9/11/26 Sheridan 3 @ Badlands 5 – The Badlands Sabres looked to protect their home ice in a matchup against the Sheridan Hawks. The opening game of the season started with both teams exchanging minutes on the power play. The night would be defined by a series of penalties on both sides. The tension was broken by Bentley Michalak scoring the Sabres’ first goal of the year. Michalak’s goal was the difference maker in the first period, as both teams saw numerous attacking opportunities. The Hawks held a 10-8 lead in shots going into the first intermission. The Sabres stayed on the attack after the break. Oliver Giles found the back of the net at the start of the second period with an even-strength goal. Giles would then score a second consecutive goal to give the Sabres a three-goal lead. The Sabres stayed on the attack for the first half of the second period, but the Hawks’ offense looked to strengthen as the period progressed. The late second frame saw many penalties from each side, but Sheridan was the first to capitalize on the power play. Max Kreuger scored late in the second period on a five-on-three power play. Kreuger’s goal was immediately followed by an even-strength goal by his teammate, Rex Rider, less than two minutes later. The Sabres wasted no time getting back on the board in the third period. Rhylan Olson scored a four-on-four goal to kick off the third period less than a minute into the frame. The Sabres thrived on defense in the third frame, limiting Sheridan to four shots. The final minutes saw an empty-net goal scored by Sabres’ Gavin Compomizzi-Koehler. The game concluded with a last-second goal by Hawks’ Caden Gleason, cutting the Sabres’ lead to two. The Sabres won this penalty-filled game 5-3 and will face off with the Hawks again on Saturday night for game two.
9/12/26 Sheridan 4 @ Badlands 3 (OT) – The Sheridan Hawks take a road win in overtime fashion thanks to late-game scoring. The contest opened with the Hawks lighting the lamp four minutes into the frame when Max Krueger found twine. In the final 30 seconds of the opening period, Rhylan Olson for the Sabres scored short-handed to even the score moving into the middle frame. The second period featured the Sabres gaining the lead with another short-handed tally, this time by Dayton Niedert seven minutes into the period. The Hawks would respond in the final two minutes of the middle period when Jarek Solak nets his first of the contest. As the game moved into the final period of regulation, the Sabres would quickly take the lead once again. Jackson Hepper nets his first of the season while on the man advantage for Badlands. That lead would be eliminated once again, this time with Lucas Paliwodzinski scoring for the Hawks. As the game was forced into an extra frame, the Hawks would skate to a victory thanks to an unassisted tally by Tate Haugenoe.
Article courtesy of na3hl.com