Brahmas Upended By Jackalopes 4 – 3
By Kirk Estes
The Lone Star Brahmas were in West Texas tonight to face the Odessa Jackalopes. A team that they had a 5 – 1 – 0 record against this season.
Odessa put the Brahmas on the power play in the first with on a high sticking call. Matt Lison took advantage at the 6:06 mark. Roman Uchyn controlled the puck below the goal line on the far side and used the end boards to move it to Sebastian Vidmar just behind the net on the near side for a touch pass through the goal crease to Lison on the doorstep and he pounded it home past Eric Hancock.
Unfortunately, Odessa came back with two goals from Razmuz Waxin-Engback. On the first which came just 26 second after the Lison goal, Chris Taff kept in a clearing attempt at the blue line and fired a shot on goal that was redirected by Waxin-Engback in front with what appeared to be a high stick at about eye level. Then at 13:11 with the Jackalopes on the power play, Andrew McLean moved the puck from the point to Jalen Smereck in the near circle. Smereck found Waxin-Engback alone in the high slot for a onetimer past Jett Salinas.
At 2:18 of the second Matt Beranek leveled Hogan Davidson, who was standing at the faceoff circle, with a cross check to the chest. The hit came a full 10 seconds after the whistle as the teams were going for a change. For some unfathomable reason Referee Stan Szczurek gave Beranek only a two minute roughing minor. Former Brahma, Leo Lumm scored an unassisted short handed goal on the ensuing penalty kill. He stole the puck in neutral ice and went into the zone on a two on one with Austin Thielges the only man back for the Brahmas. Thielges neither took the shooter nor the passing lane and Lumm put it top shelf glove side. Time of the goal was 3:31. At 7:15 Waxin-Engback picked up the hat trick when he corralled a bouncing puck at the near hash mark, slid across to the far circle and sent it short side on Salinas. Alex Alger and Ian Mansfield were credited with the assists.
The Brahmas made a run at the Jackalopes as Roman Uchyn scored at 13:39 on the power play off a Lison rebound in front. Uchyn’s second of the game came at 18:54 when Thielges sprung Vidmar down the far boards. Uchyn jumped up in the play and Vidmar found him splitting the defense. Uchyn walked in on Hancock, faked him out of his skates before putting it into the open net. In the second cheap shot from the Jackalopes in the period, Lumm cross checked Conner Enciso from behind well after the horn sounded to end the second.
Despite their best efforts the Brahmas were not able to get the game tying goal, even with a full two minute 5 on 3 power play late in the third.
Salinas made 33 saves in the loss while Hancock faced 34 shots with 31 saves for the win. The Brahmas were 2 – 8 on the power play while the Jackalopes were 1 – 4.
Elsewhere Around the NAHL South
After trading first period goals the Bulls got two in the third for the three one win. Amarillo goal came from Brady Ferguson, Patrick Pollock and Tyler Gernhofer. Colin Delia made 35 saves for the win.
The Road Runners jumped out to a lead on a goal by Yu Hikosaka just 42 seconds into the second, but trailed 2 – 1 going into the second intermission. Ryan Polin scored in the third to tie it up and Tyler Poulsen had a penalty shot in the overtime for the game winner. PJ Bridges faced only 21 shots in the win.
Current NAHL South Standings
| TEAM | GP |
W
L
OTL
PTS
PCT
xAmarillo
57
38
14
5
81
0.711
xTopeka
57
37
14
6
80
0.702
xRio Grande
56
33
16
7
73
0.652
xWichita Falls
56
30
22
4
64
0.571
Lone Star
58
21
33
4
46
0.397
Corpus Christi
56
17
29
10
44
0.393
Odessa
57
15
37
5
35
0.307