Friday was a night of firsts for the Lone Star Brahmas. Their 3 – 2 win over the visiting Odessa Jackalopes gave them their first win streak in team history. It was also the first time this season that they have outshot an opponent. Two Brahmas players, Conner Enciso and Donovan Gardiner also picked up their first goals in a Lone Star sweater.
Playing in their first home game since the opening weekend of the season, the Brahmas skated to a scoreless tie with Odessa in the first period. Enciso, playing in his first game with the Brahmas since coming over from Port Huron, got things off on the right foot early in the second. Enciso scored just 1:51 into the period with assists from RJ Salvato and Johan Steen. Gardiner added to the Brahmas’ lead just 31 seconds later on a feed from new comer Kellen Wasell and Salvato’s second helper of the night.
Odessa would manage to hang around and pull back even scoring two goals of their own in the second half of the period. Lukas Laub netted the first goal from Derek Brown at the 13:34 mark. Alex Alger knotted the score at two with 2:30 left in the period. Joey Palumbo and Chad Guderian were credited with the assists.
The third period was fairly evenly matched with the teams trading power plays leading to an Anthony Mousseau power play tally at 13:51 from Alexey Solovyev and Salvato for the game winner. The secondary assist gave Salvato three points on the night and four points on the season with all four coming in the last two games.
Photo Courtesy of David Dudich: Lone Star Brahmas defenseman Anthony Mousseau scored the power play game winner in the third to give the Brahmas a 3 – 2 win over Odessa and the Brahmas first win streak of the season.
The veteran Mousseau with 3G – 8A has taken over the team lead in scoring with 11 points. Jacob Nehama was between the pipes and turned aside 25 of the 27 shots he faced to log the win.
Lone Star outshot Odessa 31 – 27 in the game and held the Jackalopes scoreless in five power play attempts. The Brahmas had the only power play goal of the game going 1 – 3. The same two teams will faceoff again Saturday night at NyTex Sports Centre with the puck dropping at 7:30. Tickets are still available for the game and can be purchased at the NyTex Box Office or by calling the Lone Star Brahmas Sales Office at 817-336-4423.
Elsewhere around the NAHL South Division
The Wichita Falls Wildcats won a nail biter on the road in Corpus Christi. After trading goals in the first period the teams went the rest of regulation and through overtime without finding the back of the net. It took an eight round shootout to decide the game with Ben Kucera beating Ben Myers with the game winner. David Zevnik made 38 saves and stopped 6 of 8 shootout attempts for the win.
Topeka made the trip to Springfield, IL looking to avenge a pair of losses at home to the Jr. Blues during their last meeting. The Road Runners got goals from Sam Rennaker, Jasen Fernsler and Tyler Groat to back the shut out goaltending of PJ Bridges to take a 3 – 0 win.
The Amarillo Bulls won a hard fought 2 – 1 battle with the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees at State Farm Arena in Hidalgo. The Bulls had a single goal in each of the first two periods and then held off a comeback attempt by Rio Grande in the third. Not only was there a battle on the scoreboard, but on the ice as well. Amarillo’s Mike Davis was hit with a Fighting Instigator, Instigator Game Misconduct and Fighting Major for his late second period bout with Anthony Croston. At 2:13 of the third, the Bulls’ Mitchell McPherson and Brendan Vetter squared off against Adam Morrison and Austin Hoff. With under seven minutes left in the game, Morrison was involved in his second fight of the evening with Ryan Stevens. In addition to his second Fighting Major, Morrison was also whistled for a Roughing Minor and a Removing Opponents Helmet Game Misconduct. Stevens also was hit with a Removing Opponents Helmet Game Misconduct.
Current NAHL South Division Standings
G |
W
L
OTL
PTS
PCT
Wichita Falls
15
10
2
3
23
0.767
Topeka
17
10
5
2
22
0.647
Amarillo
13
10
2
1
21
0.808
Rio Grande Valley
16
7
4
5
19
0.594
Corpus Christi
15
4
7
4
12
0.400
Lone Star
14
4
9
1
9
0.321
Odessa
17
2
15
0
4
0.118