Ice Dawgs Improve To 10-2 Beat Fusion in Flathead

The High School Ice Dawgs won two on the road in Flathead this past weekend, improving their record to 10-2. Glasgow defeated the Fusion 7-1 Friday night and 5-4 Saturday morning in an overtime thriller. The Dawgs sit in second place in the Big Sky High School League, behind Miles City, 12-0, and ahead of Great Falls, 10-4, and Missoula, 9-2.

The Dawgs struck first and early Friday night. Flathead sent a player to the sin bin in the first minute of play, opening up the ice for the Dawgs’ Bode Barnett, assist Connor Koski, put a puck past the Fusion netminder just 1:50 into the game. Glasgow’s special team’s dominated the first period. Captain Michael Hoyer scored a PPG with 9:31 left in the first.

Then the penalty kill line showed off more than defensive skills. Barnett netted a shortie with an assist from Hoyer 33 seconds later with Lex Fairclough in the penalty box for interference. Flathead put a puck past Dawgs’ goalie Aidin Wilkowski on a Fusion power play with Hoyer in the box for tripping. Glasgow’s man-advantage line answered just over a minute-and-a-half later when Aiden Price put a puck in net with an assist from Peyton Hubbard.

Special teams earned a break in the second period as neither team drew a penalty. That did not stop Glasgow from putting up two more goals. Sam Knierim scored with 5:28 remaining before the intermission and Koski scored just over a minute later with help from Barnett.

The Dawgs finished the game with another even-strength goal. Tristan Powell netted Glasgow’s seventh goal 45 seconds into the final period with an assist from Price.

Flathead was called for seven penalties resulting in 22 minutes while Glasgow racked up 24 minutes on eight penalties. The Fusion went 1-for-8 on the man advantage while the Dawgs converted on 3-of-7 power plays.

Dillon Hughes, interference; Zevin Kummerfeldt, interference; Fairclough, interference; Hoyer, tripping; Charlie Cornwell, interference, and Hughes, holding, all took involuntary seats in the first. Fairclough drew a 2-and-10 for checking to the head/neck in the third after Glasgow turned in a clean second period.

Wilkowski turned away 18 shots on his net for a 94.7 save percentage. Glasgow’s offense dominated puck control with 54 shots on Flathead’s goal.

Flathead found their offense the following day, taking a 3-1 lead in the first period. The Fusion struck first just 23 seconds into the second game. Hoyer tied the game with help from Cornwell with 5:26 left in the period, but the Fusion pulled ahead just under three minutes later.

Glasgow’s offense fired up in the second with three straight goals before Flathead answered. Barnett kicked off the action 1:22 into the second on a power play with an assist from Cornwell. Barnett added another goal with 9:05 remaining before the intermission to give Glasgow the lead. Hubbard put in an insurance goal just under a minute later with an assist from Powell, but Flathead cut the Dawgs’ lead in half with under 5 minutes left in the second.

The Fusion scored the only goal of the third period to send the game to extra time.

With an extra 5 on the clock, the game went to 3-on-3 sudden death. Tatum Hansen, Hoyer and Barnett started the extra period for Glasgow. Barnett ended the OT just 34 seconds in.

Glasgow went 3-for-5 on power plays while shutting down all five of the Fusion’s man-advantages. The Dawgs drew six penalties for 14 minutes. The Fusion also had six penalties, drawing 12 minutes.

Glasgow played a clean first period. Barnett sat for both hooking and interference in the second. Cornwell, roughing and tripping; Hansen, unsportsmanlike conduct – double minor, and Mason Hunter, roughing, all took seats in the sin bin in the third period.

Puck control, as reflected in the score, was more evenly balanced in game two with Glasgow putting up 29 shots and Flathead putting 24 pucks on net. Jacob Potter, between the pipes for Glasgow, turned away 20 shots for an 83.3 save percentage.

The Ice Dawgs are on the road this weekend to take on the Americans in Great Falls. The second-ranked Dawgs play the third-ranked Americans at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 20 and again at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 21.

The Bantam Ice Dawgs will be in Helena for games against the Bighorns at 4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 21 and 7 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 22.