Frontier team improves to 2-0 at the Top Prospects Tournament
By Kevin Scott
| Box Score (Frontier vs. West) | Box Score (Selects Black vs. East) | Tourney Scoreboard |
PLYMOUTH, Mich., February 16, 2016 — The Frontier Division team and the NA3HL 18U Selects Black team were hoping to go 2-0 on the second day (of a 3 day) of the 2015 Top Prospects Tournament on Tuesday when they challenged the West Division and East Division squads, respectively.
During the first day, the Frontier Division prevented a comeback by the South Division team and prevailed in a close game, 6-4. Josh Larson scored the first goal of the game while Arseny Ivanov tallied one assist in each of the three periods as they represented Great Falls on the Frontier team while goaltender Jake Stephan stopped 17 of the 19 shots he faced. Other players on the Americans who saw action included Brendan Jester and Connor Barta.
Ricards Bernhards and Tanner Congdon played for the NA3HL 18U Selects Black team. Both are members of the Great Falls Americans this season. Ricards Bernhards score the game-tying goal in the first period of their 3-2 shootout victory over the West Division team on Monday afternoon. He was also one of three team members to get the puck in the net during the shootout.
On the second day of the prestigious tournament, the Frontier squad played against the West Division team while the NA3HL 18U Selects Black team competed against the East Division team.
The Great Falls Americans were well represented in the stat sheet for the Frontier team in their 5-1 win over the West Division team on Tuesday morning at the prestigious tournament in Michigan. Josh Larson and Brendan Jester each had two points (one goal and one assist) apiece while Arseny Ivanov picked up one assist to help the Frontier team win their second game in as many days.
The first period didn’t see any action on the scoreboard with neither team scoring or picking up any penalties. The Frontier and West squad each took nine shots toward the goaltender.
Josh Larson and Brendan Jester (GF Americans) gave the Frontier team a two goal lead during the first two minutes of the second period. Nicholas Thompson (Bozeman Ice Dogs) earned an assist on the Larson goal that came 16 seconds into the middle period. Jester had help from Max Doner and Tony Dahlberg from the Yellowstone Quake for the second points. After picking up an assist in the first goal of the game, Thompson found the back of the net against West goalie Mac Berglove (Granite City Lumberjacks). Larson and Dahlberg tallied the assists. The Frontier team gather 30 shots while holding the West to 19 after the first two periods.
During the final period, the Frontier squad tacked on two more goals to increase their lead to 5-0. Blake Babineau (Helena Bighorns) and Tony Dahlberg (Yellowstone Quake) netted the goals. Babineau’s NA3HL teammate from Helena, Gavin Lubin assisted on his score. Setting up the play for Dahlberg’s power play score was Arseny Ivanov and Brendan Jester from Great Falls. The West squad was able to avoid the shutout with a goal by Niklas McCallum (Texas Brahmas) off a pass from Joe Costello’s (Twin City Steel) stick with 1:42 remaining in regulation.
Between both of these tournament teams, they combined for four minor penalties for four minutes with all of the penalties coming in the final stanza.
The Frontier team kept West goaltender Mac Berglove busy between the pipes and took 41 shots. Berglove recorded 36 saves in the loss. Jake Stephan (GF Americans) played great as he recorded 30 saves while allowing one goal.
Tratar and Zenone lead the East past the NA3HL’s 18U Selects Black team, 7-3
PLYMOUTH, Mich., February 16, 2016 — Following the Frontier contest against the West, the NA3HL’s 18U Selects Black team challenged the East Division squad. Michael Tratar and Mike Zenone scored over half of the goals to lead the East team to a 7-3 win over the NA3HL 18U Selects Black team on Tuesday afternoon.
A pair of Great Falls Americans each provided points for the Selects Black team in the opening period. Tanner Congdon dished off to an open Ricards Bernhards for the first score 32 seconds into the contest. The East’s Mike Zenone (Wooster Oilers) would get the first of this two goals ten minutes later to tie the contest. Nick Mooney of the Wooster Oilers helped the Selects Black team regain the lead with 7:33 remaining in the period with his go-ahead goal on a power play. Bryce Fisk (Wisconsin Whalers) and Riley Keays (Helena Bighorns) assisted on the second goal.
The East’s offense wouldn’t let up as they scored three of the four goals to take a 4-3 lead by the East before the third period. Brendon Block (West Michigan Wolves), Matthias Tellstrom (Metro Jets), and Michael Tratar (Metro Jets) all found the back of the net in the second stanza. Collecting the assists were Rubin Chavarria (Wooster Oilers), Mike Zenone, Dakota Ulmer (West Michigan Wolves), Adam Schaffer (Pittsburgh Vengeance) and Matthias Tellstrom. The lone goal in the period by the Selects Black came from Tommy Stang (North Iowa Bulls). John Greer from the Helena Bighorns and Sean Mallonee (North Iowa Bulls) helped set up Stang’s points.
The last period belonged to the East squad as they out-shot the Selects Black team 11-5 and scored on three possessions while holding the Selects Black scoreless. Mike Zenone and Michael Tratar accumulated their second goals of the game while Tyler Zalecki (Toledo Cherokee) chipped in one. In addition, the East received assists from Ricky Kwapich (Toledo Cherokee), Adam Schaffer, Corey Siwula (West Michigan Wolves), Matthias Tellstrom and Dakota Ulmer.
There were just three total minor penalties between these two teams. The East had no power play opportunities while the Selects Black team finished with one goal on one power play.
Before being replaced by Kameron Limburg (Metro Jets), Jacob Stack (Pittsburgh Vengeance) contributed 18 saves for the winning team. Limburg, who was credited with the win, added eight saves in 28 minutes of action. The Selects Black used both goaltenders in Christian Sanzottera (Breezy Point North Stars) and Max McConnell (Wisconsin Whalers) and they combined for 25 saves.
TOURNAMENT NOTES: For more information about the Top Prospects Tournament, please click here. Fans can also follow the action live at HockeyTV and see the stats updated live on the NA3HL Scoreboard.
Click here to view the entire Frontier roster.
Click here to view the entire NA3HL 18U Selects Black Team roster.
NEXT CONTEST: The Frontier Division team comprised of five Great Falls Americans (Arseny Ivanov, Brendan Jester, Connor Barta, Jake Stephan and Josh Larson), will face the 18U Selects Black team that features two GF Americans in Tanner Congdon and Ricards Bernhards at 7:30AM (MST) during the final day of the 2016 Top Prospects Tournament.
Story Courtesy: North American 3 Hockey League (NA3HL): Day 2 of NA3HL Top Prospects sees flurry of offense (February 17, 2016)