Game 53

Kelowna Knights vs Detroit Falcons

Last night we saw the 7-8-2 Kelowna Knights take on the 10-4-2 Detroit Falcons. This was a game that pitted two teams heading in opposite directions. Kelowna has lost their last three straight, while Detroit has won their last three straight. However, the last time these teams met, they went to a shootout, so we should get a good game.

The period scoring opens up when recently added defensemen, Stacker Pentecost, takes a holding penalty. Brandon Girard of the Falcons scores the power play goal just 13 seconds into the penalty, it was his sixth of the season. Nearly seven minutes later, Clive Stonehands would get his fifth of the season, putting the Falcons ahead, 0-2. Assists went to Burch and Bartenberry. Kelowna would get their first goal of the game at 13:35. Adam Abodobe scored his ninth of the season off of a great pass from Randleman. The period would end with the Falcons out shooting the Knights, 10-5.

In the second period, the Falcons came out guns blazing. Knutsen scored his fourteenth of the season just 36 seconds into the period. Then, Tuzis would get his fifth of the season a mere 14 seconds later, giving Detroit a 1-4 lead less than a minute into the second period. At this point, Kelowna replaced Ogorodnikov with Berlin in net. The action would slow down after this early rush, and we didn’t see our next goal until 11:53, when Maria Maximova scored a power play goal following a Tebow charging minor. Detroit would answer back though. Eight seconds later, Bartenberry picked up a loose puck, and found space under Berlin’s pad. Kelowna would get another chance on the power play, after a roughing minor by Martushev. Reginald Howard took advantage and scored his seventh of the season with assists from Pentecost and Maximova. Detroit wasn’t done though. At 18:51, Tuzis got his second of the night. Clive Stonehands took a goalie interference penalty in the last few seconds of the period. The period ends, 3-6 in favor of Detroit. Kelowna led shots, 14-9.

Kelowna started the third on the power play. 56 seconds into the period, Whooves would score with the help of Vilhjalmsson and Pentecost. The next goal came at 5:31 with Detroit on the power play, Burch scored his fifth of the season with assists from Martushev and Bartenberry. The Falcons left the door open though, taking a handful of penalties to close out the period. Kelowna would take advantage of these mistakes. Adam Abodobe would get his second and third of the night, both came with a man advantage. The game tying goal would come off of the stick of Hugh Johnson at 17:49. The Knights held on and the period ended with a score of 7-7. This game will see overtime. Kelowna dominated the shots this period, leading 22-9.

Overtime would be much less eventful than the previous periods. We saw only one shot on net in the period by Detroit, and none by Kelowna. This game went to a shootout.

Randleman was first up for the Nights. He picked up the puck, approached with speed, made a move to his backhand, but Bowden made the save. Alex Mack up for Detroit. He skates in, made a shoulder fake and shot the puck, but Berlin gets a piece of it. Whooves was next for the Knights. The doctor took the puck to the left side of the net, cut hard to the right, and buried the puck into the top of the net. Pejonis for the Falcons, skates the puck up patiently. A quick snap shot through the five hole, Berlin couldn’t drop down fast enough. Reginald Howard for the Knights, tried to skate in and shoot up high, but Bowden got his shoulder on it. Salabanzi was up next. He skated in, made a move to his forehand and tried to stuff the puck in, but Berlin stops it with his pad. Abodobe for Kelowna, took the puck towards the net with speed, hit the brakes and shoveled the puck in under Bowden’s glove. Clive Stonehands would even it up though, with a backhand to forehand move, he beat Berlin. Ryan Woito had a chance to put Kelowna ahead, but Bowden would make a glove save on a short range wrist shot. Elvis Libra for Detroit made one move and tried to put the puck up high, but Berlin made himself big and go the stop. Nikolaus Scholz made one too many moves on his attempt and his shot went just wide of the net. Brandon Girard finally put an end to the game with a quick shot that found a home above the blocker of Berlin. Falcons win a close game.


Game 54

Vancouver Whalers vs Montreal Impact :impact:

The 4-11-2 Vancouver Whalers took on the 9-7-1 Montreal Impact last night. Montreal is on a five game win streak, while Vancouver has dropped seven straight, the last two in shootouts. Montreal wanted to keep their streak going, while Vancouver was looking to break out of their slump.

The First period got off to a slow start, with four penalties against Montreal, and one against Vancouver. Scoring wouldn’t open up until 15:01, Flacko would get his fourth of the season for Montreal. 15 seconds later, Morenov would increase Montreal’s lead to two, as he got his second of the season with assists from O’Ferghall and Welch. The final goal in the period would be Buster Killington’s twelfth of the season. The shot count for the period was low for both sides, with five shots by the Whalers, and three by the Impact. All three shots by the impact finding the back of the net.

The second period was another fairly uneventful period. The Impact’s offense was stifled by penalties. Lidstrom took a hooking minor, and Burton took a high sticking double minor. Montreal would end the period with just a single shot on net. Vancouver, on the other hand, had 10 shots, unfortunately, none of them were able to beat Ciarelli.

In the third, Vancouver would continue to out shoot Montreal by a large margin. Vancouver picked up a goal right away, 10 seconds into the period. Jordan Uptuck got his fourth of the season, with assists from Ballard and Gibbs. Despite this early goal, then Whalers could not beat Ciarelli. The period would end with 13 shots from Vancouver, while only four for Montreal. Montreal takes the win, beating Vancouver 3-1. Ciarelli was outstanding all night, stopping 27 or 28 shots by the Whalers. Lundqvist struggled, stopping only 5 of 8.