Cranbrook, BC – The Calgary Hitmen came back from a 4-0 first period deficit to beat the Kootenay ICE 6-5 in overtime in WHL action on Friday night.
The ICE (36-25-6-4) scored 4 goals in a 3:33 span to jump out to a 4-0 lead. (the Franchise record is 3:23)
Sam Reinhart opened the scoring with a wrist from the low slot that went off the cross bar and into the net.
On the powerplay Jesse Ismond found a loose puck in the slot and notched his 5th PPG of the season.
The ICE made it 3-0 as Joey Leach got his 2nd assist of the period with Erik Benoit putting in a rebound near the crease.
Calgary changed goalies with Chris Driedger replacing Brandon Glover.
Elgin Pearce made it 4-0 with a shot from the middle slot that beat the new goalie low on the stick side.
The Hitmen (43-25-2-1) scored on the powerplay with Viktor Rask getting team leading 14th PPG.
In the second period the ICE were called for 3 penalties in a short stretch that gave the Hitmen two long 5-on-3 powerplays and they scored on a goal mouth scramble with Jimmy Bubnick getting the goal.
The Hitmen won a battle in the ICE zone and got the puck to the blueline for Jaynen Rissling who scored with a slap shot that beat the screened goalie.
ICE defenseman Luke Paulsen left the game in the second and didn’t return to the game.
Early in the third period Joey Leach scored with a wrist shot from the half boards that beat the screened goalie.
Leach has goals in 3 straight games.
Calgary pulled their goalie with 2 minutes left and Jimmy Bubnick scored after receiving a behind the net pass from Alex Gogolev.
Calgary pulled the goalie again and Trevor Cheek threw the puck in the air into the crease and the puck went into the net off of Greg Chases’ arm.
In the overtime the Hitmen scored the winner on the powerplay with Spencer Humphries scoring from the top of the circle.
The ICE have lost 4 games in a row and had the lead in the 3rd ppeiod in all of them.
The 4 goal lead is the biggest lead relinquished by the ICE this season.
The ICE will visit Calgary on Saturday in the final regular season game of the season.
The next home game for the ICE will be games 3 and 4 of the 1st round of the playoffs.
Hitmen record against teams they could face in the 1st round … Saskatoon 2-2, Regina 2-2, Brandon 2-2, Kootenay 2-5.
ICE record against teams they could face in the 1st round … Edmonton 0-3-2-1, Moose Jaw 1-2-1, Medicine Hat 3-3, Calgary 5-0-1.
Hitmen forward 15-year-old Jake Virtanen, who played in his 8th WHL game, was the 1st overall pick in the 2011 Bantam Draft, the ICE selected his cousin Jared in the 8th round of the same draft.
ICE Scratches – Mike Simpson, Max Reinhart (1st game day-to-day) Drew Czerwonka (13th game, lower body, 1-2 weeks).
The ICE handed out their year-end awards.
Co-MVP – Nathan Lieuwen and Max Reinhart
Defenseman – Joey Leach
Rookie – Sam Reinhart
Players’ Award – Nathan Lieuwen
Most Improved – Brock Montgomery
Most Underratted – Jagger Dirk
Community Relations – Drew Czerwonka
Fan’s Club – Sam Reinhart
Scholastic – Jeff Hubic
Game Summary
Calgary 43-25-2-1 Kootenay 36-25-6-4
1st Period
1, Kootenay, S.Reinhart 28 (Leach), 4:51.
2, Kootenay, Ismond 16 (McKinlay, Dirk), 7:24 (PP).
3, Kootenay, Benoit 14 (Leach, Cable), 7:54.
4, Kootenay, Pearce 21 (Antilla, Montgomery), 8:24.
5, Calgary, Rask 33 (Macek, Gogolev), 11:00 (PP).
Penalties-Humphries Cal (roughing), 5:00; Ismond Ktn (roughing), 5:00; Bowman Cal (interference), 6:03; Dirk Ktn (slashing), 9:52; Bubnick Cal (roughing), 11:59; Antilla Ktn (tripping), 13:38.
2nd Period
6, Calgary, Bubnick 33 (Brassart, Macek), 6:50 (PP).
7, Calgary, Rissling 5 (Gogolev, Humphries), 11:03.
Penalties-Wand Ktn (roughing, roughing, 10-minute misconduct), 5:08; Dirk Ktn (high sticking), 6:20; Sylvester Cal (interference), 11:23; Antilla Ktn (tripping), 16:46.
3rd Period
8, Kootenay, Leach 12 (Ismond, Reinhart), 3:25.
9, Calgary, Bubnick 34 (Gogolev, Rask), 19:03.
10, Calgary, Chase 6 (Sylvester, Cheek), 19:18.
Penalties-Brassart Cal (roughing), 11:33; Ismond Ktn (roughing), 11:33; Muth Ktn (checking from behind), 19:47.
OT Period
11, Calgary, Humphries 8 (Macek), 0:59 (PP). Penalties-No Penalties
Shots on Goal-Calgary 6-15-2-11-34. Kootenay 14-3-9-0-26.
Power Play Opportunities-Calgary 3 / 6; Kootenay 1 / 3.
Goalies-Calgary, Glover 20-12-0-0 (9 shots-6 saves); Driedger 23-12-2-1 (17 shots-15 saves). Kootenay, Lieuwen 27-19-6-2 (34 shots-28 saves).
A-2,840
Referees-Colin Watt (72), Derek Zalaski (8).
Linesmen-Michael Roberts (87), Ian Shaver (74).