Wolves Edge Out Ice Breakers
By Jay Harris
Watertown, NY - The Watertown Wolves returned to Watertown Municipal Arena Friday night to conclude a three-game series with the Mentor Ice Breakers. The Wolves split the first two games of the series down in Ohio. After a devastating 7-0 loss to the Ice Breakers in the first game, the Wolves rallied in the third period of the second game with four unanswered goals to take a 8-5 win.
The first period saw Chase Tippin try to have a go with Mentor's residential enforcer Ivan Vilcauskas, but it resulted in a 5-for-fighting penalty on his own. The penalty kill worked to the Wolves benefit, as Tyler Gjurich put the Wolves on the board with a short-handed goal. He extended the lead six minutes later and the Wolves held the 2-0 lead for the remainder of the first period. Mentor switched out netminder Matthew Camilleri for Derek Moser after Watertown scored their second goal.
Watertown started the second period a man down from Sam William's boarding penalty towards the end of the first. Justin Portillo made it a 3-0 game for Watertown with the team's second short-handed goal of the night. George Holt's slashing penalty was shortly followed by a 2-minute minor and game misconduct being issued to Watertown's Head Coach Trevor Karasiewicz. The coach's penalties resulted in his ejection from the game. Mentor seized the opportunity of the 5-on-3 advantage to get their first goal of the game off the stick of Thomas Devesvre. Gjurich's hat trick goal was a beauty over Moser's right shoulder, making it a 4-1 game. Mentor came back with three unanswered goals from Declan Conway, Ryan Alves, and Gordy Bonnel, leaving the teams tied at 4 at the end of the second period.
The Wolves took the lead back with Gjurich's fourth goal in the game, but Mentor's Pinkowski tied the game back up two minutes later. Anton Lennartsson came away with the game-winning goal for the Wolves with just sixteen seconds left in the period.
Tyler Gjurich's four goals earned him the 1st Star of the Game. Anton Lennartsson's game-winning goal got him the 2nd Star of the Game. The 3rd Star of the Game went to Gavin Yates for earning 3 points in the game with his assists on Gjurich's goals.
The Wolves are back in action at the Watertown Municipal Arena on Saturday, December 8th in their first match up of the season with the Carolina Thunderbirds. The game starts at 7:30 PM.
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