Kaiser comes through for Riverkings

Reed Kaiser, 19, from Wyoming lifted the Wisconsin Rapids Riverkings to a 4-3 United States Premier Hockey League – Midwest Division  road win and a series split with the St. Croix Valley Magicians with his goal in the fifth round of a shootout, at the Gornick Arena, Saturday (Sept. 26).

Kaiser’s goal gave Riverkings its first and only lead of the night and successfully completed a rally back from a 3-1 deficit after a period.

In other USPHL-Midwest action on the same night: Dells Ducks completed a weekend sweep of the Blaine Energy with an 8-1 win; Chicago Cougars remained undefeated with a 6-3 road win at Owatonna, MN against he Steele County Blades; Marquette Royales completed a sweep of the Michigan Wild with a 6-4 road win, Traverse City doubled the host Alpena Flyers to also wrap up a weekend sweep and in another weekend sweep the Tri City Icehawks downed the visiting Kalkaska Rhinos 5-1.

Riverkings 4 at Magicians 3 (so)

The Magicians and Riverkings traded early goals in the first five minutes of the contest, but the host Magicians scored two more before the end of the frame.

Tyler Carey, 20, from Sun Prairie, set up Jake LeBauer, 18, from Colorado for the first Riverkings goal, then started them on the road back with his goal, the lone tally of the second period. Austyn Quarters, 18, from Montana knotted the score for the Riverkings in the third period.

Yannick Zehnder, 18, from Switzerland; Peter Karavos, 20, from Rolling Meadows, IL and Arthur Panchenko, 20, from Netherlands scored the first period goals for the Magicians.

In the shootout, Karavos scored in the third round for the Magicians but Carey countered with a must-score shot to push the shootout to sudden death rounds and setting the stage for Kaiser.

Link Ferch, 19, from Texas handled 32 shots through regulation and overtime for the Riverkings and four out of five in the shootout. Quentin Prokopetz, 19, from Clarkston, MI made 22 saves in the game for the Magicians and another three in the shootout.

River Kings will stay on the road, traveling to Dyer, IN for a pair with the Illiana Blackbirds starting Friday (Oct. 2) and the Magicians will be in action on the same night at home to the Forest Lake Lakers.

Ducks 8 at Energy 1

The Ducks scored off of its eight goals in the second period, turning a close 2-0 edge into a 6-1 margin with two more coming in the final period.

In all, 15 players registered points for the Ducks, Andy Williams, 19, from Texas the lone skater with more than one point, collecting a goal and assist. Other Ducks’ goals came from: Trace Pederson, 18, from Colorado; Victor Morgan, 19, from South St. Paul, MN; Bobby Tibbs, 20, from Maryland; Sean Teske, 19, from Reedsburg, WI; Sherman Mowery, 19, from Kentwood, MI; Wyatt Nielsen, 19, from Sioux Falls, SD and David Kaplan, 18, from Vernon Hills, IL. Jared Young, 20, from Colorado picked up the win in goal with a 23-save game.

Parker Caskey, 18, from Ankenny, IA scored the Energy goal while Drew Pehrson, 18, from Lino Lakes, MN and Sigurd Vaula, 20, from Norway combined to stop 44 shots in the Blaine goal.

The Ducks return home to play host the Marquette Royales for a pair, starting Friday (Oct. 2) and the Energy will play host to the Steele County Blades the following night.

Cougars 6 at Blades 3 

This one was close and Bladed actually led 3-2 early in the final period before the Cougars tied it in the fifth minute of the frame and then took control before the halfway mark with two more goals in 28 seconds. The clincher came with just over a minute to go, shortanded into an empty net.

Tom Stanislavski, 20, from Palos Hills, IL paced the offense with two goals and an assist and Mike Watson, 19, from Colorado helped out on a pair. Other Cougars’ goals came from Willy Doremus, 18, from Colorado; Nik Kropp, 18, from Northbrook, IL; Gavin Nickerson, 20, from Oregon and Jesper Lonnberg, 20, from Sweden. Dylan Gillis, 18, from Naperville, IL made 25 saves to pick up the win in goal for the Cats.

