David Dudich – Texas Tornado Booster Club : The Texas Tornado salute the fans following their season ending loss to the Amarillo Bulls in the NAHL South Division Finals.

Texas got on the board first with a bang-bang play while on the man advantage. Max Shuart sent the puck from the near half-wall to Justin Greenberg below the goal line to Paul Berrafato’s right. Greenberg found Drew Mayer cruising down the slot for a shot through Berrafato at 5:23.

Amarillo came right back with a power play goal of their own at 7:11 as Omar Mullan pulled the puck out of the near corner, moved out front  and put it over Hunter Leisner’s right shoulder. A turnover behind the Tornado net led to a Blake Roubos goal off the crossbar from the slot from Tyler Deresky. Time of the goal was 17:05.

In the second the physical play amped up and the Tornado started to see momentum shift in their direction. They cashed in late when Brandon Platt let one go from the point that was tipped in front by Jason Eddy. Berrafato got a piece of it, but Mitch McPherson was at the near post to clean up the rebound. Earlier in the period Garret Peterson was chirping Louie Rowe and as they lined up for a faceoff in the Tornado zone Peterson gave Rowe a wicked slash across the shins just as the puck dropped. Rowe shed the gloves and Peterson went straight to the ice and covered up. Rowe landed one big right and was pulled off Peterson. Referee Jordan Solomon must have been worried about the game getting out of hand because he hit Rowe with an instigator minor, a fighting major and a game ejection. Peterson on the other hand got a slashing minor.

Amarillo went back on top just 1:40 into the third on a great stick handling move by Clint Carlisle with assists going to Mullan and Peterson.

Not to be outdone Nick Neville corralled a loose puck in the far circle dangled around a defender curled back to the outside to get to the forehand and used TJ Sarcona as a screen to rip in past Berrafato into the twine at 2:11.

With just 5:50 left in the period Amarillo had a two on one breakaway as Tyler Rostenkowski carried the puck into the zone down the left side before giving it to Brady Ferguson who drove the near post then went back across the grain to sneak it past Leisner’s right skate. With Leisner on the bench for the extra attacker Ryan Cole chipped it past a diving CJ Reuschlein at 19:38 and went into the zone unimpeded for the empty net goal and the 5-3 win.

Final shots on goal were 27-25 Tornado. Texas was 1-3 on the power play while Amarillo was 1-5. The Bulls will now advance to the Robertson Cup Tournament.

Sean Steffen / Amarillo Globe-News- Amarillo’s Tyler Deresky and the Bulls were too much for Anthony Mousseau and the Texas Tornado Friday night as the Tornado dropped game two 5-1

Things did not start well for the Tornado as a Jackson Leef pass went off the skates of Drew Mayer turning Tyler Deresky loose on a rush up the ice. Deresky split the defense of Nick Neville and Donovan Gardner before putting it five hole on Hunter Leisner at 4:23.

Texas got one back at 18:22 thanks to a Brady Ferguson roughing minor. On the power play Justin Greenberg sent the puck to Michael Hoy at the top of the near circle and he immediately found Neville at the center point for a bomb that Brandon Hawkins redirected past Paul Berrafato. Just 18 seconds after the Tornado scored Leef picked up what has to be the softest roughing call of the season in the corner as players came together after a CJ Reuschlein scoring opportunity. The Tornado made it through the rest of the period on the penalty kill leaving 40 seconds of Amarillo power play time to start the second.

Just 15 seconds into the second period Ryan Cole pulled the puck off the far half-wall and sent a pass toward Ferguson on the back door. Neville got his stick in the way but it went off the shaft and redirected past Leisner to reestablish the Amarillo one goal lead. With the Tornado on the power play Hoy tried to keep it in a clear at the far point but it went off his skate right to Ferguson who went streaking in on Leisner and sent it under him for the short handed goal. Time of the goal was 4:09. Just over two minutes later with the Bulls buzzing in the offensive zone, Gage Christianson went for the wrap around but fanned on it. However, it turned into a perfect centering pass for Ferguson in the slot and he sent it over Leisner’s left pad. Amarillo made it five to one on an two on one odd man rush as Dan McNamara went barreling down the right side and blasted one off Leisner, Mike Davis deposited the rebound.

In the third period Garret Peterson and TJ Sherman went after Cameron Brown behind the play. Brandon Platt came to Browns defense to even things out. Platt and Sherman went to the ice immediately leaving Brown and Peterson to go. Each threw a couple rights before Brown went to a knee where Peterson threw two big rights with Brown down on the ice. Despite the Amarillo players double teaming Brown and Peterson continuing the altercation once Brown was down, every got matching fighting majors. As Brown was heading to the penalty box a couple of the Amarillo “fans” threw rubber Bulls Balls at him.

The rest of the third went off with no further scoring or fireworks and Amarillo went to the locker room up two games to none. Amarillo outshot Texas 30-27 and were 1-4 on the power play. Texas was 1-6 with the man advantage. The series will resume Tuesday evening in Frisco with the Tornado needing to win three in a row to extend their season.