Another overtime shootout for the Ponoka Stampeders created a bit of a barn-burner last week but this time the home team came out on the losing side.
Ponoka played at home Nov. 2 against the Three Hills Thrashers with little for points on both sides once the final bell rang. Both teams finished up the game tied 2-2 forcing an overtime period and then a heated shootout.
For scoring, there was no action in the first period while in the second period the game heated up. Ponoka’s Jacob Sayler, with help from Cheyden Rabbit and Brayden Wells, scored the Stampeders’ first goal. The Thrashers crept ahead finishing off the second period with two points bringing the game 2-1.
In the third period the action heated even further as was seen by the penalty statistics. There was a larger number of penalty minutes for both teams in the third with one of the Thrashers being removed from the game due to a slew foot penalty.
The Stampeders were unable to sink a puck during the power play and despite the penalty action there was only one goal with Ponoka’s Kyle Skogen scoring unassisted.
That tied it up leaving both teams looking for a sudden death overtime win. That never happened, however, the Thrashers did manage four attempts on net despite being unable to capitalize.
The shootout was reminiscent of the game against the Strathmore Wheatland Kings Oct. 26 with players vying for a win after 18 tries during that shootout. This time, however, it was the Thrashers who managed to make the only, and winning, goal of the shootout after eight tries.
Overall shots on goal were in favour of the Stampeders with a final tally of 43-38 for Ponoka, 17 of which were shot in the third period.