The Oregon Tradesmen continued their solid start to the new NA3HL season taking four points this weekend in a pair of wins over the visiting Peoria Mustangs. The Tradesmen (4-1-0-0) are currently tied atop the Central Division standings with Rochester Grizzlies (4-0-0-0).
The red-hot line of Jacob Best, Parker Severson and Sam VanderHoeven provided most of the offense in the Friday opener combining for five goals and 14 points as the Tradesmen handled the Mustangs 6-2. Severson scored the first two of the night for Oregon before netting the hat trick goal in the third. VanderHoeven added a pair of goals with three helpers while Best assisted on all five of his linemates tallies.
Dylan Dent scored his second of the season to round out the scoring. Goaltender Hunter Adams made 27 saves for Oregon.
In the Saturday night series finale the visitors came out flying in hopes of splitting the weekend set. Luca Goulding scored just :34 into the game before his teammate Connor Bennett made it 2-0 at the 4:10 mark. Ethan Chesney extended that advantage to 3-0 at 11:47.
A breakaway goal by Devin Hays just before intermission got the Tradesmen on the scoreboard. Peoria led 3-1 at intermission.
Early in the second frame the host Tradesmen grabbed momentum putting offensive pressure on the Mustangs defense. It was rewarded at 8:52 when Gunnar Schiffmann found the back of the net. Another Oregon tally – Hays with his second of the game – just :28 later tied the game.
The two teams battled fairly evenly the next 30 minutes and the game headed to overtime. That’s when Jacob Best capped off his seven-point weekend scoring the game winner.
This might just be the Best OT winner of the night! @OregonTradesmen pic.twitter.com/RGtuvOU2U2
— NA3HL (@NA3HL) October 18, 2020
Head coach Don Babineau was happy to get the win and liked the way the team bounced back.
“We came out flat on Saturday, but the guys turned it up a notch in the second and tied it up. The team showed good character tonight.”