Albuquerque, NM– The Wranglers ended up on the wrong side of a 5-to-2 game Friday night against the New Mexico Ice Wolves.
The Ice Wolves would open the scoring with a JD Metz deflection that beat Luca Ganz at 7:35 of the first period. After Rihards Simanovics hit the post with a shot, New Mexico would get some puck luck when Caden Benson scored a short-handed goal from his zone. New Mexico would add to their lead late with more puck luck after a pass went off Will Howard’s skate and into the net.
New Mexico would add to their lead halfway through the second period when the Ice Wolves’ transition led to a Sully Scholle goal after being set up by Benson. New Mexico would get a few more power-play chances, but Ganz would come up with big saves to keep the deficit at four. Amarillo would get their second opportunity on the man advantage late in the period. Rihards Simanovics would notch his sixth goal on the power play after being set up by Dominik Bartecko. Amarillo would head into the third period, still trailing by three.
The Ice Wolves would get a five-minute power-play to start the third after Zack Kent got assessed a game misconduct early in the period. New Mexico would add to their lead late in the power play to open up a 5-to-1 lead. Amarillo would get one back late in the game when Jack Ivey scored a short-handed goal with under two minutes to go.
Amarillo falls to 7-3-0-1 on the season and will look to split the weekend series Saturday at 7:30 p.m. central time.