The Lone Star Brahmas faced off against the Road Runners on Friday night and fell victim to the bounces as Topeka built a three goal lead without even using their sticks.
Lone Star found themselves down two goals with just over five minutes gone in the first period and could never recover. The first Roar Runner goal came at 4:36 when Jake Kamrass picked up a loose puck at the blue line, skated into the right circle and sent a shot on net. TJ Black had no problem in making the save as he saw it all the way, the problem arose when he kicked it out the other side. The puck went off the back of Yu Hikosaka and right back on net getting past Black before he could get across. Just 20 seconds later Daniel Rzavsky pulled the puck into the zone only to have Anthony Mousseau poke it off his blade. Willie Brown picked up the loose puck just inside the blue line and sent it to Sam Rennaker stationed just outside the paint. Rennaker made a nifty between the legs pass to give it back to Brown crashing the net, but Black flashed out the right pad to make the save. Brown continued to the net bowling over Black and putting the puck into the net with his skate as he was falling. The goal could very easily been waived off and likely should have, but Referee Daniel Keenan allowed it to stand.
Brahmas’ Head Coach Dan Wildfong used his timeout to gather the troops and stem the bleeding. The rest of the period while controlled by Topeka was scoreless.
The Road Runners received their third fortunate bounce at 5:05 of the second. Andrew Roye ripped a shot wide from the high slot that caromed off the end board right back past the net going off the chest of Kamrass and behind Black. Three pucks in the net and not a single one of them on a shot on goal. But just like the baseball adage says, they all look like line drives in the score book.
The Brahmas would finally solve PJ Bridges late in the second period when Kellen Wasell corralled the puck behind the Topeka net and spotted Conner Enciso in the left wing circle. Wasell’s pass was right in Enciso’s wheelhouse and he snapped it past Bridges at 18:14.
The Road Runners’ only goal scored off an actual shot came at 16:43 of the third. Clint Garris put a bouncing puck between the defenders which Michal Uhrik got to first. Uhrik went in unimpeded on Black and put it past him blocker side for the 4 – 1 final score.
The Brahmas were outshot 34 – 18 on the night and neither team were able to capitalize on the power play. Topeka was 0 – 5 and Lone Star was 0 – 3. The Brahmas will look to even the series with a win on Sunday evening.
Elsewhere Around the NAHL South
Fairbanks at Wichita Falls
The Wildcats and Icedogs alternated goals through the midpoint of the second period with Wichita Falls taking a lead only to have Fairbanks tie the score three times. After pulling even at three goals apiece at the 9:34 mark of the second, Fairbanks scored again just 39 seconds later to take their first lead of the night. The Wildcats knotted the score just 37 seconds into the third, only to see the Icedogs score with just 42 second to go in regulation for the 5 – 4 win.
Amarillo at Odessa
After losing 3 – 2 to the Jackalopes on Friday night, the Bulls came into the contest determined to make a statement and what a statement they made. The Bulls jumped out to a four goal lead in the first period and never looked back. Amarillo had eight goals from eight different scorers. Colin Delia stopped every piece of rubber sent his way for the 8 – 0 win and his sixth shutout of the season.
Current NAHL South Division Standings
| TEAM | GP |
W
L
OTL
PTS
PCT
Amarillo
43
30
11
2
62
0.721
Topeka
39
24
11
4
52
0.667
Rio Grande
42
22
13
7
51
0.607
Wichita Falls
40
21
16
3
45
0.563
Corpus Christi
43
15
20
8
38
0.442
Lone Star
41
13
25
3
29
0.354
Odessa
40
12
26
2
26
0.325