The Aberdeen Wings wrapped up the 2014-2015 NAHL Showcase Tournament with a thrilling 3-2 shootout win over the Coulee Region Chill.
The Wings and Chill battled for the first 12 minutes for puck possession. Neither team was able to find the back of the net early on, but both teams had good scoring opportunities. At the 7:07 mark, Wings forward #18 Austin Swingle (F-Sartell, MN) would find teammate #13 Michael Soucier (F-Caledon, Ontario) blazing up the ice. Soucier would go back and forth on the touch pass with #19 Colin O’Neill (F-Odenton, MD) scoring his first career NAHL goal. Assists accredited to Swingle and O’Neill. The Wings would take a 1-0 lead into the locker room. Wings goaltender #35 Andrew Shortridge (G-Eagle River, AK) would stop all 9 shots on goal in the first period.
In the second period, the Coulee Region Chill would get on the board twice with goals from their veteran forwards Zehnal and Lovick. The 2-1 lead for the Chill would hold until the 9:48 mark in the third period when Wings forward #16 Kyle Haak (F-Okemos, MI) would find a loose puck and go five-hole on the Chill goaltender. The game tying goal for Haak was his 4th goal in 4 games for the Wings. Regulation would end 2-2, and after an intense overtime period, the two teams would meet in a shootout.
The Coulee Region Chill would go first.
Chill – Ondrej Zehnal – NO SCORE
Wings – Kyle Haak – SCORE (Beautiful move wrapping it around the goaltender in a butterfly)
Chill – Adam Lovick – SCORE
Wings – Bjorn Sigurdarson – NO SCORE
Chill – Blake Kelley – NO SCORE
Wings – Ronnie Hein – NO SCORE
Chill – Dominik Florian – NO SCORE
Wings – Michael Soucier – SCORE
Chill – Richard Zehnal – SCORE
Wings – Tanner Okeson – SCORE (Game winning shootout goal)
ABERDEEN WINGS Stars of the Game
3rd Star – #35 Andrew Shortridge (G-Eagle River, AK)
2nd Star – #15 Brendan Riordan (D-Downers Grove, IL)
1st Star – #13 Michael Soucier (F-Caledon, Ontario)
BUTLER CAT WINGS HIT OF THE GAME
#29 Matt Sherman (D-White Lake, MI)
The Aberdeen Wings return home to the Odde Ice Center this coming Friday, September 26th for their home opener against rival Bismarck Bobcats. General admission tickets are available at the door for $10, for $12 reserved seating email asmith@aberdeenwings.com. Come early, enjoy beer specials at the rink and watch your 2014-2015 Aberdeen Wings warm-up. Also check out the new merchandise inside the Wings Pro Shop. Doors open at 5:30pm.