Corpus Christi 3 @ Odessa 4 – In the first game following a lengthy, eight-game road trip, the Odessa Jackalopes’ homecoming proved memorable Friday, as the Jacks gutted out a 4-3 win over the Corpus Christi IceRays at Ector County Coliseum. With the victory, the Jacks’ first since December 15th, Odessa snapped a ten-game losing streak. Taylor Portner got the Jackalopes out to a lightning-quick start, wiring home his fourth goal of the season on a one-time chance just 35 seconds into the game, courtesy of Lawrence Cornellier and Anthony Olguin. Portner’s goal, the lone tally of the first period, gave way to Olguin’s tenth score of the season at 8:15 of the second, a laser-like wrister from the high slot, assisted by Cornellier and Portner, that doubled the Odessa lead. After Brandon Smith responded for Corpus at 12:31 of the second to draw the IceRays within a goal, the third period turned into the Lawrence Cornellier show, as the newly-minted Odessa captain and leading scorer netted back-to-back tallies, his third and fourth points of the night, at 7:06 and 9:55 to push the Odessa lead to its largest point at 4-1. To their credit, Corpus Christi battled back and made things interesting with Beau Walker scoring twice in the final ten minutes of the game, but Jackalopes netminder Nick Deery fought through a late IceRays barrage to preserve a one-goal victory by a 4-3 final. Boxscore
Friday Finals: Cornellier’s big night leads Odessa to win
Port Huron 3 @ Michigan 2 (OT) – The Fighting Falcons scored in the final moments of regulation and then got the overtime winner with just :18 seconds remaining in the game in a come-from-behind 3-2 win over Michigan. Shawn Badali gave the Warriors a 1-0 lead, which was answered by a goal from Port Huron’s Rick DeRosa. Heinz Koster scored his first goal in a Warriors uniform to make it 2-1. Matthew Uvodich tied the game at 2-2 late in the 3rd period and Payden Mielke scored the OT winner. Boxscore
Johnstown 2 @ Soo 5 – The Eagles stayed in a tie for 1st place in the North with a 5-2 win at home over Johnstown. Chris Waterstreet scored the first and last goals for the Eagles and Jared Van Wormer also scored twice for the Eagles. Johnstown led 2-1 late in the 2nd period, thanks to goals from Mitch Kontny and Cody Gylling. However, Soo scored the final four goals of the game. Alexander Taulien added the other goal for the Eagles, who also got 38 saves from Tyler Marble in the win. Boxscore
Kalamazoo 4 @ Janesville 2 – The Jr. K-Wings stayed within a point of 1st place in the North Division doubling up the Jets on Friday night, 4-2. After Donovan Gardiner gave the Jets a 1-0 lead, Kody Polin and Luc Boby scored to give Kalamazoo a lead they would never lose again. Taylor Burden made it 3-1, before Jordan Himley scored to make it 3-2. Lucas Kohls finished off the scoring. Robbie Payne added two assists in the Kalamazoo win. Boxscore
Fairbanks 7 @ Fresno 3 – Garret Clemment had a hat-trick to pace the Ice Dogs to a 7-3 road win in Fresno on Friday night. Fairbanks used a three-goal 2nd period to break open a 2-2 game. Brett Gervais and Devin Loe each had two goals for the Ice Dogs. Dan Sherer, Matt Salituro and Troy Grahl scored for Fresno in the losing effort. Fairbanks doubled up Fresno in the shot category 40-20 and chased starting goalie Tomas Sholl from the net after the 7th goal. Boxscore
Austin 5 @ Minot 0 – Rookie Jason Pawloski made 33 saves for his first NAHL shutout as the Bruins cruised to a 5-0 shutout win of the Minotauros in Minot on Friday. Austin jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the 1st period with goals from Easton Vitala and Riley Colvard. John Simonson scored the next two goals for the Bruins, one early in the 2nd period and the other early in the 3rd period. Cody Dixon added a late power play goal for Austin’s 5th goal of the game. Boxscore
Bismarck 3 @ Aberdeen 2 – The Bobcats jumped out to a 3-0 lead and survived a late surge by the Wings to hold on to win, 3-2 on Friday night in Aberdeen. Travis Underwood scored his first goal in a Bobcats uniform to give Bismarck an early 1-0 lead. Cory Chapman and Patrick Moore scored in the 2nd period to make it 3-0 for the Bobcats. Justin Parizek and Emil Blomqvist scored in the 3rd period for the Wings, but Bryan Nies shut the door the rest of the way making 39 saves in the win. Boxscore
Texas 3 @ Wichita Falls 2 – The Tornado won their 9th straight game, matching an NAHL season-high and in the process moved into 1st place in the South with a 3-2 win in Wichita Falls on Friday. Two 3rd period power play goals from defenseman Nick Neville were the difference in the game. Neville also assisted on the first Tornado goal from Jackson Leef, which answered a goal from the Wildcats Charles Hemstrom. Chris Knudson added the other Wildcats goal. Hunter Leisner made 29 saves for his league-leading 27th win of the year. Boxscore
Kenai River 1 @ Wenatchee 2 (SO) – In a battle of goaltenders, it was the Wild’s Robert Nichols who came out on top of the Brown Bears Marcus Zelzer as Nichols made 32 saves and stopped all four shooters in the shootout to secure the 2-1 win. The lone Wenatchee goal in regulation came early in the 1st period off the stick of Chris Kerr. Kenai River tied the game with just :03 seconds remaining as Zac Lazzaro scored with the extra attacker. Zelzer made 29 saves in the loss. Boxscore
Amarillo 0 @ Topeka 1 – In a rare South Division defensive struggle, the RoadRunners got a shorthanded goal from Sean Gaffney early in the 2nd period to defeat the Amarillo Bulls,1-0 on Friday night in Topeka. Spencer Viele made 22 saves for his second shutout of the season. It was the first time all year the Bulls have been shutout. Paul Berrafato made 16 saves in the loss for the Bulls. Brandon Brossoit picked up the lone assist on Gaffney’s marker as Topeka won their third straight. Boxscore
Jamestown 4 @ Springfield 1 – In front of a big crowd in Springfield, the Ironmen spoiled the party with a 4-1 win, as they stayed in a tie for 1st place in the North Division. Ryan Doucet scored twice for the Ironmen, which included the first and last goals of the game. Jack Sloan answered Doucet’s goal to tie the score at 1-1 in the 1st period. Huba Sekesi scored the eventual game-winner in the 2nd period and Joe Mottiqua added a 3rd period goal along with Doucet’s second goal for insurance. Boxscore
Brookings 3 @ Coulee Region 1 – Eric Brenk scored twice and goaltender Drew Weigman made 29 saves as the Blizzard topped the Chill 3-1 on Friday night in Coulee Region. Evan Hesse gave Brookings a 1-0 lead in the 1st period and Brenk scored his first of two to make it 2-0 at the 1st intermission. Kevin Becker scored the lone Chill goal in the 2nd period to make it 2-1, but a late goal in the 3rd period from Brenk ultimately gave the Blizzard the 3-1 margin of victory. Boxscore
