DECATUR, Ill. – Both the Metro Jets and MJDP teams picked up four points over the weekend with sweeps, the Jets on home ice at Mount Clemens Ice Arena and the MJDP on the road in Decatur.
The MJDP topped the Decatur Blaze 5-1 Saturday night and then 10-4 Sunday afternoon at the Decatur Civic Center.
“We came here for four points, and we did just that,” Jets associate head coach Jamie Lovell said. “Wasn’t pretty at times, but when you put 15 goals on your opponent in two games on the road, you can’t be too upset. We made some nice plays but also took advantage of Decatur’s mistakes yesterday and today.”
Saturday night, Stone Bishop, Steven Miller, Sam Westerberg, Nolan Bruxvoort and Carson Finney scored to back Freddy Soderberg’s 24 saves in goal.
Auston Combs chipped in a pair of assists while Westerberg and Bruxvoort added one assist each for multi-point games.
In the finale Sunday, Finney tallied two goals and an assist, Combs and Owen Ott each scored twice, and Ethan Ryan stopped 24 shots between the pipes.
Miller had a goal and two assists, Kade Bacon and Jonathan Martin registered three assists each, and Alex Blankenship and Nick Twombley tacked on a goal and an assist apiece. Bruxvoort also scored and Tommy Purton added two helpers.
“We are in a tough race with Chicago for top spot in the division, so we need to make sure we’re focused and playing the right way, especially against teams that are below us in the standings,” said Lovell. “Not taking anything away from Decatur, but we know that when pay attention to the details and match our opponent’s work ethic that we should be on the winning end of games most nights.”
The Jets, after falling to the Charlotte Rush in their last game of the Islanders Hockey Club Showcase back on Nov. 20 to snap their 20-game winning streak, defeated the Lake Erie Bighorns 8-1 Saturday night and then 10-3 Sunday afternoon.
Chad Noetzel and Josh German each posted two goals and an assist in the opener, while Andreas Fleutot and Cristian Adragna each had a goal and an assist and Devon Mastay, Alex Schaumburger, Dakota Kott and Kam Hellman all rang up two assists to back Will Augustine’s 15 saves in goal.
“Losing to Charlotte the last game of the showcase was a tough one, but we battled back here to get the two points,” German said. “It was a good way to bounce back.”
Anders Grongstad and Alex Bedenko also scored in the win.
Sunday afternoon, Fleutot went for a goal and four assists, Patrick Hays and Bedenko each recorded two goals and an assist, and Chad Noetzel and Ryan Messing added a goal and two assists each.
Austin Ieuter scored once with an assist, Schaumburger and Hellman scored, and Grongstad and Herman Ahokas chipped in three assists each.
“Overall, we controlled both games and dictated the play throughout,” Jets coach-GM Justin Quenneville said. “Obviously a few areas in each game we weren’t thrilled about, whether it was complacency or decision making at times. We addressed it and will be better, but we will take the four points and focus on our big games this week. I know our guys are excited and prepared.”
Daniel Miscavish started in goal and played the first period before giving way to Isaac Hayes, who played the last two periods.
The MJDP hosts the Detroit Fighting Irish at Mount Clemens Friday night at 7:30 p.m. before heading to Redford to play the Motor City Hockey Club Saturday at 4:10 p.m. from the Redford Ice Arena.
The Jets have a home-and-home series with the Toledo Cherokee, starting Friday night at the Team Toledo Ice House at 7 p.m. and wrapping Saturday in Mount Clemens at 4:45 p.m.
All USPHL games are available on HockeyTV.com.
