OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma Warriors defeated the Lone Star Brahmas 4-1 and increased their point streak to 11 games as they took over the top spot in the South Division Wednesday at Blazers Ice Centre.
The Warriors opened the game’s scoring six and a half minutes into the first period when Owen Carlile and Brendan Williams set up an Owen Baumgartner point shot. Oklahoma increased its lead to 2-0 near the end of the period on what was Carlile’s first North American Hockey League goal. Baumgartner sent the puck deep for Drew Sutton, who one-touched it to Carlile in the slot for a one-timer, powerplay goal at 14:04.
The Warriors would add two more goals in the second period and chase Lone Star goaltender Arthur Smith from the crease. Blaise Miller scored just 3:13 into the frame off a beautiful set up by William Ahlrik and Hasselgren. With Oklahoma on a powerplay late in the period, Cole Teleki sent a backhander past Smith from the near side faceoff circle for his first goal of the season. Hunter Jones and Williams picked up assists on the play, and that would be all for Smith. In seven appearances before Wednesday, the Brahmas netminder had only allowed 5 goals and came in with the league’s best save percentage and goals against average.
Lone Star would add a third period goal, but the Warriors held strong to a 4-1 final for the team’s fifth straight win, and ninth straight as a home team. Going back to last spring, the franchise has won 16 straight regular season games when either at home or the designated home team at the NAHL Showcase.
The Warriors will head to Odessa for games at 7:15 p.m. Friday and Saturday, November 25 and 26, against the Jackalopes.