Mavericks relive playoff nightmare

Last year the Missouri Mavericks won 52 times in 72 games, finishing as the league’s top regular season team with a 10-point edge on second place. However, the dream season turned into a nightmare when it ran into the defending champion Allen Americans in the post season.

The first hurdle thrown in front of the Mavericks this time around? Yep, the now two-time defending Kelly Cup Champion Americans…in Texas.

Unfortunately, not much has changed for the Mavs who started out the new campaign 0-2 following a 6-3 loss on Saturday (Oct. 15) night and a 4-0 defeat Sunday at the Allen Event Center.

All nine of the Midwest-based teams saw action in the new look ECHL with several teams having switched divisions or conferences.

In other ECHL weekend action: The Kalamazoo Wings have moved from the East Conference to the Central Conference of the West Conference – a group that includes seven teams — all but Tulsa Oilers coming out of the Midwest Region.

The Wings will have a wait a bit though to play a Western opponent as they made the trip to Norfolk on opening weekend and earned four points on the road with wins of 3-1 and 3-0 at the Norfolk Scope in Virginia against the host Admirals.

The Cincinnati Cyclones and Indy Fuel engaged in a home-and-home set to start the season, the Fuel taking early control with a 3-1 decision at Indiana Farmers Coliseum on Friday night, then hitting the road for a 2-1 edge at US Bank Arena in Cincinnati;

The Toledo Walleye earned a split on the road at Infinite Energy Arena against the Atlanta (formerly Gwinnett) Gladiators; dropping a 4-1 decision on Friday night but bouncing back for a 7-4 victory the following day.

In another home-and-home set the Quad City Mallards dropped a 6-2 decision on home ice against the Fort Wayne Komets at the iWireless Center Friday and fared no better the following day at Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne where the Komets wrapped up a perfect weekend with a 3-1 decision.

Rapid City Rush, in the Mountain Division began the regular season with a home and home against the Colorado Eagles, falling 4-2 at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center Friday and also 6-4 at the Budweiser Events Center in Colorado.

The final Midwest based entry, the Wichita Thunder, this season affiliated with the Ottawa Senators, opened the season on home ice, dropping a 4-3 decision to the Tulsa Oilers at the INTRUST Bank Arena.

Following is a quick look at all of the weekend games:

Mavericks 3, 0 Americans 6, 4

The defending champion Americans started the new season off well, carrying a 1-0 lead out of the opening period and 3-1 into the third. Radoslav Illo scored the lone Mavericks goal through 40 minutes while Greger Hanson, Chris Crane and Kale Kerbashian all potted goals for the Americans.

Chad Costello extended the lead to 4-1 one minute into the final period but Dane Fox, followed by Illo’s second a little over a minute later suddenly had the Mavs back in this one with 7:23 to play. Eric Roy ended the rally though with his goal about 90 seconds later and Kerbashian fired his second of the night with 2:11 to go.

Goaltender Riley Gill turned in a huge effort for the winners, handling 44 of 47 shots in goal for the Americans and Josh Robinson stopped 33 for the Mavs.

The following night, Jamie Murray was the hero in goal for the Americans, stopping all 35 of the shots he faced while Gary Steffes scored twice and others came from Tristan King and Tanner Eberle. Eamon McAdam was kept busy in goal for the Mavericks, turning aside 36 of 40 Americans shots.

The Mavericks will head to Tulsa for another road test on Friday (Oct. 21) and finally play its home opener the following night at the Silverstein Eye Centers Arena against the Indy Fuel.

Wings 3, 3, Admirals 1, 0

The Wings made the trip east to Norfolk Friday and got a solid goaltending performance from Joel Martin who stopped 32 of 33 to nail down the win.

Scott Henegar notched the first of the season for the Wings in the opening period and Dajon Mingo followed it up with the lone goal of the middle frame.

Josh Brittain scored to get the Admirals within a shot, 9:13 into the final segment but Josh Pitt settled it for the Wings with a little under three minutes to go. Eetu Laurikainen handled 32 of 35 shots in goal for the Admirals.

On Saturday, Nic Riopel turned in a perfect performance between the pipes for the Wings with a 20-save shutout effort. Lane Scheidl and

Ben Wilson both scored in the opening period for the Wings, Michael Trebish adding a little insurance with his third period goal.

Next action for the Wings will be at the Wings Event Center on Friday as they host the Fort Wayne Komets in the first of a home-and-home weekend set.

Cyclones 1 at Fuel 3

Fuel 2 at Cyclones 1

The Indy Fuel looking to take the next step towards a playoff spot got its 2016-17 season off to a winning straight with a 3-1 win on home ice Friday thanks to a 33 save performance by Jake Hildebrand and Alex Wideman breaking a 1-1 tie with the game winner and later adding an insurance goal as well.

Anthony Beauregard scored the opening goal just 92 seconds into the match and Eric Robinson responded with the lone Cyclones’ marker 4:57 into the game. All four goals came in opening period.

Mark Visentin stopped 18 of 21 in goal for the Cyclones.

The following night, Hildebrand again stopped all but one with a 23 save effort while Tyler Currier opened the scoring for Indy in the first, Wideman notching his second game winner in as many contests with the lone second period goal.

Dominic Zombo scored the lone Cyclones goal with 5:21 to play and Visentin made 19 saves on 21 shots.

