JOHNSTOWN —
The Johnstown Tomahawks played some of their best hockey during a nine-game stretch of schedule that rolled through November and the first half of December.
There were eight wins in those nine games, and one reason for the success was the offensive pairing of Andrew McDonald, Connor Wright and Zach Wallace.
That line was broken up for various reasons, but with Johnstown searching for ways to snap a six-game winless streak, the trio took the ice together Sunday afternoon against Soo – the first-place team in the NAHL’s North Division – in front of 1,760 at Cambria County War Memorial Stadium.
The result was a 6-2 Tomahawks’ win and another likely line pairing when Johnstown plays its next game Friday at home against Michigan, which swept a three-game series from the Tomahawks last weekend.
“(Coach Jason Spence) has been switching lines, trying to get something going for us,” Wallace said. “This line was together when we were playing well, and everybody here was fed up with losing.”
The fourth-place Tomahawks (18-12-9, 45 points) hadn’t won since a 2-1 home victory over Kalamazoo on Dec. 30 and they hadn’t scored more than two goals in a game since Dec. 22.
The McDonald-Wright-Wallace line ensured those streaks were halted against Soo (26-10-3, 55 points), losers of two straight after a nine-game win streak. The Eagles played in Jamestown Saturday night.
“This feels good and it started last night. I felt bad because they played hard enough to win. They deserve it,” Tomahawks coach Jason Spence said of Saturday’s 4-2 loss to Port Huron. “One thing about three games in three days, Zach Wallace is in the gym seven days a week. I’ll bet he’s headed there after this game. Andrew McDonald is the same way. Guys that put in that extra work see results in games like this.”
McDonald scored Johnstown’s first goal on the team’s first shot of the game. Granted, it took 8:20 for the Tomahawks to generate that scoring opportunity against Soo, which showed no early effects of arriving in Johnstown around 1 a.m.
Wallace and Wright set up McDonald’s backhander for a 1-0 lead.
They struck again 1:11 later when Wright scored off assists from Wallace and Cody Bentzel. It was a huge shot of confidence for a team in desperate need of it.
“Obviously, we had a good start getting the puck in the back of the net a couple times,” McDonald said. “This was huge. This was huge, especially against the type of team we just beat. That’s one of the top teams in the league.”
The McDonald-Wright-Wallace line’s production helped provide the Tomahawks with a glimpse of how good they can be.
Wallace finished with three assists and raised his team-best plus/minus to plus 12. McDonald scored two goals to give him 10 in 24 games with Johnstown. Wright added one goal and one assist.
Jaycob McCombs and Mitch Kontny each scored an unassisted goal and Brandon Reinholz scored off an assist from recently acquired Corey Schafer, a Westmont Hilltop graduate. It was Schafer’s first point in his second game with the Tomahawks.
“Playing Soo definitely had a lot to do with how we came out today. It shows how good we can be.” said Wallace. “It’s a good feeling to win after a tough couple weeks.”
Maybe Johnstown just needed to play an elite team.
“My keys to the game were: This is a great test; this is what we need; and be first to the puck in order to prove you’re the better team,” Spence said.
Sports
Related Photos
-
Johnstown’s Jaycob McCombs scores an unassisted goal against Soo goaltender Tyler Marble during the second period of Sunday’s game at Cambria County War Memorial Arena. McCombs’ goal gave the Tomahawks a 3-1 lead. George Lucas/For The Tribine-Democrat
Discussion
Reunited line helps Tomahawks snap losing skid
- Sports
-
-
Martella's Pharmacy fashions six-inning victory over Rail Birds
Through three scoreless innings at Point Stadium, the Altoona Rail Birds held their own against Martella’s Pharmacy in a AAABA League interleague contest.
But Martella’s patience at the plate and aggressiveness on the base paths turned a close game into a 10-run mercy rule affair on Tuesday. -
Pirates ruin Latos’ winning streak
Pedro Alvarez singled home a pair of runs in the first inning, and the Pittsburgh Pirates ended Mat Latos’ streak of 21 regular-season starts without a loss, beating the Cincinnati Reds 4-0 on Tuesday night.
Latos (6-1) hadn’t lost a regular-season game since last August, setting a club-record streak of avoiding defeat. He couldn’t overcome Pittsburgh’s three-run first inning. -
Checkered flag falls at Dog Hollow
There will be no more howling in the hollow.
Through social media, Dog Hollow Speedway in Strongstown - located close to the Indiana/Cambria county line - announced on Monday evening that it would no longer be in operation. - Local baseball in brief 6/19/2013
-
Four solo home runs lead Reds past Pirates
Todd Frazier wasn’t going to let left-hander Francisco Liriano get another fastball by him. He guessed right and hit one a long way.
-
Laurel Auto belts way to victory
Zach Heide’s two-run home run cleared the Screen Monster in left field at Point Stadium and kick-started Laurel Auto Group’s scoring in its 8-2 victory over Ketrow Insurance Monday night in a AAABA league game.
-
Bruins blank Blackhawks, take 2-1 series lead
Tuukka Rask shut out the Chicago Blackhawks in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup finals on Monday night and got enough help from the Bruins' offense to do it without another exhausting overtime.
-
Former Penn St. players support Paterno family lawsuit
About 325 former Penn State players and coaches have signed a statement supporting the lawsuit filed by the family of former coach Joe Paterno and other former players seeking to overturn NCAA sanctions against the football program for the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal.
- Local baseball in brief 6/18/2013
-
Hawkeyes product Ihm pulls away from field for Sunnehanna victory
When NCAA runner-up Rick Lamb made four birdies over a six-hole stretch during the fourth round of the 60th Sunnehanna Amateur Tournament for Champions, he couldn’t help but notice every time he looked at the leaderboard, Lamb failed to pare down his deficit.
When Cory Whitsett, who recently helped Alabama win a national championship and was competing in his third Sunnehanna Amateur, birdied Nos. 3 and 4 Sunday morning, the fast start wasn’t one to savor.
Lamb’s inability to make a move and Whitsett’s lack of optimism can directly be attributed to one thing – the steady, patient play of Steven Ihm. - More Sports Headlines
-
Selecao fever hits Brazilian city of Fortaleza
Authorities search Aaron Hernandez's home
LeBron: Best game I've ever been a part of
Allen: Lucky to hit my spot
Recap: Miami's Game 6 victory
Ginobili: We let go
Spoelstra: 'Game 7' the best two words in sports
Pop: Get on the bus for Game 7
Parker: We must bounce back
Duncan falters in second half of Game 6
Spurs' Popovich has no problem with Spurs' intensity
Police Question Aaron Hernandez In North Attleboro Death
Julien talks Stanley Cup Final
Quenneville: Game 4 is must-win
Fantasy Preview: Top 5 quarterbacks
Madden 25 looks better than ever
NBA Live is back in '14
Rask, Seidenberg talk Game 3 win
Bruins take 2-1 series lead
Morosi: Closers on the trade market
