Zoo Town Boys are Playoff Bound

You read the title right ladies and gentlemen, the Missoula Maulers in their inaugural year in the WSHL, are headed to the Thorne Cup playoffs. After beating the Southern Oregon Spartans 4-3 yesterday, the Zoo Town boys have clinched the last and final Northwest division playoff spot and are headed to the post season. I am very proud of all the players because they have finally gathered everything together to make a successful team and everything fell into place. I said at the beginning of the season that these boys were fighters and now this just proves it. After coming from behind and  proving all the negative allegations wrong, the Missoula Maulers are now contenders to win the Thorne Cup, which goes to the champion of the WSHL each season. I have congratulated a lot of the boys already and the excitement is overflowing but there is still work to do. In the first round, the Maulers will go up against the Idaho Jr Steelheads. The Steelheads are notorious for playing hard, playing big, and playing dirty especially in the post season and won't go down without a gritty fight. The Jr Steelheads are a team with a huge drive and ambition to win and I feel that the Maulers can match it if they put every talent they have together and work as a solid unit just as they have in the past couple of games. One other point I have to say is that the goaltenders have definitely stepped up their game. They are faster to react to puck movement, they are stronger and can last longer, and they are even getting more aggressive. All 3 are making sure they have a clear view of the ice and aren't afraid to push some players out of their crease. I am very thrilled to be reporting to you all on how the playoffs go and the events that follow your very own Missoula Maulers!

Sniper and veteran Joey Sundgren started the scoring game off with a power play geno past Spartan goaltender Jiri Ponikelsky at 19:26 in the first. He had an assist from points leader Corey Schafer and Joey Porco.

Erich Jaeger put up Missoula's 2nd point of the night at 6:39 with an assist for Nikita Sheptytskyy and Jordan Wheatly. Birthday boy Austin Azzinarro scored the third goal on a power play at 9:37 with help from Jordan Wheatly and Erich Jaeger. Austin Sartorius put up the first point for the Spartans at 19:20 in the second with help from his Oregon team mates Tyler Lazarek and Tyler Spencer. This was the first of 3 burst goals.

Nick Beaune and Cy Jenson of the Spartans both scored unassisted goals to start of the third period. The first at 8:47 and the second at 16:46. In a typical Chamberlain fashion, Matt Chamberlain saved the day by scoring the game winning goal at 17:38 and preventing the game from going into overtime. The final assists were given to Tanner Todd and Max Rebholz.

Due to a blizzard warning, almost everything is closed in Missoula, but on February 28th and March 1st, the Missoula Maulers will be taking on the Southern Oregon Spartans at 7:30 pm both nights at the Glacier Ice Rink. Make sure you see the boys wind down their season before they go into one hectic post season!

Statistics:

PENALTIES:

Period 1:

Southern Oregon Spartans - Arturs Buss (Interference) 2 Minutes, 6:40

Missoula Maulers - Corey Schafer (Unsportsmanlike Conduct) 2 Minutes, 7:15

Southern Oregon Spartans - Justus Saldeen (Unsportsmanlike Conduct) 2 Minutes, 7:15

Missoula Maulers - John Andersson (Unsportsmanlike Conduct) 2 Minutes, 10:55

Southern Oregon Spartans - Trevor Hillman (Tripping) 2 Minutes, 17:50

Period 2:

Missoula Maulers - Derek Griffin (Interference) 2 Minutes, 3:56

Southern Oregon Spartans - Cy Jenson (Tripping) 2 Minutes, 8:31

Southern Oregon Spartans - Zachary Lovelace (Holding) 2 Minutes, 9:23

Period 3:

Missoula Maulers - Anders Nord (Hooking) 2 Minutes, 4:14

Missoula Maulers - Tanner Todd (Fighting) (Major) 5 Minutes, 10:23

Southern Oregon Spartans - Trevor Hillman (Elbowing) 2 Minutes, 19:49

Southern Oregon Spartans - Trevor Hillman (Unsportsmanlike Conduct) (Misconduct) 10 Minutes, 19:49

SHOTS ON GOAL:

Missoula Maulers - 33 total

Southern Oregon Spartans - 28 total

POWER PLAYS:

Missoula Maulers - 2 for 5

Southern Oregon Spartans - 0 for 3

GOALTENDERS:

#31 Cody Janzen for Missoula Maulers: 60 Minutes played, 28 shots on goal 25 saves

#39 Jiri Ponikelsky for Southern Oregon Spartans: 60 Minutes played, 33 shots on goal 29 saves

Missed Games

These are the games I missed over the break. I apologize for the hiatus, things just weren't running smoothly but now fortunately they are!

