Mustangs break into NA3HL win column in a big way

By Jim den Hollander

Editor/Publisher

Midwesthockey.info

After dropping its first four contests against the two hottest teams out of the gate in the NA3HL Central Division, the Peoria Mustangs shoved its way into the win column with a 9-1 win Friday night (October 8) on home ice against the Wausau Cyclones.

Tristan Trudel (’02/Dunlap, IL) fired three goals to pace the Mustangs attack as the Mustangs fired three goals in each period before Griffin Lennes (’02/Stillwater, MN) fired the only shot of 15 to elude TJ DeMeulenaere (’03/Bridgeman, MI) in the Peoria goal near the halfway mark of the final period.

Thomas Kayner (’01/Bay City, MI) and Ethan Chesney (’02/Elgin, IL) both scored twice for Mustangs with others for Massimo Polistina (’04/Sherman, IL) and Jaycob Bland (’02/Hudson, IL).

In other NA3HL play in the Central Division, the St. Louis Jr. Blues also broke into the win column with a 2-1 edge against the Milwaukee Power at Affton Ice Rink and the Oregon Tradesmen played a crossover match at Breezy Point against the Minnesota Loons from the West Division, capturing a 4-1 win.

In other West Division action, the Granite City Lumberjacks continued its strong start to the season with a 3-2 edge against the Alexandria Blizzard on home ice at the Armadillo Deck Sports Arena, the Willmar Warhawks got by the New Ulm Steel 5-2 and the Rochester Grizzlies also remain hot with a 9-4 road win at Mason City Arena against the Mason City Toros in another crossover match.

Milwaukee Power 1 @ St. Louis Jr. Blues 2

The Blues’ goals came 4:02 apart in the opening eight minutes of their game scored by Cameron Gillen (’02/Glen Carbon, IL) and Gus Immken (’04/St. Louis, MO).

Michael Dalaly (’02/Naperville, IL) finally found a way past Brendan Cobb (’02/Ypsilanti, MI) in the Jr. Blues’ goal with under eight minutes to play, but that was a close as the Power could get.

Cobb ended up with 32 saves on 33 shots and at the opposite end, Austin Bartell (’01/New Berlin, WI) kicked out 34.

Oregon Tradesmen 4 @ Minnesota Loons 1

This game was scoreless after a period and Tradesmen scored the lone goal of the second period, adding two more in the second half of the final period to grab control.

Wyatt Mattfield (’04/Bemidji, MN) fired the only shot of 25 to get by Ian Hedican (’02/Madison, WI) in the Tradesmen goal with 3:39 to play, but an empty net tally restored the three goal margin and put the game away.

Carter Stobb (’02/Onalaska, WI); Luke DiPasquale (’04/Apex, NC); Aden Cobbs (’03/Beloit, WI) and Riley Vander Hoeven (’03/Beaver Dam, WI) scored the Tradesemen goals in a game that saw them outshoot their hosts 42-25.

Alexandria Blizzard 2 @ Granite City Lumberjacks 3

The Blizzard faced a tough assignment on home ice, but held 1-0 and 2-1 leads in the contest before the Lumberjacks grabbed its first and only lead just past the halfway mark of the third period.

Tucker Skime (’02/Thief River Falls, MN) scored both the opening goal and the game winner for the Lumberjacks, Carson Van Zuilan (’03/Northfield, MN) adding the middle marker.

Alex Heidenreich (’01/Ramsey, MN) and Sean Kenny (’02/Sparta, NJ) scored the Alexandria goals.

New Ulm Steel 2 @ Willmar Warhawks 5

Trying to keep pace with the division leading Granite City Lumberjacks, the Warhawks came up with a win on home ice at Willmar Civic Center.

Up 2-1 after a period, the Warhawks added one more in the second and were up 4-1 in the third before the Steel pulled one back near the halfway mark of the frame. A powerplay goal inside the final four minutes put it away.

Brady O’Brien (’01/White Bear Lake, MN); Max Cohen (’02/Commerce, MI); Elbridge Dekraai (’03/Willmar, MN); Nolan Grier (’03/Fond du Lac, WI) and Ethan Mock (’01/Bemidji, MN) scored the Warhawk goals and Will Pinney (’01/St. Louis Park, MN) stopped 26 shots in goal.

Marcus Mack (’02/Fitchburg, WI) and Barry Bauer (’01/Chaska, MN) responded for the Steel.

Rochester Grizzlies 9 @ Mason City Toros 4

The Grizzlies remain undefeated and leading the Central Division and found the competition to their liking in the West Division as well with this lopsided win.

The Grizzlies exploded out of the gate and opened a 4-0 first period lead, then responded two Mason City goals three times in early stages of the middle period before adding another pair to take a 9-3 cushion to the third.

Matthew Shaw (’02/White Bear Lake, MN) and Connor Mahony (’03/Lakeville, MN) scored two each for the Grizzlies with others for Logan Schwartzhoff (’03/Woodbury, MN); Kyle Bauer (’02/Hastings, MN); Max Breon (’02/Wayzata, MN); Adam Johnson (’03/Mahtomedi, MN) and TJ Norris (’02/Moville, IA).

Jack Campion (’01/Crystal, MN); Anton Eagle; Cal Levis (’02/Rogers, MN) and Rex Staudacher (’01/Yorkville, IL) counted the Toros’ goals.