Flames were able to bank a table point, but couldn’t turn a 3rd period 2 goal lead to a win as Glasgow Clan scored a pair in the last set and added the only penalty goal to send Spectrum’s men home with a 3-2 defeat.
Most of the 1st period melted away before Brett Ferguson commenced the scoring when he converted a powerplay in the last minute of the frame.
With a little under 6 minutes remaining in the 2nd, Ryan Tait ensured the visitors would go to the final break ahead by a pair.
At 46:01, Clan finally solved Taz Burman when they scored in the last seconds of a powerplay to cut their deficit to a single. With under 5 minutes remaining, Clan levelled when Rob Lachowicz converted their 2nd powerplay of the evening.
A 4 on 3 powerplay for the Flames went unrewarded and overtime ended still square at 2 each. In penalties, Darien Craighead set Clan to a lead they would not lose when he scored on the first shot then watched as the next 9 players between the sides failed to light the lamp.
Burman turned away 36 of 28 Clan attempts against Antti Karjalainen who was 29 of 31.
“We need the points, so we didn’t come away empty handed which is a good thing, but it is frustrating to have been up a pair of goals that far into the game and not be able to close it out,” said Paul Dixon.
“We do have a pattern of blowing 2 goal leads this season that is difficult to explain in any rational way, but we don’t need to explain it as much as we need to solve it.”
“Clan did a good job of capitalizing on the powerplays, and we just couldn’t hold them off and lock down a win.”
“We will be back to practice Friday and look at how we can reach a better conclusion at Manchester Saturday and then home to Cardiff Sunday.”
