The Niagara Falls PowerHawks returned to action at the Hyde Park Ice Pavilion for a game Friday evening against the visiting Roc City Royals, skating away with a 6-2 victory. The PowerHawks will continue the weekend with a pair of home games against the Skylands Kings Saturday and Sunday. Game times are set for 6pm and 1pm, respectively.
Andrew Logar put the PowerHawks on the board very early with a goal only 31 seconds into the game that froze goaltender, Frederick Peters long enough to slip the puck past him. Evan Domiano and Spencer Hrynczak assisted on the tally. Roc City’s star, Brandon Corey, was able to skate around the defense and plant the puck in the back of the net to tie the game, 1-1. Coming with only 1:04 left in the first period, Spencer Norris assisted Corey.
Another quick goal to start the second period put Niagara Falls back in front. Matthew Minichiello, assisted by Brandon Tripi, beat Peters only 1:49 into the frame. Michael Olszewski extended the Power Hawks lead to 3-1 on a shorthanded goal at 10:17. Anthony Tomassi provided the lone assist. Stephen Minichiello added to the lead with another goal before the end of the period. Coming at 12:41, Tomassi and Logar assisted on the power play goal.
Brandon Corey showed that knack for finding the back of the net in the third period when he netted his second goal at 3:59. Spencer Norris once again assisted on a Corey goal. Matthew Minichiello scored a power play goal off a a disciplined cycle around the net at 10:38. Minichiello slammed it into the net off the pass from his brother, Steven and Brandon Tripi. The PowerHawks cemented the win with Mitch Thornton’s rocket shot at 17:29. Tripi assisted on the play.
Kris Augustine earned the win in net for the PowerHawks, while Frederick Peters took the loss for the Royals. The Royals are headed to Oswego for a game Saturday against the Stampede. They will then return home for a match up Sunday against that same Oswego squad.
With two power play goals, the Niagara Falls PowerHawks continue to be successful with the extra man. With a 32% conversion rate, the PowerHawks sit in 9th place in the NA3HL on the power play. They are also ranked fifth in the league with 11 shorthanded tallies.