Cyclones down Blues in NA3HL opener

Another weekend brought a few more NA3HL teams into the schedule, including the Wausau Cyclones who swept a pair on home ice against Central Division rival St. Louis Jr. Blues.

The Oregon Tradesmen also collected a sweep on the road, capturing 4-2 and 2-1wins at the Owens Center in Peoria against the host Mustangs, playing its first games of the season.

In the West Division, Granite City remains unbeaten after four games, collecting a 5-1 win on home ice against the Willmar WarHawks Friday and getting past the New Ulm Steel 5-2 Saturday after the Steel collected a 9-4 win against the Minnesota Loons Friday. The Loons remain winless, falling to the WarHawks 11-0 Saturday. Meanwhile, the Mason City Toros opened its season with back-to-back wins, 8-5 and 3-2 in a home-and-home set with the Alexandria Blizzard on Saturday and Sunday.

CENTRAL DIVISION

Cyclones 4, 6 @ Jr. Blues 1, 0

The long bus ride had no affect on the Cyclones who scored three unanswered first period goals at Affton Ice Rink, adding another in the second before Jake Sisson (’04/St. Louis, MO) fired the only shot of 34 to beat Mitch Miscevich (’03/Niles, IL) in the Cyclones’ goal.

Dominick Bourdon (’03/Broomfield, CO); Bowen Arola (‘Fernie, BC); Griffin Lennes (’02/Stillwater, MN) and Dylan Chapman (’03/Woodbury, MN) scored the Cyclones’ goals.

The following night, the Cyclones picked up where it left off, scoring singles in the first two periods and adding a four-goal exclamation mark in the third.

Zach Dosan (’02/Rosemount, MN) picked up a 24-save shutout in goal for the Cyclones, Gabe Vierzba (’02/St. Charles, IL) scoring a pair and others added by Lennes; Luke Anderson (’01/Canton, MI); Tanner Chapman (’01/Colorado Springs, CO) and Bourdon.

Tradesmen 4, 2, @ Mustangs 2, 1

The host Mustangs held 1-0 and 2-1 leads in this one, but the Tradesemen grabbed its first and only lead late in the second period on a goal by Riley VanderHoeven (’03/Beaver Dam, WI) and Sam VanderHoeven (’01/Beaver Dam, WI) sank the clincher into an empty Mustangs’ cage in the game’s final minute.

Jason Tenezaca (’01/Niles, IL) and Carter Watters (’02/Sun Prairie, WI) scored the other Oregon goals, Ethan Chesney (”02/Elgin, IL) and Sean Patrick Merck (’02/Mokena, IL) responded for the Mustangs.

On Saturday, Sam Vanderhoeven fired the late goal again, this time three seconds from the final buzzer, sending the game to overtime after a goal in the seventh minute by Chesney and Vanderhoeven also fired the game winner 38 seconds into the extra session.

Ian Hedican (’02/Madison, WI) turned in an awesome effort in goal for the Tradesmen in both games, kicking out all by three of 104 shots to collect the wins in goal.

WEST DIVISION

Blizzard 5, 2 @ Toros 8, 3

A wide open game on Saturday saw the host Toros up 3-2 after a period and 6-4 heading to the third.

Cal Levis (’02/Rogers, MN) and Carter Newpower (’02/Cottage Grove, WI) paced the Toros with two goals each, others added by Easton Tok (’03/Eau Claire, WI); Jack Campion (’01/Crystal, MN); Ryan Kaspar (’03/Palatine, IL) and Brendan Sloth (’01/Anoka, MN).

Blizzard goals came from Ryan Hadland (’02/Prior Lake, MN); Wyatt Johnson (’02/Oxbow, ND); Matt McIntyre (’03/Blaine, MN); Justin Wasvick (’03/Grand Forks, ND) and Michael Debrito (’03/Fergus Falls, MN).

Sunday say teams playing a more defensive game, the Toros opening a 2-0 first period lead but the Blizzard battling back to tie it with 5:25 to play.

That set the stage for Campion who buried the game winner just 69 seconds from the final buzzer. Newpower and Cullen Hogan (’02/Dallas, TX) scored the other Toro goals, Hadland and Benjamin Tschida (’02/Woodbury, MN) notching the Blizzard markers.

Erik Chaffe (’03/Cedar Rapids, IA) stopped 29 shots to collect the win in goal for the Toros and Bailey Rosch (’01/Alexandria, MN) stopped 35 for the Blizzard.

Loons 4 @ Steel 9

The Steel grabbed control on home ice at the New Ulm Civic Center with four unanswered first period goals and another in the second before Loons hit the scoreboard just past the game’s halfway mark.

Steel carried a comfortable 9-3 lead into the final period.

Gavin Brunmeier (’04/North Mankato, MN) collected a hat trick for the Steel, Max Rotsaert (’03/River Falls, WI) adding two. Parker Dorn (’02/Ashwaubenon, WI); Josh Delange (’02/Green Bay, WI); Marcus Mack (’02/Fitchburg, WI) and Bauer Barry (’01/Chaska, MN) scored the others.

For the Loons, goals came from Christian Crutcher (’05/Breezy Point, MN); Blake Keller (’02/St. Cloud, MN); Wyatt Mattfield (’04/Bemidji, MN) and Tye Kusilek (’02/River Falls, WI).

WarHawks 1 @ Lumberjacks 5

After a scoreless opening period at the Armadillo Deck Sports Center Friday, the Lumberjacks put up a pair of unanswered second period goals and added three more before Zach Dalzell (’02/Thief River Falls, MN) gained some satisfaction, shattering the shutout bid of Quentin Sigurdson (’03/Sartell, MN) 17-seconds from the final buzzer.

Cory Warner (’03/Waite Park, MN); Brett Reed (”01/Crosslake, MN); Tory Lund (’04/Sartell, MN); Ben Anderson (’02/Crystal, MN) and Matthew DeLany (’02/Delafeld, WI) scored the Lumberjack goals.

Steel 2 @ Lumberjacks 5

Kyle Mortenson (’02/Maple Grove, MN)fired the lone first period goal for the Jacks and added another early in the middle period. Granite City was still up 2-1 heading to the third, scoring two goals in the first four minutes to put the game out of reach.

Reed, Anderson and Tucker Skime (’02/Thief River Falls) scored the third period goals for the Lumberjacks, Brunmeier and Jack Laser (’03/San Jose, CA) responding for the Steel.

Lumberjacks wrapped up the game with a 46-14 edge in shots on goal.

WarHawks 11 @ Loons 0

The WarHawks travelled to Breezy Point Hockey Center and all but settled it in the first period with six unanswered goals, adding five more in the middle period.

Tyler Misialek (’03/Fargo, ND) and Nolan Grier (’03/Fond du Lac, WI) both collected hat tricks with other goals for Jeremiah Konkel (’02/Bloomington, MN); Caleb Roehrich (’02/Fargo, ND); Max Cohen (’02/Commerce, MI); Elbridge Dekraai (’03, Wilmar, MN) and Ethan Mock (’01/Bemidji, MN).

Cooper Olson (’01/Maple Grove, MN) stopped all 31 shots he faced in goal for the WarHawks.