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Tomahawks Earn Playoff Berth in Win Over Rebels

By Tom Robinson, 02/08/19, 1:30PM MST

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In NA3HL, Junior Senators and Nordiques clinch division titles

The Johnstown Tomahawks became the first North American Hockey League team to clinch a Robertson Cup playoff berth this season when they defeated the second-place Jamestown Rebels 3-1 Saturday in an East Division game.               

Carson Briere, Roman Kraemer and Carter Dwyer all scored for Johnstown and Carter McPhail made 28 saves.               

The East Division leaders swept the two-game weekend series with McPhail making 29 saves in Friday’s 2-1 shootout win over the Rebels.

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The 20-year-old from Fenton, Michigan, leads the NAHL in save percentage at .937, is second in wins with 21 and is third in goals against average at 1.93.

DIVISION CHAMPIONS: The North American 3 Hockey League’s first two division titles were decided Friday and Saturday.               

The Binghamton Junior Senators clinched a Northeast Division repeat when Thomas Sullivan made 29 saves and Greg Simmons scored twice in Friday’s 5-0 win over the Oswego Stampede. 

The Lewiston/Auburn Nordiques wrapped up the Coastal Division Saturday with a 5-2 win over the Northeast Generals.

Valeri Rykov had two goals and two assists to support a 20-save effort by Andrew Ghimpeteanu.               

USHL HIGHLIGHTS: Blake Pietila stopped 47 of 48 shots in two wins to lift the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders into a tie for third place in the United States Hockey League Eastern Conference.               

Bobby Brink recorded an assist in his first game back from injury Friday night then added two goals and an assist Saturday to lead the Sioux City Musketeers to a 7-4 victory over the Madison Capitols.               

NEW STREAK: The Vermont Lumberjacks are 8-0 in the Eastern Hockey League since returning from their holiday break to begin the New Year.               

Vermont won three times last week with the help of two goals in each of the games by Conor Foley.              

The Lumberjacks have not given up a goal in the last 178 minutes, including 118 minutes by Kyle Konin. Konin received 58 minutes of scoreless relief Thursday, then got back in the net, recording a 24-save shutout on Saturday.               

Konin is 5-0 with a 0.83 GAA and .968 save percentage during the winning streak.

COLLEGE COMMITMENTS: Griffin Ness, a forward for the USHL’s Waterloo Black Hawks, announced his commitment to the University of Notre Dakota.               

Ness, a 19-year-old from Wayzata, Minnesota, has eight goals and 11 assists in 36 games. He also played for the 2018 U.S. Junior Select Team in the World Junior A Challenge where he had two goals and two assists in six games to help the U.S. claim first place.      

Brian Silver from the Omaha Lancers announced his commitment to play at Miami (Ohio) University.               

The 18-year-old from Lake Bluff, Illinois, has made the transition from defenseman to forward this season. He has five goals and five assists in 38 games.              

Caden Villegas, a forward with the NAHL’s Springfield Jr. Blues, has committed to play at Union College, beginning with the 2021-22 season.               

The 17-year-old from Plano, Texas, has four goals and five assists in 32 games with Springfield. He also had an assist during a six-game call-up by the USHL’s Central Illinois Flying Aces.               

ONE-TIMERS: Jared Christy made a strong debut with his new team, producing two goals and four assists to help the Austin Bruins to an NAHL home-and-home sweep of the Minnesota Magicians. … Maiszon Balboa of the NAHL’s Shreveport Mudbugs had allowed just four goals while winning his last three starts in goal. … The East Coast Wizards won twice to take over the EHL South Division lead. … The Helena Bighorns won twice to clinch a berth in the NA3HL’s Fraser Cup playoffs.

Story from Red Line Editorial, Inc.

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