By Mason Lyttle
JANESVILLE, WI — A shutout from Jake Barczewski and hat trick from Kip Hoffmann — helped the Jets to a 5-0 victory Saturday, as they backed the Fairbanks Ice Dogs into a 2-0 series hole. The win made Game 2 the final home game of the season for the Jets, as it moved Game 3 from a Sunday matinee in Janesville to a showdown in Fairbanks next Friday night.
Similar to Friday’s 4-1 win, the Jets’ first goal came on a breakaway. Cullen Munson found his roommate Kip Hoffmann with an incredible 100-ft breakout pass, and Hoffmann buried a shot past Erik Gordon for the game’s first lead. Five minutes later, Cole Paskus jammed in a rebound from a Frankie Sullivan point shot for the 2-0 lead.
Early in the second, with Jack Gates in the box for tripping, Munson pressured Gordon on a dump-in, stole the puck, and centered it for Hoffmann’s second. Later, Keegan Miller picked up a neutral zone pass from Chris Dodero, dangled a defenseman, and tucked in a backhand to give the Jets their second 4-0 lead of the weekend. The highlight reel goal ended the night for Gordon, who had, until Saturday, gone all season without recording back-to-back losses nor allowing four goals in back-to-back games.
The Jets missed on a three power play opportunities in the third, but with two minutes left and the Fairbanks net empty, Joey Abate finally got Hoffmann the puck to cap his hat trick.
Gordon received the loss, stopping 15 of 19. Josh Benson was perfect in relief and registered no decision, but the night belonged to Barczewski, who continued his playoff domination with a 23-save shutout.
The series now moves to Fairbanks for Game 3 on Friday, May 5, at 10:30pm CDT. The Ice Dogs’ broadcast will be available on HockeyTV.com. Games 4 and 5, if necessary, will also be played in Fairbanks. Saturday’s Game 4 would begin at the same time as Game 3, and a potential winner-take-all Game 5 would be played Sunday night at 9:00pm CDT.
Scoreboard Watching
Overall seed in parentheses
South Division Finals
(7) Corpus Christi 3 @
(2) Lone Star 0
Series tied 1-1
Central Division Finals
(14) Aberdeen 2 @
(9) MN Wilderness 3
Series tied 1-1
East Division Finals
(8) New Jersey 2 @
(1) Aston 3
Aston leads series 2-0