Division Finals Heat Up: Sharks, Grizzlies Take Game 1; Ice Bats Force Game 3

Photo Credit: Dave Tester

New Hampshire 2 @ Long Beach 6 - The Long Beach Sharks opened the East Division Finals with a convincing 6-2 win over the New Hampshire Jr. Mountain Kings. Sean Bailey led the charge with two goals, helping set the tone early, while Evan O’Connor added another in the first period to give Long Beach control. The Sharks pulled away in the second, getting goals from Bailey and Gustav Martinsson less than a minute apart. In the third, Payton Hauge and Ryder Pisiak added to the lead to put the game out of reach. New Hampshire found the back of the net twice late in the third, but it wasn’t enough to spark a comeback. In net, Will Zinnen turned aside 36 shots, while the Sharks’ balanced offense and disciplined play helped them take Game 1.

Rochester 1 @ West Bend 0 - The Rochester Grizzlies opened the Central Division Finals with a tight 1-0 win over the West Bend Power. Mason Decker played the hero, scoring the lone goal early in the third to break a scoreless deadlock. Both teams traded chances throughout, but it turned into a goaltending battle. Nick Kurtiak was perfect in net for Rochester, stopping all 21 shots he faced to earn the shutout, while Sam Ahl was strong on the other side with 25 saves. Neither team could capitalize on the power play, as defense and special teams took center stage all game long. In the end, the Grizzlies did just enough to take Game 1 and grab the early series lead.

Austin 2 @ Texas B 0 - The Austin Ice Bats kept their season alive with a 2-0 win over the Texas Brahmas, forcing a decisive Game 3 in the South Division Finals. Arys Perardi opened the scoring in the first on the power play, giving Austin an early edge. From there, it turned into a tight, defensive battle, with both teams trading chances but unable to break through. Gavin Morris was outstanding in net for the Ice Bats, stopping all 27 shots he faced to earn the shutout. Late in the third, Mason Manderfield sealed it with another power-play goal to put the game out of reach. Texas had opportunities with the man advantage but couldn’t convert, and Austin made them pay. With the win, the Ice Bats even the series and push it to a winner-take-all Game 3.