The OCN Blizzard scored four times in the third period to hand the visiting Winkler Flyers a 6-3 loss on Thursday night, in the Flyers first game of a three day northern swing. Winkler took a 3-2 lead into the third period only to see it slip away in their third game against the Blizzard in a span of eleven days.
After beating OCN in back to back home games by a combined score of 10-2 back on the 11th and 13th of October, the Flyers traveled up to OCN for the first time this season. The first period was fairly even, with the Blizzard scoring the game’s first goal thanks to a very lucky bounce.
Eight minutes into the game, OCN defenseman Kona Jackson rimmed the puck around the glass in the Flyers zone. Halfway around the boards, the puck hit the metal partition on the glass, kicked up in the air, off the back of Winkler goalie Clarke Flegel and into the net putting OCN up 1-0. Being outshot 15-14 through 20 minutes, the Flyers trailed 1-0 heading into the second.
The Flyers played their best in the second frame. Winkler tied the game 1-1, 5:22 into the period when Jeff Michiels tipped in a Connor Hamonic point shot past OCN goaltender Eliliem Boily. Tristan Keck also assisted on Michiels 6th of the season. It’s been quite the start for Michiels, who has already doubled his goal output from a season ago.
With four minutes left in the middle period, the Flyers took a 2-1 lead thanks to another tip in goal. This time it was Scott Gall scoring his 7th, redirecting a point shot from Lawson McDonald. Just 13 seconds later, McDonald had another point shot tipped in by Cam Whyte and the Flyers had a 3-1 lead. Keck drew the second assist on Whyte’s 7th goal of the season.
OCN forward Devin Muir scored a power-play goal late in the second period and the Flyers took a 3-2 lead into the intermission. In their first 11 games, the Flyers had a 6-0-1 record when taking a lead into the third. The Blizzard though, were about to put a blemish on that unbeaten record.
Just over two minutes into the third, Tre Potskin picked off Tyler Jubenvill’s pass in front of the Flyers net and scored to tie the game at three. Near the halfway mark of the period, Blizzard captain Logan Harland carried the puck down the right wing and beat Flegel far side to put OCN back in front 4-3. Not even two minutes later, Camacho Lathlin found the back of the net with a point shot and the Blizzard had a 5-3 lead with 8:41 remaining.
The Flyers pressed on trying to get back into the game, but OCN scored their sixth goal into an empty Flyers’ net with 1:07 to go, to secure the three goal victory.
Clarke Flegel dropped to 3-1 on the year with a 41 performance. OCN outshot Winkler 47-28 overall. Winkler went 0-for-2 on the power-play and 0-for-1 on the penalty-kill.
The Flyers (8-3-1) remain in second place in the MJHL Standings and will continue their three game road trip Friday night in Swan River against the Swan Valley Stampeders. The Stamps reside in last place in the league standings at 3-9-1.
Matt Friesen’s pregame show, live on Country 88.9FM and online at www.pembinavalleyonline.com gets underway at 7:25pm.
GREAT CANADIAN OIL CHANGE THREE STARS
1st Star – Logan Harland – OCN (1 goal – 2 assists)
2nd Star – Lawson McDonald – Winkler (2 assists)
3rd Star – Tre Potskin – OCN (1 goal – 1 assist)