The Winnipeg Blues erased a two goal lead in the third period, handing the Winkler Flyers a 4-3 loss Thursday night at the MTS Iceplex. After dominating the Blues throughout much of the contest, the Flyers let the game slip through their fingers at the end, seeing their record fall to 15-7-0.
A night after an emotional 4-1 win over the Portage Terriers at home, the Flyers travelled to Winnipeg to complete a busy stretch of six games in a span of ten days. The Flyers had won the previous two meetings between the two clubs, and started the game exactly how they intended to.
Winkler opened the scoring, 7:54 into the first when Scott Gall and Tyler Jubenvill assisted on Will Blake’s fifth of the season giving Winkler a 1-0 lead. The Blues would tie the game however, late in the first period on the power-play and the two teams headed into the first intermission all tied up at one.
The second period thoroughly belonged to the Flyers who did not allow Winnipeg to get a shot on goal in the first 15 minutes of the period. Winkler did manage to regain the lead with nine minutes left in the frame thanks to Scott Gall’s team leading 14th goal of the season.
The Flyers extended their lead to 3-1 early in the third when Coltyn Bates scored for the second straight game, and fifth time this season. Ian Mackey assisted on the goal and Winkler looked to be in control of the hockey game. However, the Flyers inability to put the game away in the second period would end up doing them in at the end.
Just over four minutes later, the Blues began to chip into the Flyers lead when James McIsaac cut Winkler’s lead to 3-2. Winnipeg would then draw even before the eight minute mark when Winkler goalie Josh Williams got beat from a sharp angle, and a game that seemed to be in Winkler’s hands was all of a sudden tied 3-3.
The two teams traded power-play opportunities the rest of the period, and it would be a Blues power-play goal that decided it in the end. With just 1:12 left on the clock, Winnipeg would score their second power-play goal of the game to complete the comeback and give the home side a 4-3 lead.
Goaltender Josh Williams made 21 saves in the game as the Flyers outshot Winnipeg 29-25 overall. Winkler went 1-for-4 on the power-play and 4-for-6 on the penalty-kill.
Winkler (15-7-0) will have the weekend off as they prepare to host the Selkirk Steelers on Tuesday, November 15th. Puck drop at the Winkler Recreation Complex is 7:30pm with advance tickets available at the Winkler Coop Gas Bar.
GREAT CANADIAN OIL CHANGE THREE STARS
1ST STAR – F TAKATO COX (WINNIPEG)
2ND STAR – F SCOTT GALL (WINKLER)
3RD STAR – F DEXTER KUCZEK (WINNIPEG)