Runners Sweep Rio, Move On To Amarillo
It took only three games for the RoadRunners to force a date with the defending NAHL Champion Amarillo Bulls.
Not that Rio Grande Valley made it easy in the end. The Killer Bees forced overtime for the second straight game
and once again fell to the Runners, this time by a score of 3-2 on their home ice.
A different hero has emerged in each game of this series and game three was no different as Jasen Fernsler scored
his second and third goals of this postseason including the game winner at 14:54 in overtime. Yu Hikosaka combined
with Fernsler to give the Runners a 2-0 lead in the first.
After a scoreless second, the Bees made their move, scoring at 3:31 off the blade of Dan Kucerovy. With less than
two minutes remaining in regulation, Evan Schmidbauer knotted the score at two-a-piece and sending the contest
into over time.
It was in sudden death overtime that Fernsler found the net again (assisted by Hikosaka and Cody Champagne),
sealing the victory for Topeka and securing a trip to Amarillo who defeated fourth-seeded
Wichita Falls on Friday night. On the series, Poulsen led the way offensively with a goal and four assists.
Jake Kamrass (two goals, one assist), Fernsler (three goals), and Hikosaka (one goal, two assists) each chimed in
three points. PJ Bridges collected three wins and allowed only four goals on 80 shots against.
The best-of-five series will begin in Amarillo against the Bulls on Friday, April 18th at 7:05p.m, and Saturday, April
19th at 7:05p.m. This will be the third time in four years that the RoadRunners and Bulls have met in the Division
Finals.
After Games One and Two, the series will move home to Landon Arena. Game Three will take place on Thursday,
April 24th at 7:05p.m, followed by Game Four on Friday, April 25th at 7:05p.m, if necessary. If the series is tied after
Game Four, the fifth game would be played in Amarillo on Monday April 28th at 7:05p.m.
The four Division Champions will then be seeded based on their regular season record. The #1 seed will play the #4
seed, while #2 faces #3 in a best-of-three series, with all games played at the home of the higher seed. The two
winners will face each other for the Robertson Cup. Last season, the Amarillo Bulls were the Robertson Cup
champions. The RoadRunners wrapped up their Semi-Final series with a sweep of the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees,
while Amarillo advanced by sweeping Wichita Falls. If the RoadRunners advance, they are guaranteed home ice for
the Semi-Final round of the Robertson Cup playoff.
Tickets for the South Division Finals can be purchased at the Kansas Expocentre Box Office. For more information
about these and other upcoming events, call 785-286-PUCK or visit the RoadRunners website at
www.topekaroadrunners.com.