Saints and Thunder head into overtime for game 1

The regular season is officially over, but the most exciting time is just about to start as the Langley Thunder and the Port Coquitlam Saints will faceoff in a best-of-3 wildcard series, where the winner will take on the Coquitlam Adanacs in the semi-finals. The wildcard series kicked off on Tuesday night at the Poco Rec Centre.

Both teams got off to a good start in the special teams department as the Saints were first to get on the board with a powerplay goal from KeeganBell within in the first 5 minutes of the game, but the Thunder tied it up on the powerplay when AndrewGresham scored just over a minute later.

The Thunder continued to press after their powerplay goal and not even a full minute after Gresham’s goal, BradyBarrett scored to give the Thunder a 2-1 lead.

If the Thunder could do it, so could the Saints. With 6:54 to go, MickeyFitzpatrick evened the game and then 38 seconds later, GordPhilips gave the Saints a 3-2 lead, which stayed the same until the first period ended.

The second period was all defense and the goaltenders, but specifically about AndrewGallant. The Thunder pestered him with 19 shots and were unable to beat him for the entire period, while on the other end, TorinVanrheenen faced 10 shots, but one of them being a goal from Fitzpatrick with 2:58 to go in the second period, as the Saints held a 4-2 lead heading into the third period.

The third period opened up a little. The Thunder cut the Saints lead to 1 when NathanielKozevnikov scored on the powerplay 1:01 into the third period. That proved to be the only goal until there was 7:27 left on the clock, when Bell scored for the Saints to give them a two-goal lead again.

There was no giving up from the Thunder just yet and more specifically, BobbyKidd. Kidd took the game into his hands starting at 6:43 when he scored to make it a one-goal game and then with 3:36 left in the period, he scored shorthanded to tie the game up, which meant game 1 needed to head to overtime.

In overtime, the Thunder struck first and it had to hurt the Saints a little because it was another shorthanded goal. DylanKaminski’s shorthanded goal that was 56 seconds into overtime was the Thunder’s first lead since early in the first period.

3 minutes after Kaminski’s goal, DylanFoulds scored to tie the game up and you could sense both teams did not want to give up the next goal, but with 52 seconds left in overtime, the hero would be ParkerKump of the Saints, as the Saints take game 1, 7-6.

THREE STARS OF THE GAME

Port Coquitlam – AndrewGallant – 55 saves, 6 goals allowed

Port Coquitlam – ParkerKump – 1 goal, 2 assists

Port Coquitlam – MickeyFitzpatrick – 2 goals, 1 assist

Game 2 takes place on Thursday, July 14 at the Langley Events Centre as the Thunder will hope to even the series.