After securing an early 2 goal lead, penalty trouble hampered Flames for a lot of the remaining time; forced to repel 10 Storm powerplays, including a couple of 5 on 3's, ultimately conceding 3 extra skater goals in the end to fall 6-4 on the road at Manchester Storm.
An early powerplay helped Flames take a lead with Ethan Strang converting for the 1-0 edge less than 2 minutes in. Charlie Curti at 5:45 extended the difference but before the period was halfway through Alexis D'Aoust had cut Storm’s deficit in half. Dallas Ehrhardt on a powerplay a couple of minutes later levelled for the hosts, and a late Grant Hebert strike had Storm in front at the break.
Cameron Critchlow bagged a 2nd powerplay goal to make it 4-2. Josh Waller replied shortly thereafter, but Joe Morrow with the host’s 3rd extra man goal of the night at 32:06 and Critchlow’s 2nd marker of the contest at 37:30 had Storm ahead by 3. A Ryan Tait reply 17 seconds from the end of the frame shortened the final period uphill climb to a pair with 20 minutes to go.
Less than 8 minutes from time, Flames best chance to cut into the deficit was a Daniel Tedesco penalty shot but a Evan Weninger stop kept the score static for the final stretch until a closing Storm empty netter through Jake Durflinger completed the night.
“That is a frustrating night to get off to such a good start, then spend so much time shorthanded on the way to a loss,” said Paul Dixon.
“On top of that Sam Jones left the game early and did not return so we had to play with 4 D for a lot of the game. It had a bit if a double whammy effect between killing penalties and a little short at the back, that becomes far more exhausting than it otherwise would be.”
“It goes like that sometimes and now we will get back to Guildford and get on the ice tomorrow and look for a way to shake this one off and be ready for Manchester again on home ice Saturday.”
