The Wranglers lassoed the Colorado Grit’s undefeated season at the beautiful Ice Haus in the badlands of Greeley Color., this past weekend with a convincing 5-2 victory Friday night, followed up by an exciting and exhausting 2-1 overtime win Saturday night.
Amarillo continues its undefeated season, and are the only unbeaten team left in the North American League South Division, as they giddy up to Blaine, Minn., for the 21st annual NAHL Showcase.
With an electrifying 4-0 (eight points, the most in the NAHL) start to their season, the Wranglers are sure to be a hot topic and under the watchful eyes of numerous college scouts.
Friday’s game
As both teams hit the ice undefeated, the Amarillo Wranglers started off the scoring at the 12:05 mark of the first period, when Morley Phillips dropped a beautiful pass to line mate Trace Day as he was able to out-muscle the defense on a nice rush for his second goal of the season.
Amarillo held the 1-0 lead until 54 seconds remained in the first period, when Colorado’s Nicholas Noble sniped one past Amarillo goalie Charlie Zolin, tying the game up at 1-1 into the first intermission.
Friday night was a night of firsts, as three Wranglers scored their first NAHL goals. The scoring bonanza started at the 5:23 mark of the second period when Carson Maguire, a Canadian import from Ontario, laid it between the pipes to score his first NAHL goal, giving Amarillo a 2-1 lead. Amarillo held onto this lead going into the second intermission.
The Grit made it interesting when Noble scored his second goal of the game at the 8:24 mark of the third period. This game remained tied for just two short minutes when, yet another new member found the back of the net for the Wranglers.
Swedish import Carl Jacobson scored his first goal in the NAHL. Canadian Andrew Morton took a beautiful pass from Trace Day to score his first NAHL goal, giving Amarillo a 4-1 lead.
With less than three minutes left in the game Wranglers Nolen Davis of Roswell, Georgia jumped on the scoring bandwagon to score his first NAHL goal. The Wranglers went on to win 5-2 and continue their blistering hot streak.
The NAHL number one South Division Player of the Week in Amarillo goalie Charlie Zolin stopped 32-of-34 shots, giving him his third victory of the season.
Saturday’s game
Amarillo looked to extend its undefeated season, and the Colorado Grit looked to avenge the previous night’s 5-2 beat down.
At the 16:29 mark of the first period, defenseman Salvatore Cerrato rifled one to Wrangler forward Aidan Dres as he hit a bottle rocket to give Amarillo a 1– 0 lead. Neither team saw further scoring in the first period or in the second period, as both goalies played lights out and kept the pedal down.
The Grit needed a power-play goal, and at the 16:30 mark of the third, as Nicholas Noble, the lone goal scorer for the Grit this weekend, got his third goal. With a 1-1 score at the end of regulation, this fantastic game went into overtime.
With four games played in the young season, the Wranglers have seen half of those games go into overtime. Both teams lined up for the five minute, three-on-three overtime period. The energy at the Greeley Ice Haus was palpable.
The fantastic goalie play continued throughout overtime, with both teams attacking the net at every possible opportunity. Amarillo goalie Charlie Zilon was playing like a Cobra on Red Bull and, like a bandit, stole shot after shot from the Colorado Grit.
As the overtime period was ending and every person in the Ice Haus on their feet, defenseman Salvatore Cerrato skating like an out-of-control bucking bronco and hit the back of the net to end this game, with less than one second left on the clock. As the deflated Grit fans held their breath, the replay officials scored it.
This was yet another first goal in the NAHL by an Amarillo player. The Amarillo Wranglers remain undefeated in this very young hockey season.
Zolin was magnificent in his net minding duties as he stopped 35-of-36 shots. As a result of his outstanding weekend, Zolin was recognized for a second week in a row as the NAHL South Division number one Player of the Week. Never before in Wranglers franchise history has this ever occurred.
Zolin fever is hitting on all cylinders as his popularity increases to grow after each victory. Sporting a Texas flag themed helmet, coupled with his beautiful red, white and blue Wranglers uniform, his passion for playing in the state of Texas and his love for hockey is abundant and robust. He will be tested and on display at the 21st annual NAHL Showcase this weekend.
Amarillo begins its participation in the NAHL Showcase on Thursday night against the Maryland Black Bears. As is typical during the NAHL Showcase, all teams will play outside of their respective division.
It’s not called The Greatest Show On Ice for nothing. Because the Wranglers are 4-0, this may result in a disproportionate share of “scouting” eyes on the team during the Showcase. Eight points earned before the showcase cannot be understated.
Editor’s Note
Please listen for Tommy Tee‘s weekly recap of the Amarillo Wranglers hockey on the “Drive at Five” with Lance Lahnert every Thursday afternoon at 5 p.m. exclusively on 102.9 FM the Panhandle Sports Star.
