KNIGHTS (20-19-2) at TOMAHAWKS (25-8-2)
Location: Cambria County War Memorial | Johnstown, Pennsylvania
Faceoff: Tonight (7:30 p.m.), Saturday (7:00 p.m.)
After sweeping the New Jersey Titans, the Johnstown Tomahawks are back again for a two-game series with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights.
This weekend will be the ninth and tenth meeting between these two clubs. The Tomahawks have gained the upper hand in this series by collecting a 6-2-0 record against the Knights.
The Tomahawks and the Knights last met in Northeastern Pennsylvania with the Tomahawks sweeping the weekend with a 3-2 win on Saturday, Jan. 10 and a 1-0 shutout win on Sunday, Jan. 11.
THE JOHNSTOWN TOMAHAWKS
Johnstown is coming off an impressive weekend sweep of the New Jersey Titans with consecutive 4-1 wins on January 20-21.
Leading the way for the Tomahawks last weekend was Canadian forward, Nick Bruce, who tallied four points (two goals, two assists) against the Titans. His stellar performance earned him the honor of the Bauer East Division Star of the Week.
Bruce chipped in two goals during Friday night’s 4-1 win against New Jersey. Josh Biasillo and Joseph Kile contributed with a goal each.
Saturday night, Johnstown fell behind in the second period after surrendering a goal early in the middle frame.
However, the Tomahawks were up for a comeback as they rattled off four unanswered goals. Logan Stork started the goal scoring at 12:20 of the second period.
His goal was answered by teammate Tommy Horn’s sixth of the season at 16:57 to give Johnstown a 2-1 lead.
Stork and Donovan Ott salted the game at 4-1 with a pair of third period goals.
This weekend, the Tomahawks will look to win its fifth straight game against the Knights, a team they have had a bit of success against.
Last time out against the Knights, Roman Kraemer, Dalton Hunter and Nick Bruce contributed goals in a 3-2 overtime win at the Revolution Ice Centre on Dec. 10.
In another low-scoring affair, Johnstown used a first-period Edward Hirka goal and a stellar performance by Vinnie Purpura in net to shut down the Knights 1-0 during a Sunday matinee.
WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON KNIGHTS
Now amid their second year in the North American Hockey League, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights are looking to climb out of fourth place in the East Division.
Just ten points shy of catching New Jersey, the Knights are expected to bring a tough game to the War Memorial this weekend against the Tomahawks.
Coming into this weekend’s contest, the Knights are 8-2-0 in their last 10 games. The team saw a boost in offense with the return of forward Matt Kidney from the United States Hockey League. Kidney, a Middletown, N.J., native returned in early January to the Knights arsenal and has proven to be a scoring threat.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton defeated the New Jersey Titans 4-0 on Sunday, Jan. 22 to snap a two-game skid. Goaltender Grant Valentine stopped all 28 shots on goal for the shut out.
Tom Kowal and his bunch are sure to be fired up for this weekend as the Knights are 2-5-1 against the Tomahawks this season. This will be their second trip to the War Memorial this season.
Both teams play each other twice before the end of the regular season.