JOHNSTOWN – The Johnstown Tomahawks (22-22-8) were defeated by the league-leading Maryland Black Bears (42-5-4) in an exciting showdown in Johnstown on Friday night by a score of 5-4. Nick Jarmain scored twice for Johnstown, and a pair of Hawks’ defensemen in Kirby Perler and Jack Sullivan also scored. The Black Bears were led by Ryan Franks who had three assists and their captain Owen Drury who had a goal and an assist. It was a night to forget for both goaltenders in the matchup as neither faced an extraordinary amount of shots, but the game featured nine total goals. Despite the struggle between the pipes on both sides, this game was wide open and without Ryan Denes and Zack Ferris, the game easily could’ve been double digits in scoring.
The vibes were high in Johnstown heading into the weekend despite an extremely tough matchup against the league’s top team, the Maryland Black Bears. Through 50 games this season, Maryland had lost just eight times, with only five of those defeats coming in regulation. Johnstown got off to a relatively strong start in the opening period, holding their own early. It looked like anyone’s game as Maryland leaned on its patented shutdown neutral-zone defense, but the Tomahawks did a solid job of defending the rush and neutralizing scoring opportunities as well.
Just under six minutes into the period, the Tomahawks received their chance to strike first on the power play—something that’s especially valuable against a team like Maryland. However, after struggling to establish much during their initial in-zone setup, the puck was cleared all the way down the ice toward Zack Ferris. Following a brief miscommunication with his defense while he was a couple steps outside his crease, Ferris sent the puck behind the net. Maryland’s penalty-kill forecheckers won the race to the puck, beating the Tomahawks back. Despite skating with just four players, the Black Bears somehow ended up with three skaters deep in the offensive zone. They quickly connected on a crisp passing sequence that resulted in a shorthanded goal early in the period, taking some wind out of the sails of the Tomahawks after an encouraging start. Frustration began to build on the Johnstown bench following the goal, and penalties from both sides soon piled up throughout the remainder of the period. Over the next four minutes, Maryland received two power-play opportunities while Johnstown earned another of its own, but neither side was able to capitalize, keeping the Black Bears ahead 1–0. Then, with under 30 seconds remaining in the period, the Tomahawks found their spark. Breaking out of their zone, the puck eventually found Nick Jarmain, who bolted into the Maryland end after receiving a beautiful saucer pass from Sean Leetch that floated over the blue line and landed perfectly on his stick in full stride. The captain made no mistake—selling a quick head fake before firing a forehand shot past the goaltender to tie the game late in the period.The goal sent a jolt of energy through both the Tomahawks bench and the crowd inside the arena, and the game headed into the first intermission tied 1–1, with Maryland holding a slight 6–5 edge in shots on goal.
At the buzzer ending the first period, tensions boiled over as a large scrum broke out between the two teams. Multiple penalties were assessed on both sides, but from just about any seat in the arena, the scene told the story—nearly ten Tomahawks players had surrounded just two or three Black Bears near the end of the altercation. In situations like that, it’s rarely the team with the numbers that ends up on the favorable side of the penalty sheet. As a result, Johnstown began the second period shorthanded—and in a major way. Drew Peterson was assessed a five-minute major for leaving the bench as the altercation escalated, one of hockey’s most clear-cut penalties and ultimately became the turning point of the game. Maryland capitalized on the extended power play, striking twice. Despite the Tomahawks killing off most of the major, Black Bears captain Owen Drury found the back of the net at the 15:25 mark with just 25 seconds remaining on the power play. Then, before Johnstown could escape down just one, Joshua Frenette added another goal with only five seconds left in the advantage, draining the energy from both the Tomahawks bench and the crowd inside the arena. Things quickly went from bad to worse early in the period. After surrendering the two goals, Emerson Marshall was sent to the penalty box for an undisciplined cross-checking penalty, and Maryland’s lethal power play struck again just over a minute later to extend the lead to 4–1. With the way the Black Bears have dominated this season, the game suddenly began to feel daunting for the Tomahawks even still with half of the contest remaining. Johnstown did find a spark from an unlikely source on the back end as defenseman Kirby Perler—who has now scored in three straight home games—netted his fourth goal of the season to cut the deficit to 4–2 and breathe some life back into the building. Charlie Zetterkvist was credited with the lone assist on the play.
With just under a minute remaining in the period, the Tomahawks received a significant opportunity when Maryland’s Cole Peters was assessed a solo five-minute major fighting penalty after dropping his gloves and rag-dolling a Johnstown player who did not engage. Peters was given the aggressor penalty and sent to the box for five minutes. That penalty carried over into the third period, leaving the Tomahawks with a full four minutes of power-play time to begin the final frame—ironically a situation very similar to the one Maryland had used to swing the game earlier. Through two periods, Maryland had taken control both on the scoreboard and on the shot clock, leading 21–11 while holding a 4–2 advantage.
In hockey, when games get physical and penalties start piling up, it’s common to see officials try to keep things relatively balanced. Often, both teams end up receiving similar opportunities, and those moments can reveal which side ultimately capitalizes. The Tomahawks had their chance to do just that to begin the third period. Much like Maryland had earlier in the game, Johnstown opened the frame with an extended five-minute power play after the late fighting major at the end of the second period. It was a prime opportunity to climb back into the game, but the Tomahawks were unable to convert as Maryland successfully killed off the entire five-minute advantage and regained all of the momentum. Johnstown received another chance shortly after when Sam Osei was sent to the penalty box just over a minute after the major expired, but once again the Tomahawks’ power play couldn’t find the back of the net. At the halfway point of the period, Maryland delivered what appeared to be the decisive blow, striking again to extend the lead to 5–2 and seemingly put the game out of reach. Just 18 seconds later, Johnstown was whistled for another tripping penalty, sending the Black Bears back to the power play. The Tomahawks penalty kill held firm and kept the deficit at three, but the clock continued to wind down as the game moved inside the final three minutes. With time quickly becoming the enemy, coach Beauparlant pulled his goaltender Zack Ferris for the extra attacker. The move paid off when Jack Sullivan found the back of the net, cutting the deficit to 5–3 with 1:22 remaining. The comeback was still a long shot—especially against a team like Maryland—but the goal gave the Tomahawks a spark. Moments later, with Ferris pulled again for the extra attacker, the Tomahawks struck once more as the captain was the beneficiary of a fortunate bounce in front as Charlie Zetterkvist’s point shot deflected off him and into the net for his second goal of the night, suddenly making it a one-goal game at 5–4. However, there were only eight seconds left on the clock, and Johnstown would need an incredible bounce to force overtime. The Tomahawks did win the draw and got it into the Maryland zone but it was pinned along the boards as the final seconds ticked away. At the final buzzer, emotions boiled over once again as a net-front scrum broke out. Emerson Marshall was assessed a double game misconduct for cross-checking along with a five-minute major during the altercation, which involved multiple players and the Maryland goaltender as tensions spilled over in front of the crease. When the dust settled, Maryland escaped with the 5–4 victory. The Black Bears also finished with a slight edge in shots on goal, 27–24. The heated finish only added fuel to the fire for Saturday night’s rematch, where the Tomahawks will be looking to bounce back and earn crucial points.