FEBRUARY 10TH:

Missoula Maulers vs. Boulder Bison: 7-1

Goals: Charles Joy, Matt Chamberlain, Max Rebholz, Joey Sungdren, 

Nikita Sheptytskyy, Jordan Wheatly, Erich Jaeger, John Andersson

Goalkeepers: Cody Janzen and Brandon Yinger

FEBRUARY 13TH:

Missoula Maulers vs. Salt Lake City Moose: 5-4

Goals: Joey Sundgren, Dan Veselovsky, Erik Hartzell, Matt Chamberlain,

Austin Azzinnaro, Pat Dwyer, Jurijs Moiseicenko, Martin Tolkner, Nikita Sheptytskyy

Goalkeepers: Cody Janzen and Ryan Gasparovic

FEBRUARY 14TH:

Missoula Maulers vs. Salt Lake City Moose: 1-3

Goals: Martin Tolkner, Brett Meyer, Tyler Keturi, Joey Porco

Goalkeepers: Cody Janzen and Brad Robertson

FEBRUARY 15TH:

Missoula Maulers vs. Salt Lake City Moose: 1-5

Goals: Tyler Keturi, Erik Hartzell, Cole Corson, Brett Meyer, Adam Kresl, Pat Dwyer, Cody Rogala

Goalkeepers: Michael Mcdaniel and Brad Robertson

FEBRUARY 21ST:

Missoula Maulers vs. Idaho Jr. Steelheads: 2-4

Goals: Jesper Jensen, Jordan Wheatly, Drew Decker, Bryan Hodges, Jordan Wheatly, Bryan Hodges

Goalkeppers: Sebastian Gronborg and Sean Healy 

Pictures from Skate with the Maulers and the Team Photos! Enjoy!

Maulers take on Steelheads, 4-2 Final

Hello Maulers Nation, Sophia Rauvola (Etier) reporting back to you all once more! Sorry that there has been quite the hiatus between game blogs, there was a little bit of a rough patch there for a while but I believe we are past that! For the last two days, your boys have been in McCall, Idaho taking on the Jr. Steelheads in the hopes of claiming the very last playoff spot in the Northwest Division. So now it is a battle against time to see who will claim the last ticket into the post season. A triple header is coming up February 27th-March 1st against Southern Oregon and familiar faces, the Henry Brothers, and their boys are bringing an intense tornado/blizzard/hurricane style game to see if they can clinch the spot before it's gone. Things have gotten extremely serious and the boys better buckle down for an emotional and wild ride. Our boys have shown that they have the passion, the grit, the aggression, and the talent to pull it all the way into the playoffs, but it is now time to see if they can put all those things together and make dreams a reality. I am very much rooting for them to get in because I know how bad they all want this. I really hope they can pull this off and we can see them shine all throughout the post season.

Macky Power started the scoring off for the Idaho Jr. Steelheads at exactly 0:00. He had help from Jesper Jensen and Zach Walden on this incredible goal. Austin Azzinnaro tied things up for the hometown boys at 3:54 with apples for Josh Chamberlain and Anders Nord. The last goal of the first was scored by Dimitris Jones for the Steelheads at 19:12 on a power play.  Bryan Hodges and Macky Power had the assists.

There were no goals scored in the second.

Idaho once again started the scoring game with a goal from the stick of Kyle TenEyck. Randy Patzner and Parker Lewis assisted Kyle at 9:06. Trading off genos, Henrik Ekestahl scored the Maulers' last goal of the game at 9:30. Nikita Sheptytskyy and Max Rebholz had the assists. Anton Virtanen had an empty net goal at 19:58 to end the game 4-2. Victor Ivarson and Jesper Jensen picked up the final two points.

The boys have a huge match up against the Southern Oregon Spartans on February 27th-March 1st in hopes of receiving the last spot. Don't miss out and come to the GIR to support the boys!!

The boys for Team Pictures!

Statistics:

PENALTIES:

Period 1:

Idaho Jr Steelheads - Randy Patzner (Cross Checking) 2 Minutes, 1:39

Idaho Jr Steelheads - Jesper Jensen (Checking from Behind) 2 Minutes, 3:14

Idaho Jr Steelheads - Bryan Hodges (Head Contact) 2 Minutes, 8:17

Missoula Maulers - Austin Azzinnaro (Interference) 2 Minutes, 12:24

Idaho Jr Steelheads - Kyle TenEyck (Roughing) 2 Minutes, 12:29

Missoula Maulers - Derek Griffin (Roughing) 2 Minutes, 13:18

Missoula Maulers - Joey Porco (Interference) 2 Minutes, 16:39

Idaho Jr Steelheads - Hunter Lester (Slashing) 2 Minutes, 19:29

Period 2:

Idaho Jr Steelheads - Zach Walden (Roughing) 2 Minutes, 7:46

Missoula Maulers - Henrik Ekestahl (Holding) 2 Minutes, 16:41

Idaho Jr Steelheads - Dak Dice (Hooking) 2 Minutes, 19:26

Period 3:

