McDowell’s shootout goal leads Monsters to 3-2 win
By Ed Sheets
Johnstown, PA – Matt Salituro scored two goals and Jacob McDowell scored the game-winning goal in the shootout as the Fresno Monsters defeated the Johnstown Tomahawks, 3-2, Friday night at the Cambria County War Memorial Arena.
Former Fresno Monsters Andrew McDonald and Zach Wallace each had a point in the game with McDonald scoring and Wallace adding an assist.
Fresno’s Salituro scored the lone power-play goal of the game in the second period. Johnstown (22-18-11) went 0-for-3 on the power play while Fresno (13-28-6) went 1-for-4.
Tomas Sholl picked up the win, stopping 30 of 32 shots in regulation and one of five shots in the shootout. Chris Truehl took the loss stopping 31 of 33 shots in regulation and three of five shots in the shootout.
Cobi Smith-Mass started the scoring for the Tomahawks, sliding the puck past the sprawling Sholl just 2:01 into the first period. The goal was the fourth of the season for Smith-Mass and the second this month.
McDonald extended the lead after his shot cleared the legs of Sholl at 11:02. The goal was his first since scoring two goals against Soo on Jan. 13.
Salituro got Fresno on the board with his power-play goal at 14:10 when his wrist shot from the left face-off circle cleared Truehl and found the back of the net. He tied the game later in the period on a shot taken while sliding towards Truehl.
After a scoreless third period and overtime, the teams headed to a shootout where Fresno got goals from Newton Fuller and McDowell while Johnstown’s lone shootout goal was scored by Cody Gylling.
The Tomahawks conclude their weekend series with the Monsters Saturday night at 7 P.M. before traveling to Springfield, IL next weekend.