North Richland Hills, TX – The Jackalopes entered Saturday night looking for their first two-win weekend since mid-October against the Corpus Christi IceRays. This would be the Jackalopes final time facing the Lone Star Brahmas on the season.
The first period began a little slow for both squads, but after the 8-minute mark, it went the was of Lone Star. Pete Kessel fired a shot off the faceoff that hit the left post and popped back out. The Jackalopes were called for a hooking call that sent Odessa to the penalty kill before they called the Jacks for a high sticking during their time shorthanded.
For the second straight night, the Jackalopes played time on the two man disadvantage. After giving up Drake Glover’s hat-trick goal on the 5-on-3 power play on Friday night, the Jackalopes were able to kill it off on Saturday, returning to full strength. During the power play, the Brahmas were able to hit all three posts, with all of them bouncing out and holding the game at scoreless throughout the first period.
The second period began as Hunter Stanley found the puck laying in front of Hogue and flipped it past the goaltender’s blocker side for the goal. Brahmas were leading 1-0 when Carson Kelley was looking for a hip check on Connor Wood. Wood chipped the puck in and turned to defend himself as Kelley already began to slip and hit the ice. Wood’s protection ended up knocking Kelley up high, resulting in a minor penalty, major penalty, and a game misconduct.
The call left the Jackalopes shorthanded for 7 minutes as the Brahmas went ahead and scored two goals. Hogue made a great save on a shot from Trevor Zenas before Hogue kicked the net off. Unfortunately, O’Rourke put the puck in after there was no stop in play, resulting in the 2-0 lead. Because of the major, the Brahmas would stay on the power play when David Marabella slid one past Hogue for the 3-goal lead only 25 seconds later.
With just under 5 minutes remaining in the 2nd period, Austin Kamer came around the back of the net hard and charged Jonny Hogue with a blindside hit, taking the goaltender to the ice. The two were separated, but the fire that Hogue played with came out as he come some retaliatory jabs at Kamer before the separation. Kamer ended up getting a major penalty as well as the game misconduct.
The Jackalopes used that fire to turn momentum for them as they headed tot he power play for extended time. Cooper Zech fired one on net for the Max Prawdzik save, before Stenlund picked up the rebound and buried it for the first Odessa goal.
With 2 seconds remaining, Ludwig Stenlund and Bastien Maia got tied up with a couple of Brahmas, resulting in off-setting penalties for 12 total minutes a piece. Instead of letting the clock wind down, the Brahmas’ Trevor Zenas throws a cross check to Chase Thudium, resulting in the two getting into a tussle. Frank Trazerra joined the brawl and chopped Thudium at the knees, resulting in a two-minute minor for roughing. Rune Kirby and Jordan Wishman got tangled up as well as some punches were thrown, but not long enough to result in penalties.
The biggest scrum to come of the matter was Nick Wilson pummeling Alex Stoley as the two dropped their gloves. Wilson threw more jabs with the left before body-slamming Stoley to the ice. The two had off-setting fighting calls, but Wilson received a game misconduct for instigation. The third total misconduct in the game through two.
The third period wouldn’t be any different. 7:26 into the third, Peyton Frantti and Frank Trazzera dropped the gloves and went at it. It resulting in a major and misconduct a piece to off-set. The game could not end however without a Cooper Zech and John Zimmerman for the second straight season. Cooper came out of the penalty box and bee-lined for Zimmerman as the two were ready to tussle before Julian Biondo jumped Cooper from behind and started knocking him with some blind-side hits. Cooper would receive a game misconduct for fighting with under five minutes remaining, and Bindo would receive one for an obscene gesture.
The game ended 10 seconds early, with 285 total penalty minutes, 5 game misconducts, and left the Jackalopes on the penalty kill 11 times, resulting in almost 30 total minutes.
This was the last time these teams would see each other this season as the Jackalopes will host the Corpus Christi IceRays next weekend at the Ector County Coliseum.
