The Amarillo Wranglers played some solid hockey over the weekend, picking up a big sweep of the Shreveport Mudbugs while snapping a five-game losing streak on Friday and Saturday at the Amarillo Civic Center’s Budweiser Bullpen.

Amarillo was victorious getting an exciting 2-1 win on Friday night followed by an impressive 7-2 blowout victory to close out the series Saturday.

Amarillo is 11–12-0–1, with a total of 23 points, currently in eighth place in the North American Hockey League South Division.

With 36 games left in the regular season, Amarillo is one point behind both the Corpus Christie IceRays and Oklahoma Warriors for the sixth and final playoff spot of the division.

Amarillo will continue its home stand with the Corpus Christie IceRays this weekend at the Budweiser Bullpen. Saturday’s game will be a special night as the annual Teddy Bear Toss happens. All stuffed animals will be donated to local charities, helping children throughout the holiday season. 

The Amarillo Wranglers will have an “Alternative Identity” reveal this weekend. The team will hit the ice with a new temporary brand, with a refreshed and robust hockey uniform. These new and exciting jerseys will be auctioned off immediately following the game Saturday night.

There will also be a special National Anthem performance by Amarillo High School 2023 graduate and Amarillo native Marcello Tortoreo. Marcello Tortoreo played hockey for the Amarillo hockey organizations for over 10 years. Tortoreo will skate to center ice and perform the National Anthem on his saxophone. Tortoreo is currently a music scholar and junior at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn.

Friday’s game

The Wranglers were riding a five-game losing skid and were focused like a six shooter to end it. Conversely, the Shreveport Mudbugs for the month of November were 6-1, with the hottest record in the South Division.

Defense and superb goalie play would be the theme of this nail-biter of a game. The Mudbugs struck first when forward Evan Hoglund received a pass from former Wranglers Grayson Gerhard at the 5:45 mark of the first period, giving Shreveport the early 1-0 lead. Both goalies held each team scoreless for the duration of the first period as the first break saw Shreveport hold onto the 1-0 lead.

The second period continued the theme of outrageous goaltending and defensive play on both teams’ part. Amarillo goalie Charles Antoine Girard found his rhythm and continued to hit the Mudbugs with his “Rhythm Stick” throughout the second period. Shreveport held onto their microscopic 1-0 lead going into the final intermission. 

First-year Wranglers head coach Micheal Hill said on the Friday edition of the Drive at Five with Lance Lahnert, he enjoyed coaching against his old team as he was their associate head coach for the last two seasons. This exciting game remained 1-0 until the 6:25 mark of the third period.

In a power play, Amarillo’s Jake Boulanger received a no-look pass from Assistant Captain Daniel Rassega and scored his fifth goal of the season, tying this skirmished-filled game up. Neither team scored throughout the duration of regulation and this game went into overtime.

Overtime in the North American Hockey League with its 3-on-3 hockey is considered the most exciting overtime protocol in all of Junior League Sports. With two teams that have no love lost between them, the overtime period continued the theme of defense and superb goalie play. There was absolutely no scoring in the five-minute overtime period.

With one point in their holster and a distinct possibility of ending the five game losing streak, Amarillo skated out the big guns in this shoot-out in an effort to secure their first victory in three weeks. It did not take long. In the second round of the shootout Swedish native Alfon Gentler took the puck from center ice, skated briskly towards Mudbug goalie Tyler Hodges, swept the puck to the right, and then immediately swept the puck to the left and backhanded it underneath the goalies left skate like lightning hitting water, ending this exciting hockey game.

As a result of this magnificent shootout shot, Alfons Gentler was named First Star of the Game.

Amarillo goalie Charles Antoine Girard extinguished 27 out of 28 shots, giving him his sixth victory of the season. 

Saturday’s game

With a win in the holster, and the second half of the season in their sites, the Wranglers hit the ice with unbridled enthusiasm and confidence.

Amarillo started off the scoring early when, at the 5:23 mark of the first period, Ty Izadi worked the front of the net and powered one past Mudbugs goalie Ethan Phillips, giving Amarillo an early 1-0 lead. With just 27 seconds left in the first period, Mudbugs forward Evan Adams found the back of the net, tying this game up going into the first intermission.

Interesting side note Izadi. A 10-year old Izadi is featured on the original Jurassic World movie poster, observing the deep sea dinosaur devouring a great white shark. Izadi’s father is a movie graphic executive in Hollywood, Calif.

Wranglers forward Carter Williams scored his first shorthanded NAHL goal and his first goal of the season, giving Amarillo the lead at the 16:17 mark of the second period. Not to be outdone, fan favorite Mason Lupo scored his second goal of the season for the Wranglers, giving Amarillo a 3–1 lead.

With the momentum squarely on the shoulders of the Wranglers, blood was in the water when Amarillo defenseman Ethan Ogle entered the ice on a shift change, took a rebound in front of the blue line and fired a classic bottle rocket, giving Amarillo a commanding 4-1 lead. This was Ogle’s first NAHL goal for this Grand Rapids native. Amarillo held onto the 4-1 lead going into the final break.

The Mudbugs and former Amarillo Wrangler Grayson Gerhard scored his first goal of the season for the Mudbugs, bringing the score to 4-2. The scoring bandwagon continued for the Wranglers with goals from Caden Hegarty, Daniel Rassega (leading the team with 11), and Alfons Gentler. For the season, Amarillo is 4-0 against the Mudbugs as they continue their dominance over this club.

Charles Antoine Girard stopped 34 out of 32 shots, giving him his seventh victory of the season.

Editor’s Note

Please listen for Tommy Tee‘s weekly recap of Amarillo Wranglers hockey on the “Drive at Five” with Lance Lahnert every Thursday afternoon at 5 p.m. exclusively on 710-AM KGNC.