JOHNSTOWN – The Johnstown Tomahawks exploded for five goals in the third period to continue their historic winning streak to 13 games with a 8-2 win over Maryland Wednesday night.
The Black Bears fired home the game’s first goal early in the first period at 4:16 when Jack Rudin scored his second of the season past Tomahawks goalie Cooper Lukenda.
Just 32 seconds later, the Tomahawks used the power play to their advantage as Carson Brière finished a cross-ice pass from Sam Solensky for his 15th of the season.
The Tomahawks added another goal on the power play before the first period ended with Oliver Benwell’s 10th of the season. Brière and Solensky added the helpers.
Maryland battled back to tie the hockey game at 2-2 at the 10:41 mark of the second period when Lukas Ljungblom chipped in a loose puck past Lukenda on the power play.
However, just like the first period, the Tomahawks bounced back quickly.
Mitch Hale deflected an Alex Wilkins shot from the right point past Black Bears netminder Kevin Lake to regain the lead 3-2. Pavel Kharin tallied the secondary assist.
In the third period, the offense exploded for the Tomahawks.
Cameron Hebert scored a power play goal just 19 seconds into the frame to give the Tomahawks a 4-2 lead.
Then, just over two minutes later, Solensky added his fourth point of the night with another Hawks power play goal, his 13th. Johnstown led 5-2 at that point.
The Tomahawks put the game out of reach after Kharin slipped a puck behind Lake shorthanded for a 6-2 Johnstown lead. Hale picked up the assist.
Johnstown was not finished as Andy Nedeljkovic batted the puck into the cage for ahis third goal of the season at the 10:20 mark.
Captain Chris Trouba set the final score at 8-2 by tallying his first goal of the season and first since the 2016-17 season just under two minutes after Nedeljkovic’s goal.
The Tomahawks finished the game 4/5 on the man advantage and continued their historic win streak to 13 games heading into the Thanksgiving holiday.
The team returns to hoe ice Friday, Nov. 23 to begin a two-game series with the Northeast Generals. Puck drops on Friday at 7:30 p.m.
