Jets Report: 10/26

Oct 27, 2016

LAST WEEK…

Friday, October 21: Minnesota Magicians 1, Janesville Jets 4
Shots: Magicians 20, Jets 43
PP: Magicians 0-4, Jets 1-4

On opening night of their seventh annual Pink in the Rink, the Janesville Jets (9-2-1) struck for three goals in the first period, more than doubled their opposition on the shot clock, and rode a great performance from Derek Schaedig and a successful night for the penalty killers en route to a 4-1 win over the Minnesota Magicians (7-4-2).

The Jets, donning their specialty pink and blue breast cancer awareness jerseys, snagged the game’s first goal when Carter Ekberg (11:16 1st) scored in his season debut. Ekberg, who skated in 22 games last year for Janesville before advancing to the USHL’s Youngstown Phantoms, was re-acquired by Janesville last week. Beloit native TJ Polglaze (13:04 1st) scored the eventual game winner with his second of the season. Minnesota’s Tanner Tweten (15:54 1st) beat Schaedig on their only goal of the night, before Michael Maloney (18:56 1st) struck on the power play. Maloney’s goal, his sixth of the year, chased Minnesota goaltender Ivan Prosuetov, with Daniil Gerasimov replacing him between the pipes.

Veteran forward Peter Bates (10:43 2nd) scored the burying marker midway through the second, a frame dominated by Janesville’s defensive play. The Jets frustrated the Magicians during the long change, allowing just two shots on goal despite three full opportunities on the power play.

The third period wrapped up with some escalation in a developing rivalry between these two Midwest Division foes, with Minnesota’s Mitch Slattery and Tanner Tweten, as well as Janesville’s Jakov Novak receiving 10 minute misconducts for continuing altercations.

Jets goaltender Derek Schaedig (7-2-1) made 19 saves of 20 shots for the win, while Ivan Prosuetov’s (1-2-0) four goals on 30 shots gave him the loss. Daniil Gerasimov stopped 13 of 13 shots to finish the game for Minnesota, and did not earn a decision.
Saturday, October 22: Minnesota Magicians 4, Janesville Jets 2
Shots: Magicians 23, Jets 43

PP: Magicians 2-5, Jets 1-6

The Janesville Jets (9-3-1) again peppered the Magicians with shots on net, but couldn’t solve Minnesota’s Ivan Prosuetov, despite beating him four times the previous night. The Minnesota Magicians (8-4-2) closed the gap on Janesville to just one point for the division lead in a 4-2 victory.

It was clear from the start that Saturday’s matchup would be called closely, with two minor penalties in the game’s first three minutes. With Janesville’s Keegan Miller in the box for slashing, defenseman Colin Felix (3:41 1st) made a great pinch in the zone and put home a shorthanded goal for the early lead. The Jets’ next penalty kill was less successful, as Minnesota’s Peter von Steinbergs (11:51 1st) evened things up with an extra man marker.

Minnesota poured it on in the second period, scoring on a two-man advantage with Mitch Slattery’s (2:55 2nd) fourth of the season, before Cameron Buhl (10:01 2nd) beat Derek Schaedig to double the lead.

Brown commit Michael Maloney (7:43 3rd) scored his second of the Pink in the Rink series with a power play goal midway through the third, but the Jets were unable to complete the comeback, surrendering a dagger goal off the stick of Brendan Skarda (13:34 3rd) six minutes later. The second game of the series again ended with some ugly behavior when Mitchel Slattery was ejected with a five minute major and a 20 minute match penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct late in the third.

One night after getting chased on four goals, it was Minnesota’s Ivan Prosuetov (2-2-0) who stood tall for the win, stopping 41 of 43 pucks. Derek Schaedig (7-3-1) made 19 of 23 saves in the losing effort.

The seventh annual post-game jersey auction, benefiting Mercy Regional Cancer Center, was again a record success. For the second straight season, every pink jersey was sold at the auction, raising more than $4,000.

THIS WEEK…

Friday, October 28, 2016 @ Springfield Jr. Blues – 7:05 p.m.

Saturday, October 29, 2016 @ Springfield Jr. Blues – 6:05 p.m.

The Jets head south to Springfield this week for the season’s first matchup with the longtime division rival. Overall, the Jets hold a 35-20-6 advantage in the rivalry, and a 21-9-2 record since the arrival of head coach Joe Dibble.

Tony Zasowski took over the reigns after Dibble left Springfield in the summer of 2012. The Jr. Blues are looking to turn around a rocky first quarter that has produced just nine points in 14 games on a 4-9-1 record. Leading the charge offensively is Orland Park, Illinois, native Matt Long with five goals and five assists, and in the net have been NAHL rookies Evan Fear (1-3-0, .912 save percentage) and Devin Cooley (2-5-1, .901).

Midwest Division Recap:
Road teams won six of seven divisional games, as the Magicians’ split in Janesville keeps them one point behind the Jets for the top spot in the standings. The Fairbanks Ice Dogs inched closer to Minnesota with a weekend sweep in Soldotna, beating the Kenai River Brown Bears on a combined score of 9-2. The Coulee Region Chill lost an interdivisional game to the visiting Austin Bruins by a score of 5-2, keeping them solidly in fourth place.

Midwest Division Standings:

Place Team Record Pts
1 Janesville Jets 9-3-0-1 19
2 MN Magicians 8-4-2-0 18
3 Fairbanks Ice Dogs 7-4-1-1 16
4 Coulee Region Chill 6-4-1-0 13
5 Springfield Jr. Blues 4-9-0-1 9
6 Kenai River Brown Bears 0-10-1-0 1