With the puck dropping before sunrise at a nearly empty Bill Collier Ice Arena, the Klamath Falls Ice Hawks never quite found their footing in a 6-2 loss to the Eugene Jr. Generals on the third day of the Collier Cup Sunday.
The Jr. Generals spent nearly five straight minutes on the power play in the first period, including 1:22 of 5-on-3, starting at 6:04 as the Ice Hawks took three penalties. Klamath Falls managed to escape unscathed and got a power play of their own almost immediately after returning to even strength but couldn’t generate any scoring chances.
The Ice Hawks’ power play ended at 14:10, and four seconds later Ethan McClean scored on a one-timer from the blue line to give Eugene the lead. 43 seconds after that, Marston Scher poked in a loose puck to make it 2-0 at 14:57.
Klamath Falls took consecutive penalties again at 18:47 in the first period and 35 seconds into the second, but the penalty kill unit delivered to keep them at a two-goal deficit. They got their second power play opportunity at 8:08, but a turnover near their own blue line led to a shorthanded goal by Erec Nyberg at 9:50. Scher provided another quick follow-up on a breakaway 47 seconds later to put the Jr. Generals up 4-0.
The Ice Hawks began the third period on the power play after Eugene took a penalty at 19:59 in the second. Another Jr. Generals penalty gave Klamath Falls a 5-on-3 for 1:24, but the Ice Hawks couldn’t cash in.
An offensive flurry in the middle of the period saw the teams score four goals in just over four minutes. It started at 6:15 when Scher dangled through the Ice Hawks defense and scored to complete the hat trick and put Eugene up 5-0. Then, at 7:17, Thatcher Rabbiosi scored on a deflection in front of the net to get Klamath Falls on the board. Gage McDaniel put a rebound home at 9:57 to cut the Jr. Generals’ lead to 5-2, but Nyberg did the same for Eugene 32 seconds later to stifle any momentum the Ice Hawks had built.
Klamath Falls had two more power plays–at 13:32 and 19:17–and came up empty both times.
In addition to his hat trick, Scher recorded an assist on McClean’s goal, giving him a game-high four points.
The Ice Hawks were outshot 24-16, including 7-1 in the first period. Klamath Falls goalie Tatiana Graham made 18 saves, and Eugene goalie Braden Ferrill made 14 saves.
The Ice Hawks face the Capital Thunder in the second leg of a Sunday doubleheader at 11:15 a.m.
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Scoring Summary
1st Period
14:14 EUG Ethan McClean (Marston Scher)
14:57 EUG Marston Scher (Chase Fenerty)
2nd Period
9:50 EUG (SH) Erec Nyberg (unassisted)
10:37 EUG Marston Scher (unassisted)
3rd Period
6:15 EUG Marston Scher (unassisted)
7:17 KF Thatcher Rabbiosi (Cody Barnett)
9:57 KF Gage McDaniel (Owen Welch, Logan Blakely)
10:29 EUG Erec Nyberg (Chase Fenerty)