Power takes pair from Jr. Blues on NA3HL opening weekend

By Jim den Hollander

Editor/Publisher

Midwesthockey.info

The NA3HL Tier 3 hockey league opened its regular season this past weekend with four games – one of them a Central Division battle between the host Milwaukee Power and the visiting St. Louis Jr. Blues at the Ozaukee Ice Center.

After capturing a 5-2 win on home ice Friday (Sept. 10), the Power wrapped up a sweep with a 7-4 decision on Saturday.

Milwaukee Power 5 St. Louis Jr. Blues 2

Power notched the lone first period goal, but teams were even at 2-2 in the second. Trent Van Gels (‘04/O’Fallon, MO) sank the game winner 2:37 from the end of the middle period and the home side padded the margin with two more in the third.

Riley Planey (‘03/South Bend, IN); Teddy Marion (‘01/Franklin, WI); Connor O’Neal (‘03/Milwaukee, WI) and Nate Stone (‘03/Edina, MN) fired the other goals and Austin Bartell (‘01/New Berlin, WI) was beaten just twice on 33 shots in goal.

Duke Boccardi (‘04/Fenton, MO) and Gus Immken (‘04/St. Louis, MO) fired the Blues’ goals.

Milwaukee 7 St. Louis Jr. Blues 4

Both teams ratcheted up the offense for the second game. The Power carried a 3-0 cushion into the middle period, but the Blues cut it to 5-3 with 20 to go. An early third period goal had the Blues within one, but that was as close as they could get, Power notching two more in the final frame to clinch the win.

Michael Dalaly (‘02/Naperville, IL) and Ben Cremers (‘02/Columbus, WI) both scored twice for the Power, Dalaly adding two assists and Cremers setting up one. Marion, O’Neal and Cam Dahl (‘02/Appleton, WI) fired the other Power goals.

Boccardi, Michael Gakhutishvili (‘04/St. Louis, MO), Jacob Horrall (‘03/Arnold, MO) and Jack Dapron (‘03/St. Louis, MO) notched the Jr. Blues’ goals.

Both teams will be out of action this weekend, the Blues playing its home opener Sept. 24-25 against the visiting Wausau Cyclones while the Power is out of action until Sept. 27 when it hosts the Rochester Grizzlies.