Riverkings, Ducks and Blackbirds grab weekend sweeps (MnJHL Sept. 26-28)

A trio of Road Warriors turned weekend getaways into six points as the Wisconsin Rapids River Kings, Dells Ducks and Illiana Blackbirds all swept three game sets on the road.

Sept. 26 

Wisconsin Rapids 3 Marquette 0

The Riverkings, formerly known as the Central Wisconsin Saints, made a fine debut earning wins in its first three games at the home of the defending Bush Cup champion Marquette Royales.

The Riverkings scored once in each period, Blake Zabinski scoring one and helping out on another with single markers for Tayler Harkins and Collin Plitt. Cody Stein picked up the shutout with 20 saves.

For Marquette Bryce Leaf handled 33 of 36 shots in goal.

Steele County 2 Maple Grove 5

After dropping its first four of the regular season and outscored 40-6, the Energy managed to break into the win column in this one at the Maple Grove Community Center against the visiting Blades.

Teams were knotted at 2-2 after a period, but it was all Energy after that, Dan Risch scoring the game winner with the long goal of the middle period and two more in the third giving the home team a little added comfort.

Dan Sarnecki had a goal and two assists in the win and James Pyle scored a pair while James Von Canon scored the other, along with an assist. Niko Walsh also picked up a couple of assists and Nick Camerson stopped all but two of the 43 shots he faced to earn the win in goal for the Energy.

Jake Noel and Adam Sigala had the Blades goals and Jared Manzella stopped 52 of 56 in goal for the visitors.

Dells 7 Ironwood 1 

The Ducks remained undefeated and the Yoopers winless in this one as the Ducks scored two in each of the first two frames, then added two more in the third before Jared Dern notched the lone Yoopers goal at the 7:02 mark of the final frame.

Liam McDonough led the Ducks with two goals, Sherman Mowery, Kyle Buchanan and Ian Wood adding a goal and assist apiece. Marcus Cassidy and Josh Colleaux both assisted on a pair and the other goals came from Brady Hefner and Lucas Smith.

Jared Young stopped 11 of 12 shots to pick up the win for the Ducks while Adam Filipiak handled 46 of 53 at the other end of the pond.

Illiana 3 Wooster 1 

The Blackbirds were also making their season debut at Wooster’s Alice Noble Ice Arena and this one came down to third third period with both teams scoreless after 40 minutes.

The Blackbirds scored the first three, in a 5:37 span before the Oilers gained some satisfaction, shattering the shutout bit od Larry Pezzuto with 4:47 to go.

Nathan Aloisio scored once and set up another for the Blackbirds and Griffin Mason collected two assists. Jordan Keller and Joe Fiandaca had the other goals and Pezzuto stopped 17 of 18.

Tyler Crites had the lone Wooster tally with Creighton Furber beaten three times on 21 shots.

Sept. 27

Wisconsin Rapids 4 Marquette 1

The Riverkinngs showed the opening win against the defending champs was no fluke the following night with another win putting away a 1-1 draw with three unanswered third period goals.

Dave Landau led the Kings with a goal and two assists while Jake Nitsche set up three. Other goals came from Blake Zabinski, Blake Anderson and Tyler Harkins, the latter adding an assist as well.  Tyler Martz stopped 23 of 24 for the Riverkings in goal.

Cameron Wirick scored the Royales’ first goal of the season and Luke Thurston handled 29 of 33 shots in goal.

Hudson 3 Rochester 6 

The Ice Hawks took advantage of home ice at the Rochester Rec Center and improved to 5-0 on the season, but it involved quite a rally.

After a scoreless opening frame the Crusaders piled up a 3-1 lead through 40 minutes, but the home side roared back with five unanswered third peiod tallies for the win, the final two coming in the last 30 seconds of the contest.

Trey McMillen led the way with two goals and an assist, Vinni Susi picking up a goal and two helpers for the Ice Hawks. Alec Martin, Austin Anderson and Nick Paulson each assisted on a pair with goals scored by Luke Meade, Justyn Sweet and Dawson Quint. Sam Nelson picked up the win with 34 saves.

Peter Karavos scored all three of the Hudson goals with Dennis Andersson chipping in assists on two of them.

