Cranbrook, BC – Kootenay ICE forward Elgin Pearce scored at 3:21 of overtime in a 4-3 win over the Lethbridge Hurricanes in WHL action on Saturday night.
ICE opened the scoring as defenseman John Neibrandt put the puck towards the Lethbridge net where Drew Czerwonka picked it up and scored with a backhand shot.
ICE took a 2-0 lead on the powerplay as Jesse Ismond fed Max Reinhart in the slot and he scored his team leading 26th on his own rebound.
In the 2nd period the ICE took a 3-0 lead as Kevin King created a 2-on-1 by busting through defenders in the neutral zone and fed defenseman James Martin near the crease who scored on a one time shot.
1:07 later the Hurricanes Max Ross was alone in the middle slot and scored with a wrist shot on the glove side.
Lethbridge got within a goal late in the 2nd period as defenseman Reid Jackson scored from the corner boards that squeaked through the goalie at the near post.
In the 3rd period the Hurricanes tied the game on a goal mouth scramble and Mitch Maxwell was there to get it into the net.
In overtime Elgin Pearce stopped Brody Sutter from scoring the winning goal with a scramble near the ICE net and then went on a 2-on-1 break with Max Reinhart. Reinhart barged through the defender to create a 2-on-1 near the net and fed Pearce who scored with a one time shot high on the stick side.
ICE goalie Mackenzie Skapski made his 1st WHL start.
ICE will host Calgary on Tuesday.
ICE Scratches – Luke Paulsen (2nd game concussion 1-2 weeks), Joey Leach (6th game ankle surgery 4 weeks), Matt Fraser (5th game concussion day-to-day), Steele Boomer (6th game ankle 4 weeks).
Game Summary
Lethbridge 17-24-3-7 Kootenay 32-16-1-2
1st Period
1. Kootenay, Czerwonka 12 (Neibrandt, Montgomery) 1:57
2. Kootenay, Reinhart 26 (Ismond, Martin) 8:22 pp
Penalties – Hood Leth (slashing) 6:32, R. Maxwell (tripping) 10:04, Sutter Leth Neibrandt Ktn (fighting) 16:51, Simpson Ktn (tripping) 18:00.
2nd Period
3. Kootenay, Martin 8 (King, Antilla) 8:11
4. Lethbridge, Ross 13 (R. Maxwell, M. Maxwell) 9:18
5. Lethbridge, Jackson 1 (Hood) 17:39
Penalties – R. Maxwell Leth (hooking) 13:29,
3rd Period
6. Lethbridge, M. Maxwell 13 (R. Maxwell, Ross) 11:15
Penalties – None.
Overtime
7. Kootenay, Pearce 10 (Reinhart) 3:21
Penalties – Ryckman Leth (tripping) :21.
Shots on goal by
Lethbridge – 10 – 12 – 10 – 1 = 33
Kootenay - 14 – 11 - 5 - 3 = 33
Goal (shots-saves) – Lethbridge: Brandon Anderson (L 11-16-3-6) (33-29) Kootenay: Mackenzie Skapski (W 1-0-0-0) (33-30)
Power plays (goals-chances) - Lethbridge: 0/1 Kootenay: 1/4
Referee – Devin Klein
Linesmen – Matthew Barker, Jim Maniago
Attendance – 2,701