Fraser, MI – After being shutout the night before, Columbus had a strong offensive performance to take Game 2 of a three game series with a 5-2 win at Big Boy Arena.
The River Dragons (33-7-4) used its trademark suffocating forecheck and odd-man rushes to take control of the game in the second period building a lead that was started in the first period.
Midway through the opening frame with 9:50 left in the first period Alex Storjohann netted his first of the night, and 22nd of the season.
The puck was fired on net by Josh Labelle from the far side point that was turned away by Trevor Babin. Josh Petrantonio slid it into the slot where a crashing Storjohann sliced through the Rocker defense and put the puck in for a 1-0 lead.
Motor City (23-15-6) knotted the score up, 1-1, on the power play with 12:04 left in the second period, cashing in its only power play goal of the night.
Tommy Cardinal feathered a pass to Brad Reitter along the far boards. Reitter threaded the needle through a crowd in front of the net and found Nick Magill-Diaz for a one-timer on the far side post for his second of the weekend, and fourth of the season.
From then on, it was all River Dragons who regained the lead on a 5-on-3 with 6:31 left in the middle frame.
Storjohann cycled the puck back to the point to Labelle who pushed it to the nearside to Petrantonio. As a man was screening in front, Petrantonio fired a hard blast through the five-hole of Babin for a 2-1 lead and his 14th of the season.
The Rockers’ defense succumbed to the constant pressure of Columbus, as Motor City was only rotating five defensemen the whole night. The River Dragons smelt blood and went in for the kill.
With under three minutes to play in the 2nd period, Columbus had two breakaway goals, one by Petrantonio and the other by Jacob Kelly that were born off stretch passes that slipped behind the Rockers for a 4-1 lead after two.
Motor City got back on the board thanks to a rebound goal by Derek Makimaa on the nearside to pull within two, 4-2, with 8:21 to play in the third. But an empty net goal by Storjohann for his second of the night solidified a 5-2 win.
The rubber match of the weekend will be the lone game going on in the FPHL on Sunday at 2pm at Big Boy Arena.
by Ben Szilagy
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