Wolverines Show Their Teeth in Home-Opening Series Against Springfield
The Anchorage Wolverines put up a statement performance against the Springfield Jr. Blues in the first home series its inaugural season. The Wolverines came out of the series with 4 out of 6 possible points against the top team in the Midwest division, helped by stellar performances from forwards Talon Sigurdson and Cameron Morris, and backstopped by goaltender Raythan Robbins.
The Wolverines started hot with a big win on Friday, as the Wolverines forward corps tallied three unanswered in the 2nd period, with goals from Gutierrez and Sigurdson coming within the first five minutes of the frame, and the game winner coming on the power play 14:04 into the second from Hunter Bischoff. The Wolverines would score three more goals in the 3rd period, two of which were assisted by Cameron Morris. Raythan Robbins stopped 24 of 26 to help secure Anchorages first home win in team history.
Saturday would feature a reversal of fortunes for the Wolverines, as Springfield would strike back with a dominant performance from Hagen Moe, who scored a hattrick in the contest. Moe would score three unanswered for the Jr. Blues, his first coming 13:12 into the 1st with his next two scored just 11 seconds apart early in the 2nd period. Anchorage would keep the game close, with Sigurdson and Schmitz scoring a goal a piece during regulation. In the end, it was stunning shorthanded goal from Noah Holt of the Jr. Blues that secured the win for Springfield by a score of 5-2.
In the Sunday contest, Anchorage finally struck first when Sigurdson buried one within the first 4 minutes of the game. Following the early Wolverines’ goal, neither team would score for the remainder of the 1st and 2nd period, as both clubs battled back and forth in a defensive showdown highlighted by great saves from Springfield goaltender Ethan Roberts and Anchorage netminder Raythan Robbins. The Wolverines would break the deadlock in the 3rd period however, as Joey Moffatt scored just past the five-minute mark of the final frame on the powerplay, and shortly after Alexander Babich extended the home team’s lead to three. A late goal from Springfield wouldn’t be enough to bring the Jr. Blues back from this deficit, and Andy Ramsey would seal the game with an empty net goal shortly after Springfield’s only point of the night. Raythan Robbins would stopped 24 of 25 shots, as Anchorage claimed 4 points in its home-opening series.