The Cyclones were scheduled to stay at home to face the Toledo Walleye on Tuesday (Oct. 18) and the Fuel will be in Tulsa Friday and visit Missouri on Saturday. The Cyclones will also play on Saturday, hosting the Wheeling Nailers.

Walleye 1, 7 at Gladiators 4, 4

Toledo shooters were able to find the mesh just once on 44 shots Friday night as Matt Ginn was nearly unbeatable between the pipes for Atlanta.

Alden Hirschfeld had the lone successful shot 21 seconds into the second period to cut into a 2-0 Gladiators lead, but the host team restored its two goal margin later in the frame and added another in the third.

Colin Jacobs; Bryan Cameron; Derek Nesbitt and Tyler Murovich each scored for the Gladiators and Jake Paterson handled 21 of 25 shots in goal for the Walleye.

After finding it hard to find the mesh Friday, the Walleye exploded on Saturday opening up a 3-2 first period margin and widening it to 6-3 in the second as Ginn was beaten six times on 38 chances, the final one sunk into an empty Gladiators’ goal.

Teams took turns leading early on, Thomas Frazee scoring the first of the game for the home team before Kyle Bonis and A.J. Jenks hit the mesh 22 seconds apart to give the Walleye its first lead of the weekend. Brock Higgs tied it up for the home team but Tyler Sikura put his team in front to stay 45 seconds from the end of the opening period.

Evan Rankin and Bonis both fired goals for the Walleye in the first eight minutes of the second and Jenks fired his second later in the period, the lone response for the Gladiators coming from Trevor Mingoia.

Colin Jacobs had the Gladiators within a pair in the third, but Bonis wrapped up a hat trick with his shot into an empty net.

Cal Heeter made 39 saves to pick up the win in goal for the Walleye.

The Walleye will make the trip to Cincy to play the Cyclones Tuesday (Oct. 18) and then play a home-and-home with the Brampton Beast Friday and Saturday.

Komets 6 at Mallards 2

Mallards 1 at Komets 3

The visiting Komets broke open a 2-2 deadlock with three goals in the final 11:30 of the second period in Quad City and then one more in the third to put it away.

Jamie Schaafsma scored twice for the Komets in the win with others coming from Shawn Szydlowski; Gabriel Beaupre; Jason Brinkley and Garrett Thompson.

Justin Kovacs fired the game’s first goal and Mike Monfredo gave the Mallards its second, but final lead at 2-1 early in the second period.

Pat Nagle stopped 23 of 25 to grab the win in goal for the Komets while Adam Vay played the first two periods, stopping 18 of 23 before C. J. Motte finished it off handling four of five in the third.

The following day, back in Fort Wayne, Brady Vail opened the closed the scoring for the Komets who carried a 2-1 lead out of the first period, adding the other in the second before a scoreless final frame.

Mike Cazzola had the other Komets goal with Sam Warning firing the lone shot of 27 to beat Nagle. Motte handled 26 of 29 shots in goal for the Mallards.

The Komets will play a home-and-home set with Kalamazoo Friday and Saturday while the Mallards will travel to South Dakota for a pair with the Rapid City Rush.

Eagles 4 at Rush 2

Rush 4 at Eagles 6

The Rush opened its Mountain Division schedule at home and played even through the first period, both teams scoring once. The Eagles through grabbed a 3-2 lead in the second and added an insurance marker in the final frame.

Hunter Fejes and Josh MacDonald scored the Rush goals while Adin Hill was beaten three times and 32 shots, the final goal sliding into an empty net with a minute to go.

Casey Pierro-Zabotel; Darryl Bootland; Cole Sanford and Luke Salazar scored the Eagles goals and Kent Simpson stopped 34 shots to earn the win in goal.

The following night in Colorado, the Rush stormed back from a 2-0 first period deficit with a trio of middle period goals to knot the game at 3-3 and the Rush grabbed its first lead of the weekend with 8:05 to play on Brenden Walker‘s goal. Matt Garbowsky tied the score for the Eagles 12 seconds later though with his second of the game and Bootland scored the game winner with 5:06 to play. Sanford’s powerplay marker with 1:42 to go put it away for the home team.

Fejes, Brett Perlini and Lindsay Sparks notched the other Rush goals with Michael Sdao and Johnny Lazo scoring for the Eagles.

Nathan Lieuwen stopped 25 of 29 to nail down the win in goal for the Eagles; Kent Patterson stopping 30 in goal for the Rush.

The Rush will face another 0-2 team Friday and Saturday as the Quad City Mallards pay a visit.

Oilers 4 at Thunder 3

Thunder scored first in this one, Alex Krushelnyski pulling the trigger, but was even at 1-1 after a period on home ice and trailed the Oilers 3-1 after 40 minutes.

Darcy Murphy fired two of the goals for the Oilers and Shawn Bates had the other.

Landon Oslanski got the Thunder to within a goal with 8:57 to go but Kale Kessy restored the two-goal cushion just 44 seconds later. Jack Rodewald gave the home team a shot hitting the mesh with 90 seconds to go, but that was as close as it would get on opening night.

Jamie Phillips stopped 31 of 34 to pick up the win in goal for the Oilers while Scott Greenham made 32 saves in goal for the Thunder.

Next up for the Thunder is a home game against the Missouri Mavericks on Friday followed by its first road trip to the southern states the following week.