LOCKPORT, N.Y. – All three Metro Jets teams hit the road this past weekend for eight games – three each played by the MJDP against the Chicago Cougars and Metro Jets Elite teams and two by the Jets against the Bearcat Hockey Club.
After all the buzzers sounded, the trio came home with six out of eight wins.
Starting out Friday at the Summit Ice Center in Lockport, Ill., the Jets Elite defeated the Cougars Elite team 8-1.
Grady Smith posted two goals and an assist, Graysen LaPrise a goal and an assist, and goalie Brendan Dreisbach made 14 saves.
Jarrett LaGrow, Connor Wheeler, Dimitry Aksenov, Ronnie Lubbers and Jayson Shores added goals, and Tyler Dix, Scott Dewar and Braden Graham recorded two assists each.
Nathan Galvan scored the lone goal for the Cougars and Itamar David and Ayden Wagner combined on 47 saves in the Cougars’ crease.
Also Friday at the Summit Ice Center, the Cougars downed the MJDP 5-4.
Alex Fournier scored two goals, Donald Pratt and Thomas LeBlanc one each, and Ben McClaine and Paulius Uzusienis chipped in two assists apiece.
Goaltender Cam Cyrus stopped 31 shots.
Nazar Yakubyak had a goal and an assist for the Cougars, while Kaden McElroy, Spencer Kauke, Tyler Rentner and William Minarik scored one each.
Charles Domaracki posted three assists, Ryan Luchsinger two helpers, and Aidan Wysoglad made 22 saves.
Saturday, the Jets Elite kicked off the day with an 8-3 win over the Cougars.
Lubbers registered three goals and an assist, Aksenov went for a goal and two assists, and Gavin Otto tacked on a goal and an assist.
Smith, Max Lee and Ethan Laurain scored goals, Aidan RaCosta, Graham and Dewar had two assists apiece, and Jesse Lee made 13 saves in goal.
For Chicago, Nick Donarski, Brody Luzbetak and Dominik Kocman scored and goaltenders Cooper Adams and Michael Poulik made 58 saves.
The MJDP then rebounded for a 4-2 win over the Cougars.
Cory Anderson popped two goals and Clovis Gamelin and Lucas Benavides scored one goal each. Aidan Rebone collected two assists.
Logan D’Andrea finished with 22 saves between the pipes.
Kauke scored the two goals for Chicago and Wysoglad turned aside 18 shots.
Wrapping up Saturday, the Jets knocked off the Bearcats 4-1 at Cornerstone CFCU Arena in Lockport, N.Y., a Buffalo suburb.
Sutton Majeske had a goal and an assist, Gabe Outman, Tyler Fleming and AJ Zaccagni one goal each, and Jakub Obzera made 15 saves in net.
Nathan Dunn had the Beracats goal and goalie Deagan Rathburn stopped 39 shots.
On Sunday, the Jets Elite notched the weekend sweep with a 7-3 win over Chicago.
LaPrise tallied two goals and an assist, Smith two goals and an assist, and Lee made seven saves for the win in goal.
Lubbers, Graham and RaCosta all had a goal and an assist. Aksenov tacked on two helpers.
For the Cougars, Galvan posted a goal and an assist and Eric Alcazar and Junior VanderVelpen added goals as Wagner collected 74 saves.
“This weekend was a business trip and we treated it that way,” said Jets associate coach Danny Vanderwiel. “Our guys did a great job executing things we worked on this past week. If we continue to play that way down the stretch, I think we will be happy with the results. Looking forward to getting back to work this week.”
The MJDP suffered a 3-0 setback to the Cougars Sunday as goalie Charles Donoghue stopped all 27 shots fired his way.
Kauke, McElroy and Cameron Twadell scored for the Cougars.
Arnaud Paradis made 24 saves between the pipes in the loss.
“Winning on the road is never easy at this level and we experienced that firsthand this weekend,” Jets associate coach Jake Howie said. “The guys played well Friday night, but we shot ourselves in the foot with penalties. Saturday was our most complete game and came away with two points. Sunday, we just came out a little asleep and dug a hole that wasn’t recoverable. We got better as the game went on, but you need to compete for 60 minutes if you want to get the job done.”
For the Jets on Sunday, Alessandro Evangelista and Aidan Charron scored and Philip Hall made 13 saves in net as the Jets earned the sweep with a 2-1 win.
Derek Johnson tallied the Bearcat goal and Rathburn finished with 46 saves.
“I think we would have liked a better offensive output, but any time you can go on the road for two games and come home with four points is a good weekend,” Jets associate head coach Jamie Lovell. “Credit to our goaltending for staying focused and making the key save when we needed them to. It’s not easy to play in games like this with long stretches between shots, but ‘OB’ and ‘Philly’ were up to the task.”
ON TAP
Metro Jets
Feb. 7 – Toledo Cherokee, 7 p.m., Team Toledo Ice House
MJDP
Feb. 5 – Chicago Cougars, 3 p.m., Mount Clemens Ice Arena
Feb. 6 – Chicago Cougars, 2:30 p.m., Mount Clemens Ice Arena
Feb. 7 – Chicago Cougars, 4:45 p.m., Mount Clemens Ice Arena
Metro Jets Elite
Feb. 5 – Chicago Cougars, 12 p.m., Mount Clemens Ice Arena
Feb. 6 – Chicago Cougars, 11:30 a.m., Mount Clemens Ice Arena
Feb. 7 – Chicago Cougars, 1:45 p.m., Mount Clemens Ice Arena
All USPHL games are available at BlackBearSports.tv.
Photo/Beverly Buchinger
