JOHNSTOWN, PA– After a solid NAHL Showcase, the Maryland Black Bears headed on their first full weekend road trip in the East Division, going out to play the Johnstown Tomahawks. Maryland had to battle back from a late deficit Friday and an early deficit Saturday to take home four points and sweep Johnstown on the weekend.
FRIDAY OCTOBER 2nd, 2026: BLACK BEARS (4) at Johnstown (3) SO: No strangers to one another, the Black Bears headed to Western PA to take on Johnstown with a little bit of the new line-up, with newcomer Will Schlechtweg joining the team from Muskegon of the USHL. Maryland had the play tipped in their favor for the first period, creating plenty of offensive chances early and often. Towards the middle of the period, the Black Bears power play went to work with Ajay Rai redirecting a Zhenya Miles shot to make it 1-0. Things got a little crazy after that, with Keele Deuling dropping the gloves, first with an unwilling combatant and then with another Johnstown player jumping into the fray. Right after, a Johnstown player went after J.P. Saddy, which resulted in another power play for Maryland. They cashed in with Matthew Shpungin redirecting a Dom Mack shot to make it a 2-0 game through 20 minutes of play.
Johnstown, as expected, put up more pressure in the second, getting some offensive zone time of their own. Cole Werthman made some solid stops early on to keep the two-goal advantage. That would be cut in half with Connor Maione putting home a rebound to make it 2-1 towards the midway point of the period. Johnstown continued their pressure, keeping Maryland on their heels. Towards the end of the frame, Johnstown tied it up with Ethan Coots getting a pass in the slot to make it 2-2 with under five minutes remaining in the period.
Maryland looked to get things going in the third, but would be trapped in their zone in the early going of the period. Under five minutes into the frame, Johnstown would take the lead after creating a turnover and Coots getting his second of the game to make it 3-2. Maryland started to get their legs under them, with a couple of chances the other way, but couldn’t find the equalizer by the midway point. With a late power play and the extra attacker, Noi Jonasson was able to get a redirect from a Tanner Terranova pass to tie the game with 41 seconds remaining and pushing it to overtime.
With a point for both teams, Maryland looked for the extra point. Two goal posts hit from Maryland in overtime and a big save by Johnstown on Rai kept the game tied though OT and pushed it to a shootout. Shpungin, Terranova, and Joe Gasperko all scored to give Maryland the extra point with the 4-3 win.
SATURDAY OCTOBER 3rd, 2026: BLACK BEARS (6) at Johnstown (3): Wanting to get things started quick, Johnstown got on the board only 12 seconds in with Peter Morris getting a redirect on a point shot to make it 1-0 for the home side early. After a double-minor penalty on Maryland, Johnstown extended their lead with Connor Maione ripping one from the right circle to make it 2-0 under five minutes into the game. Maryland were down, but never out in the frame, starting after the midway mark with Tanner Terranova teeing up a one-timer to make it 2-1 on Terranova’s third of the year. Only 1:32 later, Brayden Wade had a stellar shift, culminating on Wade netting his fifth goal of the year and tying the game up at two. While Maryland had some penalties late, they skated into the intermission tied.
In the second, Maryland had to kill off a bit of a penalty to start, but got back on their offense thanks to a power play of their own. On that power play, Will Schlechtweg picked up a loose puck and fired it home for his first as a Black Bear and gave Maryland their first lead of the night. Schlechtweg wasn’t done there, as past the midway point, he got his second of the game off a shot from the slot that fooled the goalie and gave Maryland the 4-2 lead. Maryland would increase their lead with Terranova getting his second of the game after a solid forecheck from the Black Bears to set up Terranova to make it 5-2 Maryland. Johnstown would cut the Maryland lead with Alex Gomes getting behind the defense on a mini-breakaway to make it 5-3, which is how the period would end.
Maryland in the third worked on maintaining their lead, continuing to push while also keeping Johnstown at bay. Frustrating the Johnstown offense, the Black Bears tacked onto their lead past the midway point, as the forecheck created a turnover and Matthew Shpungin hammered home a shot to make it 6-3 for Maryland. Michael Iliff wasn’t tested much in the third, but made a stellar toe save late to cap off a Maryland weekend sweep.
The Black Bears are back home next weekend, as they welcome the Elmira Aviators. Tickets are available at Tickets.MarylandBlackBears.com or the Piney Orchard box office.
