By Tribune Sports Staff
March 20, 2015
GENEVA, Ill. – Despite late power play opportunities, the Great Falls Americans couldn’t surmount an early deficit, falling 3-1 to the West Michigan Wolves in the first game of the NA3HL Silver Cup playoffs.
Wolves’ goalie Hunter Vorva held the Americans at bay, stopping 28 of Great Falls’ 29 shots.
West Michigan, on the other hand, was efficient. Michael Tratar scored two Wolves’ goals on the only shots on goal in the first period. Devin Farkas added West Michigan’s third goal 10 seconds into the second, assisted by Tratar and Dakota Ulmer.
Miles Giorgione broke through 4:26 into the second period – a power play goal assisted by Reed Link and Zack Mese – to bring the score to 3-1 in favor of West Michigan. Neither team would score in the third despite combining for 40 total shots.
Americans’ netminder Jordan Moran saved 29 shots. Great Falls afforded the Wolves just two minutes of power play action in the contest, a minor in the third stanza.
The Americans will play again Friday in the round robin-format tournament with the puck dropping at noon against the Metro Jets of Waterford, Mich. at Geneva’s Fox Valley NHL Arena. They also take the ice Saturday, a 6 p.m. start with the North Iowa Bulls.
JUNIOR A HOCKEY
Silver Cup
In Geneva, Ill.
POOL PLAY
W. Michigan 3, Great Falls 1
West Michigan ……………………………..2 1 0 — 3
Great Falls ……………………………………0 1 0 — 1
SCORING SUMMARY
FIRST PERIOD: 1, West Michigan – Michael Tratar
(Corey Siwula) 6:19; 2, West Michigan – Michael
Tratar (Devin Farkas, Corey Siwula) 19:21
SECOND PERIOD: 3, West Michigan – Devin Far-
kas (Michael Tratar, Dakota Ulmer) 0:10; 4, Great
Falls – Miles Giorgione (power play) (Reed Link,
Zack Mese) 4:26.
THIRD PERIOD: No scoring
PENALTIES
FIRST PERIOD: West Michigan – Devin Farkas –
(Tripping) (638A), 2 MIN, 9:03.
SECOND PERIOD: West Michigan – Brandon Be-
naglio – (Roughing) (639A), 2 MIN, 2:33.
THIRD PERIOD: Great Falls – Wade Wylie – (Hook-
ing) (622A,B), 2 MIN, 5:52; West Michigan – Kyle
Keeder – (Hooking) (622A,B), 2 MIN, 14:25.
POWER PLAYS
West Michigan 0 – 1 : Great Falls 1 – 3
GOALTENDERS
W. Michigan, Hunter Vorva 28 saves; Great Falls,
Jordan Moran, 29 saves
SHOTS ON GOAL
W. Michigan: 2-9-21—32; Great Falls
0-10-19—29
Story Courtesy: Great Falls Tribune (March 20, 2015)