Adam Tambellini scored 1:12 into overtime to lift the Calgary Hitmen past the Kootenay ICE 8-7 in a wild Game Three Tuesday at Western Financial Place.
ICE forward Tim Bozon matched a franchise record for points in a playoff game with six points, while Rinat Valiev forced extra time with a goal four seconds from the end of the third period.
Kootenay opened the scoring 2:13 into the first period when Sam Reinhart rifled a shot over the shoulder of Calgary netminder Mack Shields from the left circle. His goal was cancelled out less than three minutes later by Chase Lang after the Hitmen winger pounced on a rebound in front of the ICE net, lifting a backhand shot over the pad of Kootenay goaltender Wyatt Hoflin.
Bozon and Calgary import Pavel Karnaukhov traded goals before the game was eleven minutes old before Tambellini rounded out a busy first period with a power-play marker at 17:18.
Lang added a second goal to give the Hitmen a 4-3 lead 7:44 into period two, banking a shot in off a leg from an acute angle to Hoflin's right.
The ICE narrowed the gap to 4-3 through Reinhart 1:14 later, but the visitors would reclaim a two-goal advantage with seven minutes left in the middle stanza when defenseman Travis Sanheim outwaited Hoflin after breezing into the Kootenay zone shortly after an ICE power-play.
Kootenay levelled the score at 5-5 before the end of period two on goals from Bozon and Valiev, then took the lead 2:12 into the third period when Matt Alfaro banked a shot off the pad of Calgary replacement netminder Brendan Burke from the goalline.
The see-saw affair continued thanks to two goals from the Hitmen courtesy Tambellini and forward Taylor Sanheim, the latter of which put the visitors ahead 7-6 with 6:41 to play.
The ICE again found an equalizer, forcing overtime on a one-timer from Valiev with four seconds left in regulation time. The Russian blueliner accepted a pass at the right circle from Luke Philp, slapping the puck past a screened Burke for his second goal of the game.
Tambellini, for the second consecutive game, ended the contest in overtime, slipping a shot from the right wing through traffic and past Hoflin 72 seconds into extra time, giving Calgary a 2-1 series lead.
Bozon led all scorers with six points (two goals, four assists), becoming the second ICE player to record six points in one game. Jaedon Descheneau accomplished the feat March 24, 2014 against the Hitmen.
Travis Sanheim led the Hitmen with a goal and four assists.
UP NEXT: Game Four of the Eastern Conference Quarter-Final goes Wednesday, April 1st at Western Financial Place. Game time is 7:00 pm.