Jakob Stukel scored the lone goal in the shootout to lift the Calgary Hitmen past the Kootenay ICE 6-5 Sunday at Scotiabank Saddledome.
Matt Alfaro and Zak Zborosky both scored twice for the ICE, who forced extra time with a furious three-goal rally in their 2015-16 season finale.
Calgary opened the scoring while on the power play 7:18 into the first period. Defenseman Travis Sanheim found time in the high slot, zipping a puck over the shoulder of Kootenay netminder Wyatt Hoflin for his 15th goal of the season.
Zborosky tied the game five minutes later after causing a turnover in neutral ice. The ICE scoring leader snapped a puck over the left pad of Hitmen goaltender Cody Porter from the left-wing circle. Calgary, however, held a 2-1 lead through 20 minutes thanks to a long-range slapper from rearguard Keegan Kanzig found its way in through traffic with 1:24 left in the frame.
After forward Carsen Twarynski put the hosts up 3-1 at the 7:23 mark of period two, Kootenay again found the scoresheet thanks to a one-timer from Alfaro from the right circle. Calgary extended their lead to 5-2 through 40 minutes on markers from Tyler Mrkonjic and Stukel, outshooting the ICE 25-11 in the process.
Kootenay found their offensive stride in period three, beating Porter on another power-play marker from Alfaro at 8:57. Porter left the game minutes later after being shaken up on a long slapshot from ICE defenseman Dallas Hines, and was replaced by fellow 18 year-old Nik Amundrud.
Kootenay kept attacking the Hitmen net after the goaltending change, cutting the deficit to 5-4 at 12:48 when Zborosky netted his second goal of the game. First-year forward Shane Allan tied it just under three minutes later, converting into a wide open cage from just outside the crease after a setup from linemate Noah Philp.
Neither side was able to cash in during a wild overtime frame that included a chance from ICE defenseman Troy Murray that struck iron, and a clear-cut breakaway from Hitmen leading scorer Radel Fazleev that went awry in the dying moments.
Amundrud stopped all three shots he faced in the shootout, while Stukel outwaited Hoflin on his shootout attempt to tuck home the deciding goal.
Hoflin made 34 saves in goal for Kootenay. The ICE finished 2-3 on the power play.
