Topeka Jacks Up Odessa 6-0
Topeka is a wonderful place to visit. Unless you’re a South Division opponent, apparently. The first three games of the 2013-2014 are in the books and it’s still a goose egg in the loss column for your Topeka RoadRunners as they notched their second straight shutout, this time against the Odessa Jackalopes, 6-0.
Wasting little time in the first period, Cash Seraphim took a feed from Jake Kamrass and punched it into the net, a goal which would ultimately be the game winner at 4:29. Seraphim added another less than four minutes later (assisted again by Kamrass and Mike Gornall) at 8:07, sending the boys into the intermission with a 2-0 edge. The RoadRunners had 16 shots on goal in the first period and were relentless around Odessa goalie Yoshihiro Kuroiwa all night, flinging 43 shots on the net all told.
Cody Champagne (assisted by Tyler Poulsen and Andrew Roye at 1:37), Roye (unassisted at 6:32), and Louis Dell Ermo (assisted by Michal Uhrik at 11:47) put the game out of reach in the second period and Roye would add his second goal of the night in the third (assisted by Tomas Nechala at 3:25) to put the exclamation point on what looked to be their most complete and dominating performance in this very young season. First-year RoadRunner Blake Wojtala was a brick wall against his former team, saving all 28 shots against him and posting his first shutout of the year.
“This group has been willing to learn from day one,” remarked Head Coach Scott Langer. “They continue to improve every day. We have a tough stretch ahead of us and we will need everyone chipping in.”
The RoadRunners take their act on the road, along with every other team in the league, for the NAHL Showcase in Blaine, MN. Starting Wednesday at 1:30pm, the Runners will take on the Wenatchee Wild in the first of four games in four days. Thursday they will take on Johnstown at 4:30pm, Friday it’s the Soo Eagles at 1:15pm, and Saturday they will wrap up the trip against the Aberdeen Wings. All of the games, and every game this season, will be broadcast live on Sports Radio 1490 AM and on iHeartRadio on your mobile device.
Topeka returns home on September 27th to take on the Springfield Jr Blues. Saturday night’s game will be Youth Jersey Night, brought to you by Pella Windows, Lynette Hudson State Farm Insurance, Vision Bank, and the Kansas Expocentre. And every time the RoadRunners get 5,000 people in the arena this season, one lucky fan will walk away $5,000 courtesy of Sharp Honda. For more information on tickets, call 785-286-PUCK or visit the Expocentre Box Office.