Lone Star Brahmas Cruise Past Odessa Jackalopes

The last time the Lone Star Brahmas suffered a weekend sweep, they came back the following weekend with a sweep of their own. They entered this weekend looking to do the same against the Odessa Jackalopes.

On Friday night they opened a series at the Ector County Coliseum coming off the Christmas break. The Brahmas got off to a good start after killing an early tripping call against AJ Vanderbeck. Lone Star hit the scoreboard at 9:04 on a redirect in front. The play started with Pat Egan sending the puck from the far halfwall to Hayden Hanson at the point. Hanson let a shot go that was tipped by Cody Wickline just as Alex Alger crosschecked him into and over Jackalopes’ netminder Tanner Creel. The clock had only ticked off 14 seconds before Lone Star found the back of the net again. Ludvig Larsson dug the puck out from between two Odessa defenders on the near boards and sent it to Sebastian Vidmar low on the right side. Vidmar gave it right back to Larsson as he cut toward the net. Larsson’s shot went off of Creel for Vanderbeck stationed just outside the crease and he cashed in on the rebound.

Kenny Hausinger scored for Odessa in the second from the seat of his pants on a breakaway. Johan Steen was all over Hausinger as he made his way toward the goal and put it past the glove hand of TJ Black who looked to be surprised that Hausinger even got the shot away. Time of the goal was 14:35. Chad Guderian had an opportunity to pull the Jackalopes even with just over four minutes to go. Hanson tried to make a pass back behind the net that took an odd bounce and Guderian pounced on it. He pulled it out from behind the net and tried to wrap it around the right post, but Black had the right pad down to make the save. Guderian took two more shots as he continued across the goal mouth with Black making a glove save on the left post to protect the one goal lead.

The Brahmas continued their third period dominance with Vidmar scoring his league leading 19^th of the season at 1:50. Vanderbeck sent a wrister on net that Creel got a glove on. As Creel tried to cover the puck, Vidmar poked it lose and tucked it inside the right post. At 7:39, Roman Uchyn took a pass from Vidmar down the left wing side around Lane Valimont then went backhand to forehand and put it past the left skate. Wickline got the Brahmas going again when he corralled a rebound just to Creels’ right and bumped it to Liam Stirtzinger curling out from behind the net. Stirtzinger slid it to Egan who had dropped anchor in the high slot and he put it top shelf chasing Creel from the net. Time of the goal was 9:43. Following a charging call on Leo Lumm, the Brahmas’ power play went to work. Egan carried the puck down the middle and toe dragged around Valimont then hit Stirtzinger on the back door at 12:08 to welcome Robin Johansson to the game.

The Jackalopes tallied again when Lumm was left all alone at 15:50 of the period as a puck battle ensued along the near boards. Razmuz Waxin-Engback and Alger worked the puck loose and sent it to Lumm in front. Black went for the poke check just as Lumm pulled the trigger and the puck rode up the shaft of Black’s stick and over his shoulder to make it 6 – 2.

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Lone Star out shot Odessa 26 – 21 in the game and were 1 – 5 on the power play while holding the Jackalopes scoreless on three opportunities. The Brahmas continued to do the dirty work in keeping pucks away from the net coming up with double digits in blocked shots. The same two teams will face each other again on Saturday night at 7:05.

Elsewhere Around The NAHL South

There were no other games scheduled on Friday night.

Current NAHL South Standings