Hockey: Wolverines edged by Colorado
LAS VEGAS — Colorado scored three times in the opening eight minutes, but was forced to hold off a determined Whitefish Wolverines squad in a 5-4 victory on Thursday afternoon in the Western States Shootout at the SoBe Ice Arena.
Colorado led 4-2 after the opening quarter before Whitefish trimmed its deficit in the second period, outscoring the Eagles 2-1.
Neither team scored in the final period.
Scoring goals for Whitefish were Chris Cutshall, Brett Fernandez (2) and Danny Roe.
Whitefish plays the Wichita Thunder at 8:15 a.m. today (Las Vegas Ice Center South) and the Cheyenne Stampede on Saturday (SoBe Ice Arena) at 8:30 a.m.
The Shootout, which ends Saturday, started Wednesday with Whitefish claiming a 4-3 victory over the Phoenix Knights.
Aleksei Garin scored a power-play goal for Whitefish in the second period, which turned out to be the game winner.
Garin also scored in the first period.
Whitefish converted on both power-play opportunities.
Western States Hockey League play resumes for Whitefish on Jan. 9 at the Missoula Maulers. The Wolverines are fourth in the seven-member Northwest Division with a record of 10-18-1. The Maulers (19-7-1) are in third place.
Thursday
Whitefish 2 2 0 — 4
Colorado 4 1 0 — 5
Period 1
Colorado — Brad Campbell (Levi Weber), 1:43
Colorado — Scott Smoot (Weber), 2:11
Colorado — Brad Pershing Trenton Hines), 7:46
Whitefish — Chris Cutshall (Aleksei Garin, Cruise Brown), 9:30
Whitefish — Brett Fernandez (Danny Roe, Kieffer Helbing), 10:05
Colorado — Nick Davidson (Campbell), 15:56
Period 2
Colorado — Weber (MacGregor Haddon, Smoot), 12:58
Whitefish — Fernandez (Kieffer Helbing, Cutshall), 15:54
Whitefish — Roe (power play, Evan Carter, Ian Wiens), 24:59
Shots on goal — Whitefish 17, Colorado 48; Goalie saves — Whitefish 43 (Brendan Schultz), Colorado 13 (Hunter Jackson); Power plays — Whitefish 1-1, Colorado 0-1; Penalty minutes — Whitefish 4, Colorado 4; Attendance: NA; Time: 1:30
Wednesday
Phoenix 2 1 0 — 3
Whitefish 2 2 0 — 4
Period 1
Whitefish — Danny Roe (Brett Fernandez), 14:33
Phoenix — Brennan Kosloski (Davis Dryden), 17:54
Whitefish — Aleksei Garin (unassisted), 19:24
Phoenix — Jordan Kaspick (William Wallin), 19:46
Period 2
Whitefish — Ian Wiens (power play, Roe, Riley Ingalls), 12:12
Phoenix — Robert Crisci (Kosloski), 12:41
Whitefish — Aleksei Garin (power play, Bryan Polmear, Tyler Latimer), 15:33
Shots on goal — Phoenix 26, Whitefish 31; Goalie saves — Phoenix 27 (Luke Stripp), Whitefish 23 (Joakim Hidestrand 8, Brendan Schultz 15); Power plays — Phoenix 0-1, Whitefish 2-2; Penalty minutes — Phoenix 6, Whitefish 4; Attendance: 500; Time: 1:51.