After an improbable third period comeback, the Winkler Flyers picked up an important point in Dauphin, losing 3-2 in overtime to the Kings. Trailing 2-0 late, the Flyers scored twice in the final minute and a half, including a penalty shot goal with 1.4 seconds left to force overtime and increase their record to (25-13-9).
Playing the finale of their three game northern trip and fourth game overall in the last five days, the Flyers made their way to Credit Union Place in Dauphin looking to sweep their six game season series against the Kings.
The Flyers started flat and couldn’t get much going throughout most of the hockey game. Dauphin opened the scoring while on a 5-on-3 power-play, 4:08 into the first period. Winkler did generate some chances in the period but went into the intermission down a goal while being outshot 19-14 through 20 minutes.
The Kings added to their lead during a goal mouth scramble just under four minutes into the second. Winkler struggled in the second period to find their game and went into the third period down 2-0.
Winkler had only one third period comeback all season so far and it came against the Kings back in September in Winkler. That night the Flyers erased a 4-2 Kings lead through 40 minutes by scoring four goals in the third to win the game 6-4.
With time running out on the Orange and Black, they pulled goaltender Devon Fordyce with just under two minutes left in regulation. With six attackers on the ice, Patrice Wren passed the puck to the point to Lawson McDonald who let the shot go towards the net. With 1:36 left on the clock, Kayden Jarvis tipped in his 10th goal of the season, cutting Dauphin’s lead to 2-1.
The Flyers kept the goaltender out and buzzed the Kings net looking for the equalizer. During a massive goal mouth scramble, a Kings defender covered the puck with his hand in the crease which resulted in a Winkler Flyers penalty shot with just 1.4 seconds left in the period.
Winkler selected Scott Gall to take the shot and he did not disappoint, as he fired in his 16th of the season over the glove of the Dauphin netminder, tying the game 2-2 and forcing overtime.
However, the Flyers were not able to take the extra point as the Kings would score the game winner, 33 seconds into overtime for the 3-2 win.
Devon Fordyce made 30 saves in his third start for the Flyers as Winkler outshot Dauphin 40-33. Winkler went 0-for-6 on the power-play while going 3-for-4 on the penalty-kill.
The single point earned was a big one for Winkler as they gained some ground on the Steinbach Pistons and Winnipeg Blues ahead of them in the standings while putting some distance between themselves at the fifth place Virden Oil Capitals. The fourth place Flyers are now three points back of the third place Pistons, five behind the second place Blues and three ahead of the Oil Caps with 13 regular season games left.
Winkler finished the month of January with a (2-3-3) record after taking four of a possible six points on the weekend in Swan Valey, OCN and Dauphin.
The Flyers (25-13-9) will now return home for the first time in nearly a month when they host the Virden Oil Capitals on Sunday, February 1st at 2:30pm. The Flyers haven’t played at home since they beat Neepawa back on January 6th.