The big question facing the Tahoe Knight Monsters in Game 2 of the Mountain Division Semifinal series Easter Sunday was whether they could continue the momentum from their six-goal performance in Game 1.
That question was answered with an emphatic yes. As impressive as their 6-1 victory over the Wichita Thunder was on Saturday, Tahoe bested that with an 8-1 win Sunday to take a 2-0 lead in the series.
Seven different Knight Monster skaters scored, while goaltender Jesper Vikman was outstanding for the second game in a row with 29 saves.
Wichita did manage to strike first for what would be their only goal of the game midway through the opening frame. Dillon Boucher scored on a rebound for a 1-0 Wichita lead.
Joe Fleming got the Knight Monsters’ offense going later in the period on a behind-the-net pass from Jett Jones, who tied an ECHL post-season record with four goals in Saturday’s win.
With the game tied 1-1 heading into the second period, Luke Adam scored Tahoe’s fifth power-play goal of the series off a Nate Kallen shot.
Patrick Newell scored off a beautiful feed from Logan Nelson for a 3-1 lead with three minutes left in the frame.
The Knight Monsters waited for the third period to erupt, scoring five goals. Four of those tallies came in the first five minutes.
Just 90 seconds in, Isaac Johnson fired one past Thunder netminder Roddy Ross after stealing the puck from Nolan Kneen.
Simon Pinard notched a goal 90 seconds later off a behind-the-back pass from Sloan Stanick. Nelson followed that up a minute later with a five-hole strike for a 6-1 Tahoe lead.
Jake McGrew didn’t want to be left out, putting in a backhander a minute after that. Fleming scored his second of the night to complete the scoring on a shot that trickled through the wickets of Ross, and the 8-1 rout was complete.
Both victories by the Knight Monsters have come on the road at INTRUST Bank Arena in surprisingly convincing fashion. The series shifts to Tahoe Blue Event Center on Wednesday for the team’s first-ever home playoff game. Puck drop is set for 7 Pm Pt.