Yesterday the Jacks kicked off their 3-in-3 series against the Lone Star Brahmas. Odessa entered the game on a two-game win streak after sweeping Amarillo last weekend. The Brahmas came in riding a four-game win streak with their two recent wins coming against Oklahoma. Putting them in first place in the South.
The Brahmas were all over the Jacks in the opening period. They received an early powerplay and would capitalize on it after Bauer Swift (4) scored the backdoor goal. However, the Jackalopes were not backing down and were able to tie the game after Marc Fletemeyer (1) dove at the puck and whacked it past William Gramme. Marking his first as a Jackalope. Collin Kleiser (2) would break the tie game at the 12:16 mark. He put Lone Star back in front after sending a wrist shot through traffic and past Greg Orosz. A few minutes later the Jacks found themselves on the man advantage for the first time and would squander the opportunity. Jackson Hay took a shot from the point that was deflected by Ryan Kelly (4) to tie the game once again, 2-2. After letting in two goals on six shots Gramme was replaced by Arthur Smith. Odessa was now going up against the leading goaltender in the NAHL. That would not faze them though as Dayne Hoyord and Emerson Goode went on a 2-on-1 breakout. Hoyord sent a spectacular tape-to-tape pass to Goode and he was able to deposit it into the back of the net. Giving the Jacks their first lead of the game, 3-2. It was the only shot Smith saw for the 4:18 he was on the ice in the first period. Odessa took the 3-2 lead into the first intermission but was being outshot 21-7. It was the most shots the Brahmas have had in a period this season.
Lone Star started the second period with Gramme back between the pipes. Neither team managed to record double digits shots in the middle frame. Although Lone Star would tie the game with just over two minutes remaining. Dhillon Wilde (8) scored the tying goal after beating Orosz on the short side. After 40 minutes the score was tied 3-3 and Lone Star was leading in shots, 28-16.
The final period saw lots of shots from both teams but also outstanding goaltending. As neither goalie was backing down. The stalemate contest went all the way to the final horn of regulation resulting in overtime hockey. Through 60 minutes of play, Lone Star was up 43-27 in shots. The chess match carried over into the 3-on-3 overtime period as there was a lot of back-and-forth hockey. Odessa had three shots and Lone Star had two. Putting the Brahmas at 45 shots which is the most in a game for them this season. For the second-straight meeting, 65 minutes would not be enough to decide a winner between these two South Division foes.
Neither team scored in the first four attempts. Then both were able to find the back of the net in the fifth round. The Brahmas missed their sixth shootout attempt allowing the Jacks to win it if Ryan Kelly converts on it. The right-handed forward cut in from the right circle and snapped the puck past the blocker of Gramme. Giving the Jacks a 4-3 win and their second straight over the Brahmas. It is the first time since Dec. 17-18, 2020, that the Jacks won two-straight games against Lone Star. Odessa finished the game with 31 shots and Lone Star had 45. The Jacks went 1/2 on the powerplay and the Brahmas went 1/3.
Ryan Kelly had this to say about scoring the game-winning goal, “Greg and Manny [Mansfield] really kept us in that but the ice wasn’t great, and I was just looking to put the puck on the net and see what happens.” Head Coach Scott Deur stated this following his team’s shootout win, “We’ll celebrate this win tonight, and tomorrow morning we will watch some video and give the guys the information they need to know on Corpus Christi.” Deur went on to add, “Greg has been great for us all season and he is the reason why we have a chance to win every night. As a coach that is all you can ask for.” The Jacks now will finish out their final two games of their 3-in-3 series against the Corpus Christi IceRays. It will also be the first meeting this season between one another. Both games are scheduled for 7:15 p.m. CDT.
Photo by: Danne Braden
