NAHL hockey: RoadRunners zip past Avs

WASILLA — The Topeka RoadRunners wore down Alaska with 20 first-period shots and hammered the Avs with a pair goals within a 19-second span in the second period en route to skating to a 6-3 win over the Wasilla-based team at the Curtis C. Menard II Memorial Ice Arena on Wednesday.

Topeka (21-3-1) actually scored three times within 70 seconds of hockey.

With just 12 seconds remaining in the first period, Matt Hartmann scored to give Topeka the 1-0 lead. The RoadRunners padded that advantage just 37 seconds into the second with a Jordan George score, and Alec Hagaman gave Topeka the 3-0 lead with a goal just 19 seconds later.

It was the first of two Hagaman goals. Steve Shafer also scored twice in the third period for Topeka.

Alaska goaltender Dylan Woodring stopped a season-high 42 shots in the loss, including 19 in the first period.

The Avs were outshot 48-22 in the game and 20-5 in the first 20 minutes.

Ryan Kowal, Beau Braun and Daniel Hildbrandt scored for the Avs.

Kowal, who also had an assist, scored at the 1:35 mark of the second period to cut Topeka’s lead to 3-1. The Service High School product now has points in each of his last four games, collecting a goal and five assists during that stretch. He’s ranked second on the team in both scoring (6-10-16) and plus-minus rating (+9).

Braun scored his first power-play goal of the season midway through the third for Alaska, and Hildbrandt notched his first score as a member of the Avalanche with five minutes left in regulation.

Blueliner Shawn McNeely led Alaska with two assists.

Alaska continues its three-game series against Topeka tonight at the Menard Memorial Arena. The first puck is set to drop at 7 p.m. The teams also play on Saturday at 7 p.m.

— Jeremiah Bartz

Topeka 6, Alaska 2

Wednesday, Menard Arena

First period — 1. Topeka- Hartmann (Trousdale, Marx) 19:48.

Second period — 2. Topeka- George (Blazek) 0:37, 3. Topeka- Hagaman (Shafer, Paulazzo) 0:58, 4. Alaska- Kowal (Maly, McNeely) 1:35.

Third period — 5. Topeka- Shafer (Hartmann, George) pp 0:14, 6. Topeka- Hagaman (Blazek, Sundstedt) pp 9:00, 7. Alaska- Braun (Kinnebrew, Kowal) pp 14:02, 8. Alaska- Hildebrandt (McNeely) 15:16, 8. Topeka- Shafer (Paulazzo, Wolfgram) 16:17.

Shots on goal: Topeka 20-15-13—48, Alaska 5-10-7—22; Saves: Topeka- Merriam 5-9-5—19, Alaska- Woodring 19-13-10—42; Power plays: Topeka 2-for-7, Alaska 1-for-6; Penalties: Topeka 7-for-14, Alaska 7-for-14.