ELMIRA – The Johnstown Tomahawks (17-14-6) defeated the Elmira Aviators (13-17-7) by a score of 2-1 in a shootout nail biter Saturday night in New York. The Tomahawks played another strong opening period on the road, even better than Friday night. Newest Tomahawk forward, Domeniks Domokejevs scored his first with the team in his second game. Evan Dantas scored for the Aviators, continuing his hot stretch and showing his knack for scoring against Johnstown. The 1-1 game through 65-minutes told the story on Saturday night as both goaltenders were the stars of the show, combining for 87 saves. Hawks’ rookie Oleksiienko came out on top, turning aside 42 of 43 for a .977 SV% and making two saves in the shootout. McKenna made 43 saves on 43 shots, also recording a .977 SV%, but was beaten twice in the shootout.
Saturday night’s contest from Elmira got underway with both teams embracing another track-meet style of play. After just one whistle in the opening three minutes, the first half of the period continued at a near nonstop pace, with both sides generating high-danger chances. By the midway point of the frame, the Tomahawks had already fired eight shots on goal—testing Aiden McKenna more than they did in the entirety of Friday night’s first period, when they managed just six. While they hadn’t yet broken through, Coach Adam Houli had to have been happy with his team’s start. Elmira answered with one of its first quality looks when a shot slipped through Nikita Oleksiienko and began to trickle across the goal line, but the rookie made a spectacular desperation swipe to keep it out. The back-and-forth pace continued for the remainder of the period, closely mirroring Friday night’s opening frame. With just under two minutes remaining, newest Tomahawks forward Domeniks Domokejev buried his first goal in a Johnstown sweater, in just his second game to give the Hawks the 1–0 lead. Jack Genovese found Domokejev on the back door, while fellow newcomer Justin Chiras earned the secondary assist. Shots on goal after one favored Johnstown, 14–13.
After a rare first period without a single penalty, the second began with no wasted time before seeing the night’s first infraction. Just 3:18 into the frame, Elmira was whistled for unsportsmanlike conduct, sending the Tomahawks to the power play. With roughly 30 seconds remaining on our first advantage, the Aviators were sent off again for tripping, giving the Hawks a brief 5-on-3 opportunity. Despite the extra space, Aiden McKenna stood tall once again, continuing his strong play through the first four periods on the weekend. Just under eight minutes remained when the Tomahawks were called for their first penalty of the night, as Charlie Zetterkvist was assessed a slashing minor. Elmira’s power play—hot on Friday—went back to work looking to even the score, but Johnstown answered with a strong penalty kill. Much of the credit to Nikita Oleksiienko, who stayed calm in net, challenged shooters, and cut down angles to keep the puck out. However, with just over two minutes left in the period, Tomahawks captain Nick Jarmain was sent off for interference. Giving the skilled Elmira power play multiple chances proved costly, as Evan Dantas scored his second goal of the weekend to tie the game at 1–1. With just eight seconds remaining, two sets of matching roughing minors were handed out after Nick Metelkin and William Stewart each were caught up with an Aviator, though the penalties resulted in no change in manpower as the teams headed to the second intermission. Shots on goal in the second mirrored the first, favoring Johnstown 14–13, for a game total of 28–26 through two periods.
The third period opened with a lively Saturday night atmosphere inside the LECOM EVENT CENTER, and despite the 1–1 score, the energy only continued to build. Increased physicality and timely saves ignited both benches and kept the crowd engaged as play went back and forth at a rapid pace. As time began to tick away in the final frame, the Tomahawks were awarded their third power play of the night after an Elmira slashing minor. It was a prime opportunity to regain the lead, but Johnstown’s power play remained unable to break through, keeping the game deadlocked. Late in the period, Jarmain was sent off again after a questionable check-from-behind call at a critical moment, putting the Tomahawks back on the penalty kill in what became the game’s biggest test to that point. Nikita Oleksiienko was outstanding yet again, continuing a stellar night between the pipes. His pad work and quick reactions on low shots stood out, consistently controlling rebounds and killing plays before second chances could develop. That strong penalty kill helped Johnstown draw a power play of its own with just 1:20 remaining. With little time left and a man advantage, the Tomahawks had a golden chance to end it in regulation, but Aiden McKenna and the Aviators’ penalty kill held firm, as they’ve done all weekend. Regulation ended with the score still tied at 1–1, sending the game to overtime. Shots on goal in the third favored Elmira 14–11, giving the Aviators a slight 40–39 edge through three periods.
Overtime began with the Tomahawks skating the first 40 seconds on a 4-on-3 advantage, and the extra space appeared to help generate movement that wasn’t there at 5-on-4. Despite the improved looks, Johnstown still couldn’t find a way to beat McKenna. After a quick offensive zone setup to start the period, the Aviators successfully killed off the penalty, leading to a brief stretch of 4-on-4 as the penalized skater exited the box. A whistle with just under three minutes remaining sent the game back to 3-on-3, where the ice opened up once again. Quality chances were traded at both ends, but as had been the case all night, the goaltenders stood tall, pushing the contest to a shootout. Johnstown shot first as the road team, and Will Stewart opened by burying his attempt over the glove to give the Tomahawks a 1–0 lead. Elmira’s first shooter was denied by Nikita Oleksiienko, before Charlie Zetterkvist was turned aside by McKenna at the other end. Evan Dantas followed for the Aviators and continued his strong weekend, lifting a shot over Oleksiienko’s right pad to even the shootout at one through two rounds. Newcomer Jack Sullivan stepped in next for the Hawks and showed immense confidence, weaving through the neutral zone before snapping a shot through the five-hole of McKenna to restore the lead. That set the stage for Oleksiienko, who once again delivered—outwaiting the Elmira shooter and extending his left pad to seal the 2-1 shootout victory. Final shots on goal narrowly favored Johnstown, 44–43.