Idaho Jr Steelheads - Jesper Jensen (Checking from Behind) 2 Minutes, 15:11

SHOTS ON GOAL:

Missoula Maulers - 15 total

Idaho Jr Steelheads - 37 total

POWER PLAYS:

Missoula Maulers - 0 for 7

Idaho Jr Steelheads - 1 for 5

GOALTENDERS:

#31 Cody Janzen for Missoula Maulers: 60 Minutes, 37 shots on goal 33 saves

#30 Danny Kowalski for Idaho Jr Steelheads: 60 Minutes, 15 shots on goal 13 saves

Bison Are Corralled, Missoula Takes 3-1 Win

Hello Maulers fans and welcome back to another post from Maulers Recapped! It has been quite a while since Missoula's last series and now teams are hunkering down and getting serious; it's playoff time. That's right as the 2013-2014 season is quickly coming to a close, players and teams all around the league are preparing for some serious off season action and buckling down for their last strides in attempt to claim one of the few playoff spots available. In the Maulers' case, they are in a three way battle with Southern Oregon and Seattle for the 4th and final playoff spot in the Northwest Division. Can they clinch it in time? Well a 3-1 win over Boulder, who is looking to claim one of the last spots in their respective Mountain Division, is a very good start at that dream. In their inaugural season, Missoula has seen tremendous change, harsh competition, and some very controversial opinions that followed over with the transition from the AWHL. If the boys can clinch the playoff berth it might show the fan base and the rest of the league that possibly, just possibly, this team is ready to commit and compete in this new league.

The first goal of the game was Boulder's last. On a power play at 7:09, #5 Ryan Fitzgerald was able to put the puck in with the help of  #17 Mark Kepple and #89 Chad Lopez. This was the last goal of the first period.

Jordan Wheatly picked up the pace by tying things over at 4:52. He had help from Max Rebholz and goaltender Sebastian Gronborg. Anders Nord broke the tie with a geno at 7:57. Assists went to Austin Azzinnaro and Erich Jaeger.

The last goal of the game was scored by Max Rebholz as he picked up his 2nd point of the night. Jordan Wheatly also picked up his second of the night with an assist at 12:28.

After the Bison were unable to get to Missoula as planned on Friday due to a frozen charter bus, the boys have fan appreciation day to look forward to on Sunday the 9th! Yes that's right free admission for everyone that walks through the doors of Glacier Ice Rink at 2:30 pm courtesy of First Security Bank! See you there!

Rebholz, Wheatly, Nord, and Sundgren at a local "Meet and Greet" for kids

Statistics:

PENALTIES:

Period 1:

Boulder Bison - Karl Norris (Tripping) 2 Minutes, 2:39

Missoula Maulers - Josh Ingram-Rehm (Boarding) 2 Minutes, 5:12

Missoula Maulers - Austin Azzinnaro (Cross Checking) 2 Minutes, 10:17

Missoula Maulers - Joey Porco (Cross Checking) 2 Minutes, 14:02

Period 2:

Boulder Bison - Karl Norris (High Sticking) 2 Minutes, 6:08

Missoula Maulers - Billy Bigham (Roughing) 2 Minutes, 6:08

Boulder Bison - Sage Dugas (Holding) 2 Minutes, 9:10

Boulder Bison - Karl Norris (Roughing) 2 Minutes, 15:23

Missoula Maulers - Josh Ingram-Rehm (High Sticking) 2 Minutes, 18:14

Period 3:

Missoula Maulers - Joey Sundgren (Holding) 2 Minutes, 3:05

Boulder Bison - Sage Dugas (Holding) 2 Minutes, 3:05

Boulder Bison - Casey Riccatone (High Sticking) 2 Minutes, 6:09

Missoula Maulers - Tyler Zandhuisen (Head Contact) 2 Minutes, 10:19

Boulder Bison - Kevin Behrens (Tripping) 2 Minutes, 13:58

Missoula Maulers - Billy Bigham (Interference) 2 Minutes, 18:56

Boulder Bison - Casey Riccatone (Unsportsmanlike Conduct) 2 Minutes, 19:52

Boulder Bison - Casey Riccatone (Cross Checking) 2 Minutes, 19:52

Boulder Bison - Casey Riccatone (Unsportsmanlike Conduct) (Misconduct) 10 Minutes, 19:52

SHOTS ON GOAL:

Missoula Maulers - 43 total

Boulder Bison - 23 total

POWER PLAYS:

Missoula Maulers - 0 for 7

Boulder Bison - 1 for 5

GOALTENDERS:

#1 Sebastian Gronborg for Missoula Maulers: 60 Minutes played, 23 shots on goal 22 saves

#1 Brandon Yinger for Boulder Bison: 60 Minutes played, 43 shots on goal 40 saves