ROCHESTER, Minn. – With points in their last five contests, the Rochester Grizzlies look to extend that streak against the top team in the Central Division, the West Bend Power.
The Grizzlies are coming off a gutsy 2-1 win over the Alexandria Blizzard on Thanksgiving Eve, backed by a 29-save performance from Kyle Lappi.
The Rochester native now has 103 saves on 111 shots (.928 SV%) across his last three contests, thriving in his return from injury.
Meanwhile, the Power have won 12 straight games, with their last loss coming on Oct. 11 against the Mason City Toros.
This will be the fourth and fifth meeting between these two squads this season, with West Bend taking each of the first three contests on the road, outscoring Marty Raymond’s squad 13-8.
On the black and gold side, Konnor Goclan has been heating up as of late, with points in seven of his last nine games, including back-to-back games with a tally.
The defense has stepped up majorly in November, averaging just 2.6 goals against per game since Nov. 8.
It hasn’t been easy sledding for Rochester, however, with each of the last six contests being one-score affairs, and the Grizzlies holding a 4-1-1 record in those games.
This series is a tale of two opposites, with West Bend’s offense scoring at a scorching pace in November, averaging 6.9 goals per game on its climb to the top of the Central Division.
The Power are paced by Jace Jordan, whose 30 points are atop the Central Division, and Danny Jurcich, who leads the division with 20 apples.
Strength in numbers is the name of the game for West Bend, with 13 players already eclipsing double-digit points as opposed to eight players on the Grizzlies.
A crucial four points are on the line this weekend, and with the Grizzlies just four points out of second place in the division, every shift will be crucial as the NA3HL Showcase looms near.