Mason City, IA- The Mason City Toros completed a three game sweep with a 7-5 victory over the defending Fraser Cup Champion Granite City Lumberjacks on Sunday night. The win improves the Toros’ record to 6-2 and positions them in second place behind the Rochester Grizzlies with 12 points.
Mason City put only five shots on goal in the first period, but three of them found twine. After TJ Lepisto opened the scoring 1:46 into the game for the Lumberjacks, Alexandria, VA, native Bryan Wiggins tucked his first goal of the season into the twine 6:17 in to even the scoring at one-apiece. Only 5:26 later, Edan Cho returned Granite City to the lead and scored his second goal of the season. The lead did not hold. Marcus Fritel tied the game with a shot from just behind the goal line that snuck through goaltender Sam Schowalter to knot the score even with three minutes left in the frame. In the last two minutes, Aaron Sawicki ripped home his fourth goal of the season to give Mason City a lead they would not surrender.
Anyon Bennett took the Granite City net for the second period and also allowed three goals in the frame. Dominic Thomas recorded two of the three, one early in the frame and one with less than a minute to play. The two goals improved his weekend scoring total to five points, following on a goal and two assist performance on Saturday night. Jordan Newpower added the other tally in the period.
Carson Strapon got a goal for Granite City to keep the game in striking distance in the second period. The Lumberjacks then outshot the Toros 8-6 in the final stanza and potted a goal with 16 seconds left in the game. Ashton Ericksen did the honors. Granite City got no closer. Zach Laurilla notched the empty netter to cap the scoring at 7-5 and secure Mason City’s fifth consecutive victory.
Drew Blake stopped 23 of 28 shots in the Toros’ net.
The Lumberjacks’ goaltending tandem of Schowalter and Bennett faced 22 shots and stopped 16 of them.
David Loahr recorded three assists to bring his weekend and season scoring total to five points.
The Toros hit the road next weekend, with their second series against the Alexandria Blizzard. Puck drops at the Runestone Community Center on Friday, October 13th, and on Saturday October 14th at 7:10 PM.