Jett Jones (10) cuts into the zone against Wichita during the final series of the regular season. Jones opened the ECHL Kelly Cup playoffs by scoring four times in one period in Tahoe’s Game 1 win over Wichita.
Photo by Ron Harpin.
After three consecutive losses to the Wichita Thunder to conclude the regular season, it seemed like the odds may be stacked against the Tahoe Knight Monsters, who opened the playoffs against the Thunder.
The Thunder won the season series 4-1-1 and concluded the regular season by sweeping Tahoe on their home ice, jumping the Knight Monsters for the higher seed.
Saturday, the Knight Monsters showed they had no plans to roll over with a 6-1 road win over Wichita in Game 1.
Sunday, Tahoe proved it is actually the heavy favorite, doubling up on its domination with an 8-1 win in Game 2.
The back-to-back beat downs puts the Knight Monsters in the driver’s seat of their first ECHL playoff series and gives Tahoe a chance to punch its ticket to the second round at home this coming week.
Game 3 is Wednesday night (7 p.m.) at the Tahoe Events Center while Game 4 and Game 5 will be Friday (7:30 p.m.) and Saturday (7:30 p.m.), respectively.
GAME ONE
Jett Jones’ play in the second period may live in ECHL lore. It certainly won’t be forgotten by Tahoe anytime soon.
The 22-year-old from Olds, Alberta had scored twice before the Thunder could get on the board Saturday.
Jones’ second goal gave Tahoe a 3-0 lead midway through the second period.
Wichita did answer with a goal later in the period, but Jones added two more before intermission. He finished the game with four goals, all in the second period.
Bear Hughes recorded the game opening and first ECHL Kelly Cup playoff goal in Tahoe Knight Monsters history. Simon Pinard and Sloan Stanick were on the assists.
With three seconds remaining in the second period, Logan Nelson put Tahoe’s sixth goal in the back of the net, courtesy of assist from Patrick Newell and Isaac Johnson.
Stanick, Newell and Johnson all ended the game with two assists apiece.
In net, Jesper Vikman put together a .969 save percentage with 32 saves and one goal allowed.
Wichita outshot Tahoe, 33-24.
GAME TWO
There were 20 competitive minutes in the second game of the series Sunday with the two sides knotted at 1-1 after the first period.
By the end of the second, Tahoe led, 3-1. The Knight Monsters tallied five goals in the third to run away with an 8-1 win.
Vikman was excellent again in net, saving 29 of 30 shots faced.
The Knight Monsters peppered the Thunder with 44 shots.
Joe Fleming tallied a pair of goals for the Knight Monsters, scoring the first and last goals of the game.
In-between, Tahoe had six goals from six players, including Isaac Johnson and Logan Nelson, who both finished the contest with a goal and two assists.
After two games, Jones is tied for the ECHL postseason lead with six points (four goals, two assists). Vikman is second in save percentage (.968), trailing only Thomas Milic of the Norfolk Admirals, who has posted two shutouts.
(Tahoe goalie Jesper Vikman goes behind the net to play the puck against the Wichita Thunder in the regular-season finale. Vikman limited the Thunder to one goal in both of the first two games of the postseason series. / Ron Harpin)