FORT WAYNE, Ind.- In a thrilling rematch to Sunday's 7-3 loss to Fort Wayne, the Chicago Crush Premier unit set out to even the score in the second game of their road series. And boy, did they ever deliver an electrifying performance at the SportONE/Parkview Icehouse on Monday!
The first period opened with Fort Wayne Spacemen striking first, courtesy of Mangan's power-play goal at 13:25, assisted by Cheeney and Cothron. A penalty-ridden period saw some intense moments, with Lukowiak from Fort Wayne slashing and Ryan Brown from Chicago with a cross-checking penalty.
But the second period was where the tide began to turn. Chicago Crush's Adyn Konchar, assisted by Nick Zehelein and Caden Day, found the back of the net on a power play at 17:05. With penalties flying left and right, the Spacemen's Lacey received a major for boarding and a game misconduct in a heated exchange, while Lukowiak and Ryan Hammer got into some rough stuff as well.
The third period, undoubtedly the most critical, saw the Chicago Crush rise to the occasion. Nick Zehelein, assisted by Brennan Cazel and Adyn Konchar, seized an opportunity on a power play just 2 minutes and 22 seconds in. The energy in the arena was palpable as the Crush held on to their lead.
In the end, it was a hard-fought victory for the Chicago Crush, with a final score of 2-1 in their favor. The team showed immense resilience and determination to come back from Sunday's disappointment. Crush starting goaltender, Jack Sundhall, was a wall, stopping 33 out of 34 shots faced. Zinchenko of the Spacemen put up a valiant effort, with 29 saves on 31 shots.
In the words of Gavyn Polomchak, "The first half wasn't our best game but after that, we dug in and outworked." It was that relentless effort that ultimately paid off for the Crush.
Adyn Konchar echoed the sentiment, saying, "They played us tough from the start, but we capitalized on our chances and got the win." The team's ability to seize opportunities was truly remarkable.
Joey Gruber summed it up perfectly, "We played hard, played our game and didn't let our emotions get the best of us, and that helped us get the win." Their composure under pressure and their resilience made the difference in this thrilling contest.
Having split the road series, the Chicago Crush Premier unit heads home with renewed confidence and momentum, ready to take on the challenges that lie ahead in their promising season. Chicago fans have every reason to be excited as their team continues to prove to be a force to be reckoned with in the league.
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