ALBUQUERQUE, NM – The Wichita Falls Warriors (30-19-1-6) would close out the regular season and the three game weekend series with the New Mexico Ice Wolves (21-30-3-2) on Saturday night, looking for back to back wins.
In the first period it was one of the wildest periods of the three game set between these two
teams. The Ice Wolves came out firing on all cylinders as they grabbed three first period goals.
The first goal was scored by Joey Larson (18) as he put the Ice Wolves up 1-0. Just less than
three minutes later it would be Larson (19) again as he would have the Ice Wolves up and
running on a 2-0 lead. Four minutes later it would be the Ice Wolves again as Nikolai Dulak (12)
on the power play as it would put the Ice Wolves up 3-0. With less than two minutes left in the
first period, in his 200th career NAHL game Captain Jackson Wozniak (7) of the Warriors gave
the Warriors their first goal to make it 3-1 after the first 20 minutes of play.
In the second period, there would be no penalties taken by either team. There would be three
more goals in the second period. About half way through the period it would be Dillian Bentley
(10) as he would give the Ice Wolves a 4-1 lead. Just two minutes later it would be Alex Walker
(4) of the Warriors to give them their second goal of the game as it was now a 4-2 Ice Wolves
lead. A second goal would be scored by New Mexico in the middle period as it came off the tape
of the stick of Spencer Rudrud (18) his second goal in two games to give the Ice Wolves a 5-2
lead after 40 minutes.
In the final period of the regular season, Nick Lanigan (11) would lessen the gap and get the
Warriors third goal of the game to make it 5-3. There would not be much more action in the final
period as it was fairly quiet until the final two minutes where Cole Hanson (21) would secure the
win for the Ice Wolves on an empty net goal and make it 6-3 which would be the final score of
the last regular season game for these two teams.
Beni Halaz (12-8-1-1) would get the win for the Ice Wolves as he would get 28 saves on 31
shots. Owen Bartoszkiewicz would get the loss for the Warriors as he would get 40 saves on 46
shots.
For the New Mexico Ice Wolves their season would end. For the Wichita Falls Warriors, in their
first season they have secured a playoff spot and will be taking on the Lone Star Brahmas in the
first round of the Robertson Cup Playoffs.
