Weekly Mid-West Division Recap (10/8 - 10/11)

Tulsa Jr. Oilers @ Springfield Express

10.09.15 – Tulsa 4, Springfield 3 (OT)

10.10.15 – Springfield 4, Tulsa 3

10.11.15 – Tulsa 5, Springfield 3

The Tulsa Jr. Oilers made a statement, heading into Springfield and taking two of three games from the Express in front of their fans at MediaCom Ice Park.

In the series opener, Sam Mancini tied the game with just two seconds left in regulation time, then provided the winning goal in sudden-death, as the Jr. Oilers upended the Express, 4-3.

Richard Albrecht made 16 of his 41 saves in the third period as the Jr. Oilers rallied from a 3-1 deficit.

Springfield got back in the win column Saturday but it wasn’t easy.  They took a 2-1 lead in the second period only to have the Jr. Oilers tie it back up.  They restored their one-goal lead and then Michael Crawford’s goal with 4:04 left gave them the insurance they would need as Tulsa ended the game on a power play, netting a five-on-three goal with 19 seconds left.

Albrecht made 48 more saves – including 19 in the second period – keeping the Tulsa in a game in which they were out-shot in every frame.

Mancini scored three more goals, including the game-winner, as Tulsa wrapped up an impressive weekend with a 5-3 win on Sunday.  The Jr. Oilers took leads of 1-0 and 2-1 only to have the Express battle back to tie the score in front of their home fans both times.

But Mancini’s second goal of the game gave Tulsa their first two-goal lead of the game.  He added an insurance goal to complete his hat trick.

Albrecht put the finishing touches on an impressive series with 42 saves – including 17 in the third period as the Express pressed to get back in the game.  Albrecht made 131 saves on 141 shots over the three games (.929 save percentage).

Dallas Snipers @ Colorado Evolution

10.09.15 – Dallas 4, Evolution 1

10.10.15 – Dallas 3, Evolution 2 (OT)

10.11.15 – Dallas 3, Evolution 2

The Dallas Snipers went into Denver and swept the Colorado Evolution, but every game was close.

The Evolution scored the first goal of the game Friday night, but Michael Tugo and the Snipers took over in the third period and won, 4-1.

Tugo tallied a hat trick with Hampus Ahlebrand assisting on all three goals and the Snipers’ Alexander Moustakis made 30 saves in the game, which was tied, 1-1, heading into the third.

The Evolution took a 2-0 lead in the first period on Saturday only to see the Snipers come back to tie it, then win the game in overtime.

Dusan Olsa scored with 47 seconds left in the second period to make it 2-2 and the two teams then battled through a scoreless third period.  Brandon Hanson (34 saves) and Moustakis (19 saves) each held the fort for their respective teams.

Viktor Svensson scored the winner for Dallas 2:03 into sudden death.

It took another close win on Sunday for Dallas to complete the sweep.  The Snipers scored twice in a span of 3:01 late in the second period to take a 3-1 lead, then held on for a 3-2 win.

Tugo notched the winning goal for Dallas and Brady Weiss made 24 saves on 26 shots to notch the win. 

Danil Timchenko had another good showing for the Evolution with 33 saves while Devin Coombe and Ethan Lone scored the Colorado goals.

Colorado Jr. Eagles @ Wichita Jr. Thunder

10.09.15 – Wichita 3, Jr. Eagles 2

10.10.15 – Jr. Eagles 4, Wichita 3

10.11.15 – Jr. Eagles 8, Wichita 5

The Colorado Junior Eagles took two of three from the Jr. Thunder in Wichita.  The two teams split a pair of one-goal games before Colorado opened things up in Sunday’s win.

The Wichita handed the Jr. Eagles their first loss of the season, 3-2, at Wichita Ice Center Friday night.

Colorado took a 1-0 lead on a second period goal by Matthew Jung.  Wichita tied it back up with a Joel Gellvear tally, and the game remained tied until late in the third period when Peter Cicmanec and Gellvear scored 56 seconds apart to give the Jr. Thunder a 3-1 lead.

Colorado scored with 2:44 left in the game, but was unable to get the equalizer past Erik Spath, who handled 41 of the 43 shots he faced in the game.

The Jr. Thunder were right in Saturday’s game as well, taking leads of 1-0 and 2-1, but Austin Fettery came through for the Jr. Eagles with a pair of goals 52 seconds apart in the second period to put Colorado ahead, 3-2.

Cicmanec tied things back up for Wichita late in the second, but Fetterly struck again just 40 seconds into the third period to complete his hat trick.  It also held up as the game-winning goal as Austin Piquette (32 saves) kept Wichita off the board from that point forward.

Spath was again sharp for Wichita, turning aside 51 of 55 shots to give the Jr. Thunder a chance to win.

The Jr. Eagles’ prolific offense, kept more or less in check for the first two games, busted loose on Sunday.  They scored four goals in the first period but trailed, 5-4, at the first intermission.  They scored four more in the second period for an 8-5 lead and then the goals stopped suddenly as the two teams played a scoreless third period.

Tanner Ulland and Adam Wammes each scored twice for Colorado and Riley Roberts picked up a goal and three assists.

Oklahoma City and El Paso had off weeks.