Dells 7 Ironwood 0

The Ducks wrapped up another seven goal effort, but this time Matt Millendorf stopped all of the 15 shots he faced to earn the shutout in goal.

Ben Koester led the Ducks with two goals and an assist, Alex Drulia adding a goal and two helpers and Marcus Cassidy setting up three.

Matt Heim, Kyle Buchanan, Liam McDonough and Josh Colleaux had the other Ducks’ goals, Colleaux also picking up an assist.

Ted Bunton turned aside 55 of 62 shots in goal for the host Yoopers at the Pat O’Donnell Rink.

Minnesota 1 Forest Lake 5

The Lakers scored the lone goal of the first, then added two each in the second and third before Nick Tolin shattered the shutout bid of Matiss Kivlenieks with just under five minutes to go.

Jacob Gunderson had three assists to pace the Lakers offense and Joshua Fisher had a goal and assist. Brandon Gillespie, Alec Round, Taylor Hill and Jake Peterson had the other goals and Kivlenieks stopped 25 of 26 shots in goal.

Roni Sener handled 44 of 49 in goal for the Owls.

Illiana 4 Wooster 1 

The Blackbirds wrapped up a second win at Wooster’s Alice Noble Arena  opening up a 3-0 cushion through the first 40, then matching Wooster’s third period marker.

Nathan Aloisio picked up a pair of goals and an assist in the game, Griffin Mason adding a goal and a helper and the other goal came from Jordan Keller. Martin Miloslavich stopped 27 of 28 to pick up the win in goal for the Blackbirds.

Andy Romani scored the lone Oilers goal.

Sept. 28

Wisconsin Rapids 6 Marquette 1 

The Riverkings wrapped up the weekend sweep with five unanswered second period goals while Leonid Anikin gained some consolation beating Ryan Gill for the lone goal of the third period 27 seconds in, ending a shutout effort for Riverkings goaltender Ryan Gill.

Blake Anderson picked up a goal and three assists for the winners with Tyler Harkins notching a hat trick. Eric Arrigo assisted on three adn Dave Landau had two helpers while Graham Walsh added a goal and assistd and the other goal came from Blake Zabinski.

Illiana 3 Wooster 0

A shutout effort from Joe Stoflo who stopped 27 shots, lefted the Blackbirds to the weekend sweep.

Kyle Porter had a goal and assist in the game, Anthony DiDiana and Nathan Aloisio scoring the others.

Dells 13 Ironwood 0

The Ducks left no doubt in the finale at the Pat O’Donnell Rink putting up five in both of the first two periods on its way to an easy win.

Sandro Aeschlimann collected the shutout in goal with an 11 save effort and Yari Neitenbach paced the offense with three goals and an assist. Ben Koester and Ian Wood both added two goals and a helper while Matt Heim, Bradley Hefner, Brady Hefner and Marcus Cassidy each set up three in the contest.

Josh Colleaux picked up a goal and assist while Walker Aurand, Kyle Buchanan, Colin Van Hauter and Tyler Forest each added two assists and other goals came from Sherman Mowery, Anton Brix, Liam McDonough, Alex Drulia, and Lucas Smith.

Hudson 3 Steele County 6

For the second day in a row, a third period rally allowed a team to storm back on the Crusaders, this time the host Blades pulling it off with four unanswered third period markers to escape a 3-2 deficit at the Four Seasons Center.

Joel Lehtonen scored three for the Blades and Cory Schillo added a goal and assist. Clsyton Huss and Wilson Anderle had the other goals and Bryce Kamenick stopped 34 of 37 to pick up the win in goal.

Devin Pierce had a goal and two assists for the Crusaders, Peter Karavos adding a goal and assisdt and Dennis Anderson setting up two while Davis Kirkendall scored the other.

Forest Lake 7 Maple Grove 0

After getting off the shnide the previous day, the  Energy came up way short at the Maple Grove Community Center to wrap up the weekend with a shutout defeat.

Matiss Kivlenieks stopped all 30 shots he faced to earn the shutout while Joshua Fisher scored three and assisted on another to pace the offense. Jake Peterson added a goal and two assists, Alec Round setting up three and Brandon Taylor collecting a goal and assist. Other goals came from Ryan Paal and Brandon Gillespie.

Blair Saunders was the busiest man in the rink, stopping 39 of 46 shots in goal for the Energy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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