Topeka RoadRunners go undefeated over weekend

As the season gets into gear, the Topeka

RoadRunners are coming together as a

team and are growing day by day. And

the numbers are showing just that. With

eight wins and only two losses, the team

is on fire.

This past weekend the RoadRunners

once again took it to the ice with the

Amarillo Bulls, winning both games of

the weekend.

In the first game on Saturday, forward

Willie Brown made a shot to the back of

the net with 11:05 left in the first period.

The next shot of the night, made by

forward Mike Gornall ,made the score

2-0 with 4:53 left on the clock in the

second period.

“We are still youthful in our season,”

said head coach Scott Langer. “We have

to continue to play the game.

“I thought the teams played hard. We

made a couple plays that made goals.”

Unfortunately the game did not end in

a shutout with an Amarillo goal scored

in the third period with 11:00 remaining

in the game, ending the game 2-1,

RoadRunners.

“Our goal is to keep them at two shots

or below and our guys did a good job at

keeping it that way,” said Langer.

During the game on Sunday, the

RoadRunners picked up their defense

and held off the Bulls during a two

man penalty kill, leaving just three

RoadRunners on the ice during the first

period.

In the first period, forward Dominic

Lutz, who is new to the team this year,

made his first goal of the season with

7:30 remaining.

“Whenever a rookie contributes to the

team it’s huge,” said Willie Brown. “They

are always working hard no matter what,

so to see that from that, it’s just fabulous.

I love it.”

Amarillo, however made a comeback

in the last minute of the period, tying the

score at 1-1.

In the second period, another Runner

new to the team got the puck into the

back of the net. Forward Carlos Fornaris

scored on the Bulls with 6:49 left on the

clock.

Brown then made the score 3-1,

slipping the puck into the left corner of

the net with 2:28 left in the second period.

“I thought our guys provided some

push offensively which allowed our

defense to play their game,” said Langer.

“I don’t think we gave up any big monster

chances like we did last night.”

Amarillo, desperate to get more points

on the scoreboard, swept one last puck

past the Runners’ goalie during a power

play in the third period with 12:15

remaining, finalizing the score 3-2,

RoadRunners.

“It’s the team that does a good job at

hydrating and goes home and takes care

of their body because it is a short turn

around,” said Langer. “Those are the

guys who are going to do well.”

“Before the season we set goals so we

can reach them during the game to help

win the game,” said Brown. “Tonight we

did a fantastic job of blocking shots and

no shots went to [the goalie] Volger, so

he probably had an easy night tonight.”