A 2 goal Flames 3rd period lead on home ice evaporated in the final 15 minutes to end regulation at 4 goals each forcing overtime, then penalties where Manchester Storm scored the only tiebreaker for a 5-4 defeat of Spectrum’s men.
Brett Ferguson just 43 seconds in on a powerplay kicked off the scoring, but Stephen Johnson levelled for Storm at 6:34. Craig Martin had the visitors in front on a 14th minute powerplay but late period back to back goals by Matt Alvaro, also on a powerplay, and Brett Welychka sent Flames to break with the slight edge at 3-2.
Scoring slowed considerably in the middle frame with only a Lewis Hook strike 68 seconds in, extending Flames lead to a pair. Some penalty trouble for Spectrum’s men saw them down 2 skaters, but they pushed aside a 3 on 5 to close 40 minutes 2 goals to the good.
Early in the 3rd, Noah Carroll pulled Storm within a goal to put them a shot away from tying it and they did just that inside the final 5 minutes with a Harrison Caines strike that earned at least a point with the regulation tie, but they added the other thanks to Alexis D'Aoust who scored against no Flames answers in 5 attempts.
Eamon McAdam made 32 saves on 36 shots plus 3 of 4 in penalties against David Tendeck who was 34 for 38 before stopping all 5 penalties.
“It is a disappointing outcome to a game where you are up a couple of goals in the final period,” explained Paul Dixon.
“Last week Sheffield also tied it late on and we were able to recover and still take the win, but we didn’t do enough, or have enough possession in overtime to get the game back at that point and once you get to penalties you are basically flipping a coin. We ended up short a point that we felt we should have had based on where we were not long before that.”
“We still banked a point, though, and we have more to get tomorrow night so no time to dwell on this one, instead we need to get our heads right to pick up a win at Coventry.”
