Sports
Sheridan Hawks Junior Hockey Team Win In OT To Advance To NA3HL Frontier Division Finals
Max Krueger had his postseason moment Friday night, scoring the first goal and the final game-winning goal to propel his top-seeded Sheridan Hawks to the Frontier Division Final with a come-from-behind Game 2 win over the No.4 seeded Badlands Sabres by a final score of 4-3.
Badlands, with its back against the wall after Wednesday nights loss in game 1, came out of the gate hot, outshooting the Hawks 13-5 in the first period.
At just over 6 minutes into the game, the Sabres offensive play paid off with their first goal of evening, and gave Badlands a 1-0 lead.
Sheridan found its legs in the middle frame, outshooting Badlands 16-12, but only matched the Sabres offensive output.
After just over 17 minutes of play with no score, Badlands notched their second goal of the night with 2:33 to go in the period to double the Sabres’ lead.
But, just as it seemed Badlands was primed to force a Game 3 leading by two goals at the end of the second period, Krueger netted his first of the night on a power play with just 6 seconds left in the frame.
He was assisted by Vincent Leaf and Deagan Watson.
Midway through the third period, with no scoring as of yet, the Hawks took two penalties, leaving them with a 3/5 man disadvantage.
Badlands capitalized on the extra skaters and struck back with another goal, to regain a 2 point lead.
But Sheridan stormed back with two goals in the late stages to force overtime.
Sheridan’s comeback began just 46 seconds after the Sabres’ goal.
While still on the remaining penalty kill, Jeff Slivion tallied an unassisted short-handed goal to bring the deficit back down to one score.
The Hawks then got a golden opportunity inside the final five minutes when Badlands were hit with two penalties that awarded Sheridan a full two-minute five-on-three power play.
Sheridan’s power play came through in the form of Deagan Watson, assisted by Jeff Slivon and Jameson Clark, to knot the game up at 3-3, sending the game to overtime, where Krueger completed the comeback.
Having found their game since the slow first period, the Hawks wasted little time ending the series.
Krueger, help from a beauty of a pass from Leaf, buried the overtime winner just 3:21 into the extra frame to send Sheridan to the Frontier Division Final.
Next week, the Hawks will take on the winner of the three game series still under way between the 2nd seed Helena Bighorns and the 3rd seed Great Falls Americans.
The first game in the upcoming Division Finals will take place on the road for the Hawks on Wednesday evening, with game 2 on Friday night, and game 3 on Saturday night, if needed, on home ice here in Sheridan.
