Odessa, TX – The Amarillo Wranglers fell to the Odessa Jackalopes on Sunday afternoon by the final score of 6-3. This game marked the third road game for the Wranglers in three days and the second in less than 24 hours.
The Wranglers and Jackalopes met for the third time this season with both teams picking up an overtime victory in Amarillo earlier in the year. Luca Ganz made his sixth start of the season between the pipes for the Wranglers, while Maksim Bely started in goal for the Jackalopes.
Odessa’s Braden Pietilla opened the scoring 6:55 into the first period on a shot from the left circle. John Christen and Michael Kadlecik earned assists on the goal. Pietilla’s goal was the only goal of the first period, and no penalties occurred. Shots were 7-7 after one period.
The Jackalopes continued to score in the second period as 5:36 in James Richman scored from Dunn and Vardy to make it a 2-0 Jackalopes lead. Just about ten minutes later while the Wranglers were on the power play, Richman scored a shorthanded goal to extend the Jackalopes lead to 3-0 with 4:42 to go in the second frame. Back on the power play and looking for a response, the Wranglers scored with 3:04 remaining in the period to cut the deficit to 2. Luca Ganz made a brilliant play catching Odessa in the middle of a chance to find Jack McDonald up ice who then connected with Roman Zap streaking towards the goal for a tip-in tally. Zap’s goal made it 3-1 Jackalopes heading into the second intermission. Amarillo outshot Odessa 13-7 in the second period and led the shot count 20-14.
In the third period, Jack Ivey scored a power-play goal for the Wranglers to make it a 3-2 game. Ivey’s goal was his team-leading thirteenth of the year and a new NAHL career high – set in just 22 games. Odessa would respond with a goal from John Christen 2 minutes and 15 seconds later to restore Odessa’s two-goal lead. With the Wranglers down by two and the net open for the extra attacker, Christen scored an empty net goal to make it 5-3. The Wranglers weren’t backing down though, as Ben Ivey scored to make it 5-3 with about two minutes to go. So, the Wranglers pulled the goalie again for the extra attacker in hopes of scoring again, but another empty netter by Zach Benayon would settle the score at 6-3.
The Wranglers finished the weekend on the road picking up 3/6 standings points against El Paso and Odessa. Amarillo will be back in action on December 1st and 2nd when they visit NYTEX Sports Centre to take on the Lone Star Brahmas. You can watch on NATV or listen on YouTube.