Maxim Zhukov made 27 saves for his first professional shutout and Trey Bradley’s first pro goal was the game-winner as the Newfoundland Growlers completed a sweep of a two-game weekend series against the Toledo Walleye — and of a four-game homestand — with a 2-0 win at Mile One Centre Saturday night.
Zhukov, who was the first star Saturday, hadn’t allowed fewer than two goals in any of his previous eight starts for Newfoundland (9-5-0), but turned his best performance of the early season in a rematch of last season’s ECHL Kelly Cup finalists; the Growlers had edged Toledo 4-3 on Friday with Angus Redmond getting the start in goal.
On Saturday, before an announced crowd of just 4,000, Newfoundland had eight power plays and scored on one of them. That was Bradley’s goal early in the second period just a couple of seconds before the expiration of a major that had been handed to the Walleye’s Mike Moffatt for a first period hit to the head of Growlers forward Aaron Luchuk.
Luchuk was down for some time after the hit — which sparked a fight between Growlers captain James Melindy and Moffatt — and the Newfoundland forward needed some assistance as he left the ice for the dressing room. However, Luchuk was back on the ice at the start of the second period and drew an assist in Bradley’s tally.
Zach O’Brien scored the Growlers’ other goal, lasering a shot past Toledo goalie Pat Nagle to finish off a breakaway with just under three minutes left in the game.
O’Brien has now scored in all four games since his return from an assignment to the AHL’s Toronto Marlies.
Rookie defenceman Joseph Duszak, who had also been called up to the Marlies, was back to play in the weekend games against Toledo (7-5-1), but forward Scott Pooley, who leads the Growlers with 10 goals, and Mac Hollowell, another first-year blueliner, are both in the AHL with Toronto.
As well, on Saturday, the Growlers were without forward Colt Conrad, the ECHL’s leading rookie scorer who had been crunched on a big hit in Friday’s contest.
With veteran defenceman Alex Gudbranson also hurting and winger Reid Jackman sidelined, Newfoundland had to dig into the ranks of the Southern Professional Hockey League for reinforcement, signing Mike Crocock, who been with the Growlers on a pre-season tryout. Crocock, who had been with the SPHL’s Birmingham Bulls, is normally a defenceman, but was slotted as the 10th forward for the Growlers on Saturday.
With the four-game winning streak, Newfoundland has moved to within four points of the North Division Reading Royals, with two games in hand.
As it happens, the Growlers’ next opponent is Reading (10-4-2) In fact, as part of their upcoming road trip, they play three games against the Royals in three days next weekend in northeastern Pennsylvania.
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