Nordiques take Beavers to woodshed Published Feb. 1, 2010 By John Stuart Tinker Public Affairs TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- Unfortunately for the 21-year-old defenseman, he didn't get a goal on his birthday. But in the end that didn't really matter. Louie Lomonaco still got what he wanted. "I was just looking for a win, and if felt good," Lomonaco said, who celebrated his birthday with a hockey match. And win they did. Facing a goonish Fighting Beavers squad, the Nordiques took their share of hits and chippy exchanges on their way to a 7-4 win. The Nordiques flexed plenty of offensive muscle against their opponents while playing a more lackadaisical defensive game. While it could spell trouble against tougher teams, it mostly meant the score kept creeping upward on Sunday. "Man, that was a boring game," Nordiques goalie Dan Publicover said as he skated from the ice. And if the goalie's bored, you know it was a good game. And the Nordiques rout began early in keeping with team tradition. With 15:50 on the clock in the first period, Jason Stefanski scored the opening goal on an assist from Jim McCarron. "We're definitely a first period team," Nordiques center Jeremy Brennan said. "We just came out of the box strong." Then McCarron, summoning so-called hockey-god powers, proceeded to score two goals in one minute, one of which was off a stolen pass. "It's just one of those days you come to the rink and the hockey gods are smiling on you," McCarron said. So, with only five minutes played in the first period, the Nordiques had three birds in hand. And thankfully there were more waiting in the bush, because the Beavers kept it close with two goals of their own to close out the period. In the second period Kyle Bostic found purchase by netting a point-blank goal at the crease from an assist by Bryson Harley. Then, with 6:35 remaining, Miguel Lopez found the back of the net from a shot at the hash. Lopez took his excitement to the air with a celebratory hop, while garnering constructive criticism from his own bench about proper post-score etiquette. Publicover held the Beavers scoreless in the second period and it was on to the third. Jim Behn found a home for the biscuit with 10:15 on the scoreboard on a coast-to-coast goal. Then, it was Kyle Bostic at 8:40 who put the last goal on the board for Tinker, closing out the tri-period offensive blitz. But just as Tinker is gelling as a cohesive unit, they'll have to overcome six players going on a several-week temporary duty assignments. The Nordiques will be missing their starting goalie, one defenseman, and a whole line of offensive players. But the vacuum should give other players a chance for leadership on the ice, McCarron said. The Nordiques play again Jan. 31 at 2 p.m. at the Arctic Edge Ice Arena in Edmond.