FOREST LAKE, MN (AberdeenWings.com) – The Aberdeen Wings traveled to Forest Lake, MN to take on the Minnesota Mallards in the Forest Lake Sports Center for the final full away trip of the regular season. During their away trip, they were able to sweep the Mallards, and take all four points on the weekend.
Friday, March 21st (Forest Lake Sports Center: Forest Lake, MN) The Wings would start with full control of the game keeping the puck in their offensive zone. Shortly into the first period, they would get a Power Play opportunity, but would come up short. Shortly after however, it would be Briggs Orr in his 100th North American Hockey League game that would score and get the Wings on the board first. Assists for this goal would come from Keaton Weis and Grant Winkler. Although the Wings would outshoot the Mallards 18-6 in the first period, this would be the only goal of the first period. Aberdeen would have a 1-0 lead heading into the second period.
To start the second period, the Mallards would come out to respond to the Aberdeen goal in the first. Marek Thompson would score at the 4:35 mark. Aberdeen would continue to fight back, but at the 8:11 mark, Eli Bailey would score for the Mallards to take the lead in the game. The Wings would not back down as they would continue to put pressure on the Mallards. Finally, at the 15:18 mark, Charlie Burchfield would score – and this would even the playing field. Assists for this goal would come from Gustas Zemaitis and Matthew Martin-Gaudreault. Before the period could end, the Mallards would go on the Penalty Kill, and Cade Moxham would score a Power Play goal with just 23 seconds remaining, assists came from Ryder Many Grey Horses and Jibber Kuhl. The Wings would have a 3-2 lead heading into the final period of the night.
Aberdeen would again come out of the locker room with full control in the third period, and although there were a few turnovers, there would be no additional scoring for the Mallards in the third period. The Mallards again would go on the Penalty Kill part-way through the third, and it would be Jibber Kuhl this time that would score the Power Play goal for the Wings. Assists for this goal would come from Cade Moxham and Grant Winkler. As time was winding down on the clock, Minnesota would pull their goaltender, but Gustas Zemaitis would be able to bury one into the empty net with assistance from Cooper Anderson and Matthew Martin-Gaudreault. The Wings would win night one in Forest Lake with a score of 5-2.
Willum Braun would be in net for the Wings, stopping 19 of 21 shots.
Saturday, March 22nd (Forest Lake Sports Center: Forest Lake, MN) Saturday’s game would start out a bit different than Friday’s but would still have the same winning outcome.
It would be the Mallards who would get on the board first when Jordan Brothers would find the back of the net at the 2:42 mark. After a bit of back-and-forth action, Sebastian Lillsund would score, with an assist coming from Briggs Orr. Just a minute later, Cade Moxham would score his 19th goal of the season for the Wings with an assist coming from Owen Pitters. But, with just 3 minutes left in the period, Deke Davidson for the Mallards would score, tying the game. With Just under a minute left in the period, the Mallards would take an untimely penalty, setting the Wings up on the Power Play. And, with 40 seconds left in the period, Luke Back would score with assists coming from Cade Moxham and Jibber Kuhl. The Wings would have a 3-2 lead going into the second period.
In the second period, the Wings would again outshoot the Mallards, and it would be Jibber Kuhl who would fire first. The assist for this goal would come from Sebastian Lillsund. Then, at the 16:26 mark, Grant Winkler would get his 6th goal of the season for the Wings, with assists coming from Leonid Bulgakov and Bryce Johnson. With just a couple minutes left in the period, Jordan Brothers would score, lessening the lead between the teams. The Wings would still have a 5-3 lead heading into the final period of the weekend.
Although the Wings would start out the period on the Penalty Kill, they would be able to hold the Mallards to only three shots on goal for the entire period. Party-way through the period, the Wings would get a chance at the man advantage, and at the 12:01 mark Owen Pitters would score with assists coming from Gavin Reed and Bryce Johnson. As time would expire, Sebastian Lillsund would get his second goal of the night for the Wings, with an assist coming from Ryder Many Grey Horses. And to end the period, Arhip Sidarovich would score for the Mallards, but the Wings would still be taking home a weekend sweep as they would win Saturday night with a score of 7-4.
Willum Braun was in net again Saturday night for the Wings, stopping 12 of 16 shots.
The Wings now look ahead to taking on the Watertown Shamrocks this upcoming weekend. They will be playing in the Odde Ice Center this Friday, March 28th for the Small Dog Races! For more information, or to sign up, email Aaron Smith at asmith@aberdeenwings.com! For tickets, you can purchase them at all C-Express locations, or at tickets.aberdeenwings.com
The guys will then head to Watertown on Saturday March 29th to play in the Prairie Lakes Ice Arena.
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