PHN photo essay: Americans miss chance to gain on Wichita

ALLEN, Texas – The Laredo Bucks defeated the Allen Americans by a score of 4-1 on Friday, night in front of a crowd of 5,397 at the Allen Event Center.
 
Neither team could get much going in the first as the two teams combined for 12 shots, with the Bucks owning eight of them. The Americans had one power play in the first period that only managed one shot. The lone highlight of the first frame came in the way of Trevor Hendrikx, Justin Styffe fight, that brought back memories of the physical five game set between the two teams in January.
 
The Bucks drew first blood in the second period when defenseman Greg Moore beat Marco Cousineau on a one-timer from the left side to make it 1-0 Laredo. The Bucks would score twice more in the second, both off of the stick of Laredo forward Ryan Sparling, who netted two goals, 35 seconds apart.
 
The Americans would cut the lead to two in the third when Jarret Lukin took a feed from Jason Deitsch in front of the Laredo net; Lukin’s backhander beat Ryan Rondeau to make it 3-1Bucks. However the night belonged Laredo forward Ryan Sparling, who scored his third of the night into the empty Allen net, at 18:35 of the final period. The Bucks would go on to a 4-1 victory and it would be Laredo’s fourth win at the Allen Event Center this season
 
The loss keeps the Americans three points behind first place Wichita who lost to Evansville on Friday night.
 
The Americans travel to Laredo on Saturday night to complete the home and home set.
 

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