Hart lifts Roadrunners past Wildcats

Andrew Hart, a 19-year-old forward from New Jersey sank the lone goal of the third period, lifting the host Topeka Roadrunners to a 4-3 edge against the visiting Wichita Falls Wildcats in North American Hockey League opening night action at the Kansas Expocenter Friday (Sept. 11).

This one didn’t start out well for the homeside as the Wildcats scored twice in the first six minutes, but the Roadrunners fought back to tie it up at 2-2 before the end of the opening frame. Both teams adding one more in the second, setting the stage for Hart in the homestretch.

Luka Maver, 17 from Slovenia scored twice for the Roadrunners and the other came from Ryan O’Connor, 19, from New Jersey.

Vladimir Cibulka, a Slovakian goaltender that will turn 18 on Monday picked up the win in goal, stopping 28 of the 31 shots he faced while Julian Sime, 17 from Ontario was in goal for the Wildcats.

Wildcat goals came from: Adam Goodsir, a 16-year-old forward from Okemos, Michigan; Jonathan Lazarus, 19, from New York and Austin Albrecht, 19 from New Jersey.

The Roadrunners were scheduled to host the Wildcats in another contest Saturday (Sept. 12) wrapping up its first weekend of play.

There was one other game on opening night, not involving Midwest teams, but affecting those in the Midwest division. It was an all-Alaska batttle, won by Fairbanks Ice Dogs 6-2 against the Kenai River Brown Bears.