Sulivan Shortreed scored his second goal of the game, 27 seconds into overtime to lift the Winkler Flyers to a 3-2 victory over the visiting Swan Valley Stampeders on Saturday night. After erasing a two goal deficit, the Orange and Black came from behind to earn another two points with their 32nd win of the season.
Playing the Stampeders in their sixth and final meeting of the regular season, the Flyers entered play on Saturday night with a 12-1-1 record in their last 14 games and a 4-0-1 record against Swan Valley overall. The Flyers and Stampeders had a good back and forth opening 20 minutes, with a number of good Winkler chances coming up just short. Swan Valley opened the scoring with just over three minutes left in the opening period and the Flyers trailed 1-0 after one.
The Stampeders doubled their lead to 2-0 with a power-play goal early in the second period, and the Flyers had dug themselves a bit of a hole. Then with 3:22 left in the middle period, the Flyers caught a break when Griffin Leonard’s shot deflected off Garrett Szeremley and into the Stampeder net to cut Swan Valley’s lead to 2-1. Jaden Townsend also assisted on Szeremley’s eighth goal of the season.
Still trailing by a goal entering the third period, the Orange and Black doubled the Stampeders in shots in the third and found the equalizer just over seven minutes into the final frame. Carrying the puck into the attacking zone on a 2-on-1, Sulivan Shortreed snapped a shot past the blocker of Swan Valley goaltender Parker Rey to pull Winkler even 2-2 thanks to his 26th goal of the season.
Despite a flurry of Winkler chances in the final few minutes of the third, the game was headed to overtime tied 2-2. It did not take the Flyers long to pick up the extra point as the game winner would come in the first 30 seconds of the fourth period. After taking the pass in the right wing corner from Nathan Poolman, Ian Tookenay’s shot was stopped by Parker Rey. The rebound then glanced off of Sulvan Shortreed and into the net to give the Flyers the extra point and the 3-2 victory.
Dorrin Luding picked up his 22nd win of the season in goal for the Flyers, making 31 saves. The Flyers outshot Swan Valley 44-33 overall. Winkler went 0-for-4 on the power-play and 3-for-4 on the penalty-kill.
The Flyers (32-11-5) will host the OCN Blizzard (13-30-4) on Sunday afternoon looking to keep their winning ways going. The Flyers are 5-0 against the Blizzard this season. Sunday’s game is the Falk-Fehr Foundation Family Day with free admission for all fans 18 years of age and under. You will have a chance to meet former NHL defenseman Justin Falk, Skate with the Flyers after the game, and receive a free Winkler Flyers team poster. There will also be dressing room tours available after the game. Puck drop between the Flyers and Blizzard is 2:30pm with the video stream available at www.hockeytv.com
GAME STATS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXYNKNDGYos&feature=youtu.be
