Entering Monday’s game, Johnstown’s Christian Gorscak, Carson Gallagher and Max Kouznetsov combined 29 points against the Maine Nordiques this season.
The trio continued to add to dominance with five points as the Tomahawks defeated the Nordiques 6-2 at the Cambria County War Memorial in Johnstown, Pennsylvania.
“We’ve tried different things against them, and they continue to put up points, 5-on-5 and on the power play,” Nolan Howe said.
Gorscak and Gallagher each had a goal and an assist in the game.
With the loss, the Nordiques (20-29-2, 42 points) sit in sixth place in the NAHL Eastern Division and remain five points behind the Maryland Black Bears for the fourth and final playoff spot in the division. The Tomahawks (31-13-4, 66 points) appear to have clinched a playoff berth with the win.
Kouznetsov put the Tomahawks up 1-0 by scoring the the lone goal of the opening period.
Pavel Kharin put Johnstown up 2-0 in the second period. Andrew Murphy, who assisted on Kharin’s goal, tallied Johnstown’s third score.
Tim Kent cut the deficit to 3-1 for the Nordiques with a little over three minutes remaining in the second period. The goal was set up by Noah Kane.
“(Noah) Kane took the shot, we worked on it all week of creating second chances off of our shots placement,” Howe said. “It’s not shooting to score sometimes, it’s shooting to create a good rebound, and (Kane) went out and executed that. (Kent) was going to the net, that’s why they have been our top line. They listen and try to do things the right way.”
Both teams traded goals early in the third period. Gorscak put the Tomahawks up 4-1 and Isaiah Fox scored the Nordiques’ second goal about a minute later at the 5:47 mark.
Brendan Blair stretched the Tomahawks lead to 5-2 with six-plus minutes remaining in the game. Johnstown’s Gallagher capped off the scoring with a power play goal with one minute remaining.
Goalie Alex Tracey made 19 saves for the Tomahawks, while Avery Sturtz turned aside 35 shots for the Nordiques.
The teams meet again Tuesday night at 7 p.m. in Johnstown.
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