Tomahawks on the board with his 13th goal of the season at 19:43. Joe Drabin and Shane Cuckovich added assists on the goal.
Dillon Kelley earned the win, stopping 23 of 24 shots. Alex Okicki took the loss, allowing three goals on 19 shots. He was replaced by Jake Moore, who stopped 14 of 15 shots.
The Tomahawks conclude their weekend series against the Warriors on Saturday night at 7 p.m. The teams will meet in Johnstown on Dec. 30 & 31, with game times set for 7 p.m. and 6 p.m. Tickets, including packages for groups of 10 or more are available by calling 814-536-GOAL (4625).