Hockey / Killer Bees head home for Game 3 of divisional semifinals

Killer Bees head home for Game 3 of divisional semifinals

Date:  Source: NAHL: RGV Killer Bees
TOPEKA, Kan. – The Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees were in position to earn their first NAHL playoff victory and tie up their South Division semifinal series Saturday, but the Topeka RoadRunners had other plans, earning a 2-1 overtime victory at the Kansas ExpoCentre in Topeka, Kan.
 
Tyler Poulsen tallied the game-winner for the RoadRunners Saturday, scoring on a one-timer from the left circle six minutes into overtime during a power play. Ryan Polin set up Poulsen with a cross-ice pass on the one-timer while Tomas Nechala earned the secondary helper.
 
With the win, the RoadRunners took a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series, which will resume Wednesday at the State Farm Arena.
 
Only two goals were scored in regulation Saturday, with both scores coming in the second period.
 
Evan Schmidbauer (Surrey, British Columbia) scored the first goal of the game near the midpoint of the second frame to give the Bees a 1-0 lead. After receiving a pass at the Topeka blue line, Schmidbauer took a defenseman wide, protecting the puck on his backhand. He then took a forehand shot as he approached the net, which P.J. Bridges denied, but the puck ricocheted off a Topeka defenseman into the net.
 
It took the RoadRunners just 86 seconds to tie up the game when James Ring knocked in a rebound on his backhand off Polin’s one-timer during a man-advantage. Poulsen also assisted on Ring’s game-tying marker.
 
After a scoreless third period, in which the Bees had a late power play chance, the game was decided in overtime when Poulsen scored the game-winner on a one-timer during a man-advantage.
 
Both of Topeka’s goals Saturday were scored during a power play. Overall, the RoadRunners went 2-for-4 on the man-advantage while the Bees went 0-for-3.
 
Olli Kalkaja (Oulu, Finland) made 17 saves on 19 shots Saturday in 66 minutes of action. Bridges faced 24 shots, 23 of which he saved.
 
Game 3 of the divisional semifinal series between the Bees and RoadRunners will be played at the State Farm Arena on Wednesday, April 9. Faceoff is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Tickets can be purchased atwww.ticketmaster.com or the State Farm Arena Box Office. For more information, contact the Killer Bees at (956) 843-5651 or email info@killerbeeshockey.com.