LA CROSSE, Wis. – After a dramatic overtime victory Friday night in Rochester, the Grizzlies kept the game in regulation today, defeating the Coulee Region Chill 4-3.
Friday night’s game saw a goal just 61 seconds in off the stick of Joey Fodstad. The first period tonight would yield no goals for either team with shots only being 6-5 in favor of the visiting Grizzlies (17-6-0-0).
Fodstad, however, would open the scoring in the second period. He would score his third goal in two games at the 5:58 mark of the second period. The goal is his 12th of the season. Brock Hildrenbrand and Vladsilav Sorokin picked up the assists. Thomas Magnavite continued his hot play against Rochester as he would score his 18th of the season at 10:22 of the second.
Rochester would control play the rest of the period, adding two more goals. Matt DeRosa scored on back-to-back nights, firing a power play goal past Coulee Region goalie Devin Naidow at 13:06 of the second. Logan Olson and Seth Bacon tallied the assists. Lucas Newman would jump in on the action, knocking home a loose puck at 16:57 of the second. Peyton Hart and Bacon assisted on Newman’s seventh goal of the season.
The Chill would make it a one-goal game at 3:43 of the third period with Brady Lindauer picking up his 17th goal of the season. Neither team would score for the next 12:03 until Sorokin picked up his 22nd on a partial breakaway. This came after he took two penalties prior to the goal. Colin Mehren picked up the primary assist on a nice feed to spring Sorokin. Newman added the other assist.
Magnavite would cut the lead to 4-3 with two minutes to go.
Nick Bucklin picked up his second win in as many days against the Chill.
This marks the last game for the Grizzlies prior to the NA3HL showcase in Blaine, MN. The showcase takes place from Dec. 16-18. Rochester starts the showcase Sunday the 16th against the Oswego Stampede at 4:15pm.
Rochester also plays Monday the 17th at 1pm against the New England Stars and Tuesday the 18th at 1:30pm against the Peoria Mustangs.