PITTSBURGH – The Metro Jets’ offense was in full force over the weekend as the team swept the Pittsburgh Vengeance at the Alpha Ice Complex.
Alex Schaumburger posted two hat tricks in the wins and now sits third in the USPHL Premier with 19 goals and sixth with 34 points.
“The first game, we came out slow but then started to pick it up later in the game,” said Jets assistant coach Tina Ciraulo. “We need to make sure we come out hard and work hard every game, every period. Pittsburgh plays hard and fights to the end even with the short bench that they have.
“Second game, we played much better. We looked more like a team. When we play hard, handle pucks, and play like a team, it’s fun to watch.”
Sunday afternoon, Schaumburger’s hat trick went along with a goal and an assist from Nick Ceccarini and Cristian Adragna and single goals from Matt Cole, Ryan Messing, Seth Francois and Patrick Hays in a 10-1 victory.
“It felt great to pop another on the ‘D’ side of things,” said Hays. “We work on plays like that in practice and I just stayed patient and snuck in back door and buried when I had the chance.”
Anders Grongstad and Andreas Fleutot each chipped in two assists and Will Augustine finished with 18 saves between the pipes.
“We knew coming in that we had to take it to them,” said Hays. “It was a great weekend with ups and downs per usual. It was a really good team effort this weekend. Everybody on the roster chipped in one way or another. We’re happy to get the four points and get back and refocus this upcoming week.”
In the opener Saturday night, Schaumburger’s three goals and Louis-Pierre Fortier’s 23 saves in goal led the Jets to a 6-2 win.
“It was an OK game, one of our slower games this season, but we were able to play through a little adversity and finish out the game,” Schaumburger said. “The hat trick felt good, but obviously all praise goes to my teammates who were on the ice with me because without them, none of those opportunities would be created.”
Cole, Herman Ahokas and Chad Noetzel also scored with Joey Carpenter and Dakota Kott collecting two assists apiece.
The Jets play next Saturday at home, hosting the Columbus Mavericks at 4:30 p.m. from Mount Clemens Ice Arena before going on the road to play the Wooster Oilers Sunday at the Alice Noble Ice Arena with a 4:30 p.m. puck drop.
In other weekend action, the MJDP suffered two losses at home to the Chicago Cougars at Mount Clemens Ice Arena.
Friday night, Steven Miller and Aidan Shannon scored and Freddy Soderberg made 26 saves in a 5-2 defeat.
Then Saturday afternoon, Stone Bishop had a goal and an assist, Austin Combs and Nick Twombley scored, and Mason Kelly and Ethan Ryan combined to stop 28 shots in a 6-3 setback.
The MJDP next plays a home-and-home series next weekend with the Fort Wayne Spacemen, starting at Mount Clemens Friday night at 7:30 p.m. and wrapping at the SportONE/Parkview Icehouse on Saturday at 8:30 p.m.
All USPHL games are available on HockeyTV.com.
