JOHNSTOWN – Zack Ferris made 22 saves and Markas Samenas netted the game-winning goal for his 8th of the year as the Johnstown Tomahawks (20-18-3) defeated the New Jersey Titans (21-15-5) by a score of 3-1 in regulation at 1st SUMMIT Arena.
Looking to break the current trend of dropping the second game after winning the first of the weekend, the Tomahawks opened up action on Saturday in a comfortable spot, but knowing there was business to be taken care of.
With the East Division playoff race as close as it is, every point is going to matter come April. Before puck drop on Saturday, the Tomahawks fresh off their impressive 5-2 win the night wanted to continue the same style of play to gain another two points on their upstairs neighbor in the standings.
It’s certainly good to see that the Tomahawks are starting to enlist a variety of ways to try and win hockey games. Last night it was more of an all-around team-effort and offensive onslaught, but on Saturday it was Zack Ferris backing his team to the 1st period lead. New Jersey found themselves a great chance just a couple of minutes in that led to two show-stopping Ferris saves in succession.
Carrying over the 1st period blueprint from last night, the Tomahawks would once again strike first at the midway mark of the period, giving themselves a 1-0 lead thanks to a hardworking goal from Cullen Emery. The assist on the goal was credited to his linemate Dallas Potter.
If a recipe for success works once, you should most certainly try it again. The first step of that recipe on Saturday was to win the 1st period again, and after 20 minutes the Hawks did just that, taking the same 1-0 lead to the locker room.
The shots on goal for the period favored New Jersey by a total of 10-8.
2nd period action got underway and like the 1st, it was the Hawks once again striking first to build on their lead and make it 2-0. The goal was scored by forward Markas Samenas, registering his 8th of the season. He was setup nicely by Sam Blanton and Charlie Zetterkvist. Samenas definitely put his 6’5″ 250lb frame to good use on the goal, as the puck found itself lying in the crease and he wouldn’t let himself be denied getting to it first and getting it across. The period as a whole was played at a slower, less eventful pace than the 1st. There were a decent number of shots and scoring opportunities but like the first, just one penalty called.
That penalty call was in the Tomahawks favor, as New Jersey was called for a tripping minor late in the period, giving the Hawks a great chance to boost their lead even more on the power-play. Before the Hawks could even get it started, a New Jersey forward sprung himself on a short-handed breakaway but again it was Ferris on top of his game, shutting the door with a slick glove save. The final few minutes ticked off the clock and this time the Hawks found themselves in a great spot heading into the final 20 minutes.
Shots after the 2nd flipped to Johnstown’s favor, reading 19-17.
Although the Tomahawks had the two-goal lead with just a period to play, this lead is often regarded as one of, if not the worst lead to have in hockey. The trajectory of tonight’s contest was headed for drama filled action in the 3rd.
New Jersey started off the period with just one shot through ten-minutes, but they had control for most of it, threatening in the Tomahawks zone. One of the biggest takeaways of the weekend was that heading into tonight’s game, New Jersey sat atop the entire NAHL on the power-play. What’s the best way to counteract that fact? Stay out of the box and play smart hockey without sacrificing the offensive side of things. Through two periods on Saturday, the Hawks had only one penalty called against them once again, killing it off and giving themselves a fantastic chance to close this one out in dominating fashion.
The remainder of the period was played pretty tense. The Titans were pressing hard but in one of the Tomahawks most dominant defensive performances of the season, it seemed like nothing was going to find its way past Ferris.
However, with approximately 0:50 left on the clock, New Jersey took advantage of their empty cage and extra attacker scoring to make it 2-1, setting a very dramatic stage for the final moments. Following a Tomahawks timeout, Nick White was able to send the 2,200 fans at 1ST SUMMIT Arena into a frenzy, sealing the game with a 175-foot empty-net goal with 20 seconds left to make it 3-1.
Your Johnstown Tomahawks are back on the road next weekend to visit the Maryland Black Bears to try and gain some more valuable ground in the division. Friday night’s action will begin at 7:30PM. Get your tickets 24/7 at www.johnstowntomahawks.com or by stopping in the Tomahawks main office. Can’t make it to the game? Catch all the action live at nahltv.com. Stay up to date with the Johnstown Tomahawks by following us along on social media.
By: DREW P. PFEIL | drew@johnstowntomahawks.com