Wildcats Take Game 1 against RoadRunners
In three meetings prior, the Wildcats had never taken Game 1 against the Topeka RoadRunners in the playoffs. However, it’s been a year of firsts for Wichita Falls, and a third period rally last night paved the way for another trend to be broken. The game was played about as evenly as possible, which many people expected before the series started. So even, in fact, that both teams ended up with the same number of shots (37) to end the game. Goaltenders Justin Kapelmaster and Juho Niku were each sensational throughout, and goals scored by Andrew Hart and Austin Albrecht 24 seconds apart from one another was the only scoring that went on through the first 53 minutes of the game. However, with just six minutes to go in the third period, Jonny Lazarus fired a harmless looking shot from the right half boards, hoping for a rebound off Niku’s pads. Instead, it fooled the Topeka net-minder and snuck past him to give the Cats their first lead of the game. They added to their newfound lead just three shifts later, after Nikita Litviak out-battled two Runners behind the net and set up Erich Jaeger for a point-blank shot. The Wildcats would ride their momentum after tallying the insurance goal and stave off a sixth Topeka attacker before taking Game 1 by a score of 3-1.

The Matchup
Game 2’s have been the Wildcats’ strongest games in the postseason, particularly against Topeka. They’ve won 2 of 3 Game 2’s against their Kansas rivals, all of which were on the road. Playing games away from the Kansas Expocentre has not been a strength of the Runners lately. They were an average road team in the regular season, and have only defeated the Wildcats at the KYC once in seven attempts since last year’s playoffs. They did, however, bounce back against Lone Star after losing Game 1 at NYTEX and would win Game 2 in overtime before sweeping the Brahmas in Games 3 & 4 in Topeka. The Runners are as good a team as any at making adjustments, and expect them to have a plan for tonight.

KYC Games Coming to a Close
Tonight might be the last home game the Wildcats will play until next season. Months of unimpeded home dominance will finally come to an end either tonight or next Saturday night. If the Wildcats win tonight, a decisive Game 5 back at the KYC would be unlikely. Whichever team advances past this round will play in the Robertson Cup Semi-Finals, which will be a best-of-three series played in Edina, Minnesota. 

History Awaits
A Wildcats victory tonight would mark their 20th consecutive win at the KYC. The NAHL has existed for 40 years. No team has ever recorded 20 straight home victories. As of now, the Cats are tied at 19 straight with the Lone Star Brahmas (‘15) and the Mahoning Valley Phantoms (‘07).

Top Seeds All Win Game 1
The Bismarck Bobcats and Aston Rebels blew out their opponents at home to go up 1-0, while the Wildcats and the Fairbanks Ice Dogs grinded out a couple of hard-fought victories.