Wings Get 1 of 6 Points

Jan 31, 2016

The Aberdeen Wings began the week just a few points out of a playoff spot with 3 opportunities to move up in the NAHL Central Division rankings.  They began in Bismarck Wednesday night taking on the Bobcats.  The bobcats came out firing in the 1st period as they have done all season long, out shooting the Wings 10-3 in the 1st period.  Two of those shots found the back of the net giving the Bobcats a 2-0 lead after the 1st period.  After a scoreless 2nd period Aberdeen would get on the board late in the 3rd with an extra attacker goal scored by Matt Pulver.  Ryan Cook and Austin Heakins assisted on the Pulver goal.  It would prove to be too little to late however as the Bobcats would add an empty netter and get the 3-1 win.  Aberdeen ended up out shooting Bismarck 26-20.  Peter Thome saved 17 of the 19 shots he faced. 

Aberdeen had a quick turnaround as they welcomed Minot to the Odde Ice Center Friday and Saturday night.  This would only be the 2nd & 3rd home games for the Wings in the month of January.  On Friday it would be Aberdeen to jump out to the early lead with Jackson Graalum getting one past the newly acquired goaltender for Minot Rivers.  Assisting on the Graalum goal was Carter Roo and Rico Ratajczyk.  Later in the 1st the Wings would use some tic tac toe passing to freeze Rivers and Pulver was waiting to bury a goal, putting the Wings up 2-0 with just 3 minutes to go in the 1st.  Cole Thompson and Heakins assisted on the Pulver goal.  Aberdeen was looking to go into the locker room with a 2 goal lead until the 18 minute mark when Minot was able to sneak one past Thome.  Once again there would be no scoring in the 2nd.  Minot would tie the game early in the 3rd, but it would be Heakins scoring at the mid-way point in the period to give the Wings a 3-2 lead.  Kevin Fitzgerald and Pulver assisted on the Heakins goal.  That would be the way it would stay until Minot was able to tie the game with an extra attacker on the ice with under a minute left sending the game to overtime.  In the extra time both teams would trade chances back and forth but ultimately it would be Minot finding the backdoor goal to take the 2 points and the win.  Minot outshot the Wings 35-29.  Thome made 31 saves on 35 shots.

Saturday the Wings were looking for payback but Minot had other ideas.  After a scoreless 1st period Minot netted 2 goals in the 2nd and another early in the 3rd and left town with a 3-0 win.  Minot once again outshot the Wings 33-26, and Gavin Paczosa made 30 saves on 33 shots. 

After earning 1 point in the 3 games the Wings find themselves in 6th place in the Central Division but only 2 points out of 5th and 4 points out of the final playoff spot.  Aberdeen will need to figure out Minot as 3 of their next 4 games are against the Minotauros.  Aberdeen will travel to Minot this weekend for games this Friday and Saturday.