NORTH RICHLAND HILLS, TX – Al Rooney departed for Sugar Land on Friday with a team that had won seven straight and returned with one that had won 10.
On Friday, after a scoreless first period, the team exploded for four goals in the first 5:18 of the second period. Mykyta Sheptytsky was responsible for two of them and Bryan Whelan and Chase Deacon accounted for the other two.
The third period began with a scare for the Brahmas when Sheptytsky was lined up and checked in the head by Imperials defenseman Griffen Eatchel. Eatchel was given a game misconduct and received a suspension for the check. Sheptytsky did not return to game action all weekend.
After the injury, Bryan Whelan scored his second of the evening and Kyle Galloway picked up his team leading 12th of the season.
In net Perrone stopped 11 of the mere 12 shots sent his way picking up the 6-1 win.
Saturday the Brahmas offense remained hot and production began early with Victor Ekk and Chase Deacon spring-boarding the team to an early 2-0 lead in the opening minutes. That would be the beginning of a special night for Deacon, who would score twice more in the third period to record the team’s first hat trick of the season.
Jacob Elrod recorded a power play tally in the third, his first goal as a Texas Brahma. The defender is an impressive +13 this season.
Perrone was the goalie of choice again and picked up his seventh win of the season in nine starts. His goals against average dropped down to 1.55 following the 5-2 win as well.
In the series finale on Sunday, the team produced its biggest offensive period of the season, scoring five in the first twenty minutes. Bryan Whelan again began things, this time just 30 seconds after the opening faceoff. Kyle Galloway had two, his 13th and 14th of the year. The other two tallies belonged to Kyle Torgerson and Zack Andersen. The goal was Torgerson’s first career in the NA3HL and it was Andersen’s first since returning from an injury that kept him out for a month.
Captain Ryan Dunner scored in the second period advancing the lead to 6-1. That would be the eventual final score as the Brahmas picked up their tenth straight win, a franchise record.
Tyler Myers backstopped the team to a win while stopped 18 of 19.
The team has now returned home with an overall record of 12-2-2, standing at second place in the south division. Next weekend the Brahmas will be in Louisiana taking on the Drillers for the first time this season.
Following the trip to Louisiana the team will be off for a weekend, but following that the boys return to NYTEX Sports Centre for a three game set against the same Drillers the weekend after Thanksgiving.