The xGranite City Lumberjacks scored four goals in the second period to pull away from the xTwin City Steel and clinch a 7-3 win.
xGranite City got the win on the strength of a great game by Taylor Brown, who had two goals and one assist. Brown scored the first of his two goals at 17:35 into the first period to make the score 1-1. David Kenney picked up the assist. Brown\’s next tally made the score 3-1 xGranite City with 19:38 left in the second period. Morgan Martelle provided the assist.
xTwin City was doomed by its poor performance on special teams, as the Lumberjacks were able to score four times while on the power play.
xGranite City made the Steel\’s goaltenders to work all game long, taking 34 shots and forcing 27 saves. Jackson Germaine made 20 stops and Jared Schletty made seven. The Lumberjacks struggled to stay out of the sin bin throughout the game as they finished the game with 26 penalty minutes for seven opposing power plays.
xGranite City also got points from Kenney, who also racked up two goals and one assist and Nick Haase, who also grabbed two goals and one assist to lead the team in points. Luke Richardson also scored for xGranite City. More assists for xGranite City came via Brady Bernhardson, Brett Love, and Drew Otto, who each chipped in one and Blake Phenow and David Horsmann, who contributed two a piece.
xTwin City was forced to rely heavily on their penalty kill unit throughout the game, as it racked up 32 penalty minutes.
The Steel were led by Jace Childs, who had two goals and one assist. Childs scored the first of his two goals at 15:51 into the second period to make the score 6-2 xGranite City. Isaac Hale assisted on the tally. Childs\’ next tally made the score 6-3 xGranite City with 2:40 left in the third period. xTwin City had gotten the advantage when xGranite City\’s Bernhardson was sent off for cross checking. Dylan Lincoln provided the assist. xTwin City also got a goal from Chase Myers-Beck as well. In addition, xTwin City received assists from Joonas Huovinen and Sam Basich, who each chipped in one.
Austin Wilson recorded 25 saves for the Lumberjacks.