Watt Gets Hat Trick As Tomahawks Sweep Warriors

Feb 14, 2014

Photo Credit: George Lucas/Johnstown Tomahawks

 

By Ed Sheets

Jordan Watt picked up a hat trick, as the Johnstown Tomahawks earned the weekend sweep with a 6-4 win on Saturday night at the Cambria County War Memorial. Matthew Meier and Shane Bednard each added three assists in the win.

Watt got the Tomahawks on the board first, as his shot deflected off of goaltender Robby Beydoun and into the net at 5:45. Bednard and Meier each added assists on the goal.

TJ Stuntz tied the game for the Warriors, taking Jake Hopfner deflection off of goaltender Alex Okicki and firing it home at 6:25. Just 38 seconds later, Bednard tied the game on a shot between the legs of Beydoun. Meier added an assist on the goal, his third straight game with at least two points.

Tanner Barnes extended the lead to 3-1, scoring on a defection at 7:27 of the second period. Casey Linkenheld and Tyler Basham were credited with the assists on the goal. Late in the period, Michigan pulled within one, as Jon Farkas scored a top shelf with 1:51 remaining. A.J. Marcinek was credited with the assist, his second of the game.

Bednard opened the third period with a power-play goal that hit off the crossbar 5:59 into the period. Meier and Barnes each added assists on the goal. Less than two minutes later, Watt took a pass from Zach Wallace and fired it home to make it 5-2.

The Warriors would pull within one, as Colin Larkin and Marcinek each scored power-play goals in a span of 39 seconds. Mitchell Wedding had an assist on the first goal, and Hopfner and Sean Campbell added assists on the second goal.

Jordan Watt completed his hat trick and secured the victory by scoring an empty-net wraparound goal with 15 seconds remaining in the third period. Watt finished the series against the Warriors with four goals.

Alex Okicki earned his third-straight win, stopping 30 of 34 shots. Beydoun allowed five goals on 25 shots in his first loss of the season. The Tomahawks went 1-for-6 on the power play, while the Warriors went 3-for-4. The win gives the Tomahawks their fifth weekend sweep of the season, while pulling them within one point of the Warriors for second place in the division.

The Tomahawks conclude their homestand next Friday and Saturday, as they welcome the Wenatchee Wild to the War Memorial. Game times are set for 7:30 p.m. on Friday night and 7 p.m. on Saturday night. For more information, visit www.johnstowntomahawks.com or call 814-536-4625.