Photo courtesy of Candice Ward/Calgary Hitmen

 

Calgary, Alberta – The Calgary Hitmen scored three unanswered goals in the third period enroute to a 3-1 victory over the Kootenay ICE at Scotiabank Saddledome Saturday night.

A quiet first period led to an eventful middle frame where the ICE would generate a number of quality chances outshooting the Hitmen 16-4 in the process. ICE forward Colton Kroeker opened the scoring on the power play at the 6:55 mark when he skated in from the top of the circle and deked out Hitmen goaltender Nick Schneider. The ICE would take a 1-0 lead into the third period.

“I really liked our second period,” explained Head Coach James Patrick. “I thought we could’ve had three or four [goals], out-chanced them by a fair margin and it was completely the opposite in the third.”

The momentum switch started early in the final frame when forward Andrei Grishakov scored from in front of the net to tie the game at one. The Hitmen would generate a number of quality chances immediately after the goal but couldn’t get the puck by ICE goaltender Bailey Brkin. Forward Andrew Fyten would give the Hitmen the lead for good at the 5:55 mark with a wrist shot from the slot that beat Brkin on the glove-hand side. Hitmen defenceman Jackson van de Leest would add an insurance goal into an empty net with under two minutes left.

“Just was real disappointed in us bringing pucks back and turning pucks in our zone and we were non-existent as far as supporting the little five, seven, ten foot passes,” added Patrick when describing what happened in the third period.

Patrick praised the play of his goaltender saying Brkin was there best player by the end of the game.

The ICE head back to Cranbrook with a split of their home-and-home series with the Hitmen. The next action for the ICE is Friday, September 29 when the Spokane Chiefs visit Western Financial Place.