The Johnstown Tomahawks defeated the Jamestown Rebels in their second and final pre-season game Friday morning at the UPMC Lemieux Sports complex in Cranberry Township, PA by a final score of 6-1.
The game started out Friday morning with a goal coming from Jamestown in the early minutes of the game, after being shutout 5-0 to the Tomahawks in Thursday’s pre-season contest. After the opening goal, the game moved along with back and forth, fast paced action between the two teams. Jamestown also had the first power play opportunity of the game as Johnstown’s Jake Black headed to the box. The Tomahawks successfully killed off the penalty and would score a goal of their own a few minutes after. Forward Davis Chorney tied things up for the Hawks with 3:36 to go in the opening frame by sneaking a puck behind the Jamestown goaltender through traffic in front of the net. Chorney’s goal would be the first and last for the opening frame, sending the teams to the locker room knotted at one.
The 2nd period opened with the pace of the game similar to the 1st with action on both ends of the ice. The Tomahawks broke the ice in the middle frame first with a goal from forward Jacob Badal to give the Tomahawks their first lead of the game 9:20 into the period. Immediately after Jamestown was headed back to the power play for the second time as Tommy Del Farno was sent off for holding. The penalty was successfully cleared off again, leaving the Rebels 0-2 on the power play up to this point in the game. As time wound down in the period, TJ Koufis extended the lead for the Tomahawks to 3-1 with 4:22 remaining in the period. Jamestown ended the 1st period with a bit of a lead in shots on goal, but as Johnstown took control of the game they also evened the shots back up with Jamestown leading only 20-17.
Egan Schmitt wasted no time getting on the scoresheet for the Tomahawks in the 3rd period, making it 4-1 for the Tomahawks just 24 seconds into the period. Five minutes later, Badal scored his second and the teams fifth goal of the game, making it 5-1. The Tomahawks then added on an additional third goal of the period coming from forward Ed Pazo, making it 6-1. Frustrations were building for the Rebels and the Tomahawks were not going to take any of it. As things heated up between the two squads, multiple penalties ended with a two minute power play for Jamestown, while Johnstown’s penalty kill unit went back to work, extending their PK to 3-0 on the day. While there were good scoring chances for both sides, neither team would find the back of the net again, leaving the final score 6-1 in favor of the Tomahawks.
Next, the Tomahawks are headed to Blaine, Minnesota to kick off the 2021-22 season in the NAHL Showcase September 15-18, beginning with their opening game against the Aberdeen Wings on Wednesday the 15th at 2:45 PM.