The Nordiques looked to take home a game 2 win and to lockup a weekend series win regardless of Sunday’s outcome.
The first period saw no scoring, the Nords Power Play couldn’t find the back of the next and their Penalty Kill unit went 2/2 in the period. Avery Sturtz helped out his defense as well with solid saves. Sturtz stood strong all game long.
The second period saw the scoring open but unfortunately for the Nords, it was from the stick of a Titan. 6 minutes passed and the Titans momentum slowly went away. Off of a dump in from Luke Antonacci, Caden Pattison skated hard to the corner, dug the puck free from a board pin, found Tristan Fasig in the slot, and as Tristan was falling down was somehow able to find the back of the net. 1-1 after 2.
We would head to the 3rd period the Nordiques would get an early power play they couldn’t convert on. They would then have to kill off a penalty which they did successfully thanks to Avery Sturtz solid saves and stellar Defense. Luke Antonacci would then bring the puck up the wing into the zone and draw a penalty. However, the Nords couldn’t convert on a late power play and the game would head to OT.
An early OT chance from the titans Jake LaRusso has turned aside from Avery Sturtz. LaRusso found the puck below the face-off circle, moved in on Sturtz, started on the backhand, moved to the forehand, got Sturtz down but Sturtz somehow got the pad on it and kept the game alive. Luke Antonacci would find himself on another chance in the offensive zone and drawing another penalty for a power-play chance in overtime. The Nordiques had the same result as the one in the 3rd, no goal. The game went to a shootout.
The titans went first. Evan Warner who was looking for his first NAHL goal got turned aside by Avery Sturtz. Stefan Owens was first up for the Nordiques and unlike the shootout in Johnstown he couldn’t convert on this opportunity. The Titans Tommy Bannister was up next, he charged into the zone and deked to get Sturtz down but Avery Sturtz would turn him side with another pad save. Tyler Gaulin was up for the Nords trying to put on the pressure. Gaulin moved in on Titans goalie Berk Berkelive, got him down but couldn’t beat the pad. Round 3 had Titans Simon Labelle up first who was trying to force a Nordiques goal, Labelle moved in on Sturtz but Sturtz held his ground and made the save. Bottom of the 3rd, if the Nords scored they win. Head Coach Nolan Howe sent out veteran Isaiah Fox. Fox grabbed the puck, worked his way to the faceoff circle, made a quick move and fired a quick shot to the glove side that would find the twine and the Nordiques took game 2 by a score of 2-1. Avery Sturtz who was phenomenal with 32/33 saves took home the first star.
