OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma Warriors scored four goals in the first period and continued its strong play throughout to beat the Amarillo Wranglers 5-2 in Game 1 of the 2023 Robertson Cup South Division Semi-Final.
The Warriors opened the scoring 4:12 into the game when Joey DelGreco potted in a rebound. Drew Sutton won a faceoff to Garrett Horsager, who took a slapshot from the blueline to set up the goal. Thirty-seven seconds later, Cole Teleki set up William Ahlrik for a snipe off the rush from the top of the slot to make it a 2-0 game. Oklahoma added two more quick goals later in the period. With 5:37 remaining in the frame, Sutton scored from Teleki and Owen Baumgartner and chased the Wranglers starting netminder from the game. Fifty-five seconds after the 3-0 goal, Brendan Williams scored off a bounce from the far-side wall to make it 4-0 Oklahoma. Therien Thiesing started the play with a rush up the near side of the zone, and got help from Ahlrik to rim it around to Williams for the set-up.
Amarillo scored on a carryover powerplay to make a 4-1 game just 29 seconds into the middle period, and added a late goal to cut the Oklahoma lead in half, but would not find more in the third.
Sutton cemented the 5-2 lead with six minutes and 12 seconds remaining in the third when he finished off a Max Dronen rebound from Williams.
The Oklahoma Warriors and Amarillo Wranglers will meet for Game 2 of the 2023 Robertson Cup South Division Semi-Finals Saturday at 7:15 p.m. from Blazers Ice Centre.