Photo Credit: Phil Andraychak
SCRANTON, PA – The Johnstown Tomahawks overcame an early two goal deficit to defeat the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights 7-3 Friday night at Revolution Ice Centre. Anthony Parrucci scored twice and had an assist in the victory, while Dante Suffredini added three assists.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (0-1-0) took a 2-0 lead in the first period, thanks to a Steven Kelly goal at 2:25 and a Kohei Sato goal at 12:17.
Dalton Hunter got Johnstown (1-0-0) on the board at 12:49 of the first period. Ryan Burr picked up the assist on the goal. Just 1:06 later, Andrew Romano tied the game, with the assist going to Adam Pilewicz.
Joe Delandro gave the Tomahawks their first lead of the game, scoring at 11:05 of the second period. Dante Suffredini earned the assist on the goal.
Parrucci doubled the Tomahawks lead with five seconds remaining in the second period. He picked up his second of the night with a power-play goal at 8:03 of the third period. Suffredini added assists on both Parrucci goals.
Drew Doyon made it 6-2, scoring an empty net goal at 17:04 of the third period. Hunter and Heakins each earned assists on the goal.
The Knights got one back, as Kohei Soto scored with 1:49 remaining in regulation.
Brendan Jaquay set the final score with an empty net goal at 19:45. Delandro and Parrucci added assists on the final goal of the game.
Jake Gwillim earned the win, stopping 30 of 33 shots. Grant Valentine suffered the loss, allowing 5 goals on 45 shots. The Tomahawks outshot the Knights 47-33 in the victory.
The Tomahawks close out the weekend tomorrow night with a road contest against the New Jersey Titans at 7 p.m. They travel to Blaine, Minn. next week for the 2015 NAHL Showcase, where they will face Corpus Christi, Brookings, Coulee Region and Lone Star.
—Ed Sheets