Koy Payne, 18, from Elysian, MN scored a goal and added an assist for the Blades with other goals for Clayton Huss, 19, from Pleasant Hill, IA and Chase Lewis, 19, from North Carolina. Wyatt Ulrich, 19, from International Falls, MN made 42 saves in goal for the Blades.

The Cougars will finally play on home ice, hosting the Decatur Blaze for three straight starting Friday (Oct. 2) and the Blades will travel to Blaine for its next game the following night.

Royales 6 at Wild 4

The Royales picked up its first series win on an extended season opening stretch of road games with back-to-back wins at the Farmington Hills Ice Arena.

The Wild scored the lone goal of the first period and still clung to a narrow lead, 3-2 heading to the third. The Royales tied it up 65 seconds into the final period and grabbed its first lead with 7:14 to play, adding another with 1:33 that appeared to have the win sewed up before the Wild struck back again with 32 seconds remaining.

Austyn Renn, 18, from Racine, MN finally sewed it up with his empty netter for the Royales with just six seconds to play.

Along with Renn’s goal, the Royales got three goals and a helper from Jeremy Joyce, 20, from Muskegon, MI; four assists for Jayson Dahlquist, 20, from Rhinelander, WI; a goal and a set up from Mitch Kinnunen, 19, from Slinger, WI and the other goal from Erich Walter, 18, from Houghton, MI.

Kyle Mugica, 20, from California and Kyle Chmielecki, 18, from Duluth, MN combined on a 40 save effort in goal for the Royales.

Colton James, 19, from Clarkston, MI fired three goals for the Wild and Nic Fernandez, 18, from White Lake, MI counted the other along with an assist. Dean Bucholz, 16, from Dearborn Heights, made 48 saves in goal for the Wild.

The Royales who have still yet to play on home ice, will remain on the road, traveling to the Dells for a two-game set starting Friday (Oct. 2) and the Wild will make the trip to play Rhinos at Kalkaska.

Hounds 6 at Flyers 3

Traverse City and Alpena Flyers were even at 2-2 after a period at the Northern Lights Arena and the Flyers moved in front early in the second before the visitors took control with three straight second period markers and one more for insurance in the final frame.

Clayton Dowlan, 18, from Traverse City and Kyle Bollers, 16, from Ontario scored two goals apiece for the Hounds, Patrick Rogowski, 20, from Traverse City adding a goal and assist and the other goal scored by Cam Givens, 20, from Traverse City. Andre Benoit, 19, from Ortonville, MI turned aside 23 shots to nail down the win in goal for the Hounds.

Aaron Nowak, 16, from Alpena collected a goal and assist for the Flyers with other goals for Ryan Spencer, 18, from Alpena and Andrej Fasko, 19, from Slovakia. Matthew Hatcher, 19, from North Olmstead, OH made 38 saves in goal for the Flyers.

The Hounds will be off next weekend and start a set on the road against the Motor City Hawks Oct. 9. The Flyers will get a visit for the Kalkaska Rhinos tomorrow (Sept. 27).

Rhinos 1 at Icehawks 5

After a scoreless first period, the Icehawks exploded for four straight in the first 16:09 of the middle frame, Kalkaska striking for its lone goal late in the period. One more, in the second minute of the third restored the four goal lead and finished off the scoring in the contest.

Addison Edwards, 20, from Arizona led the Icehawks with a goal and two assists, John Matson and Sam Hanson, both 18, from Alaska adding a goal and an assist apiece and Dylan Borowski, 19, from Bay City, MI, setting up a pair. Austin Caryl, 18, from Ann Arbor, MI and Benito, Posa, 16, from Grand Blanc, MI scored the other Icehawks goals and Alan Brouillette, 17, from Livonia, MI made 15 saves to pick up the win in goal.

Matt Culot, 19, from Massachusetts scored the Rhinos goal while Caleb Harris, 18, from Martins Ferry, OH and Austin Hannaford, 19, from Alberta combined to stop 49 shots in goal.

The Rhinos will make its way to Alpena to wrap up the weekend against the Flyers tomorrow (Sept. 27) and the Icehawks will visit the Motor City Hawks on Friday (Sept.2).