Flames picked up a table point with a regulation 2-2 tie at Coventry Blaze, but in the end the hat trick goal by Chase Gresock inside the last minute of 3 on 3 overtime sent Flames away with a 3-2 defeat.
Matt Alvaro scored just 22 seconds into the evening before most of the period wound down ahead of a last minute Blaze goal by Gresock that had the teams level at a pair each through the 1st.
A little over 7 minutes from middle period time, and exactly halfway through a powerplay, Gresock’s 2nd put the home team in a lead, but a couple of minutes later, Brett Welychka was able to square it and send the teams to a winner take all 3rd.
In the back half of the 3rd, Flames had to kill off back to back penalties before their own powerplay was stymied by Blaze penalty killing units leaving the game still on 2 each through regulation before Gresock’s decider.
Jake Kupsky made 39 saves on 42 shots against Mat Robson for Blaze who steered away 20 of 22.
“We had a good start, but a late powerplay for Blaze in the first period started to tilt the ice in their favour,” said Paul Dixon.
“Fortunately, it didn’t get away from us at that point and we were able to hang in there, get a lot of stops from Jake, and take advantage of a chance to be even ahead of the 3rd and in the end at least close out a 3 point weekend.”
“You want to win that one in overtime, but that is a good hockey team over there. You are rolling dice in the extra period and we just couldn’t find a seam to get that goal.”
