Keenan Taphorn scored in overtime as the Kootenay ICE withstood a furious Regina Pats rally to claim a 4-3 victory Friday at the Brandt Centre.
Taphorn sealed Kootenay’s first win of the season with 53.7 seconds left in the extra frame as the Pats rallied from a three-goal deficit to force overtime.
The ICE struck three times in the final six minutes of period one, going ahead 1-0 on a two-man advantage at 14:24. Forward Vince Loschiavo fed a pass to the left circle to linemate Zak Zborosky who rifled a snapshot to the top corner over the shoulder of Regina goaltender Jordan Hollett.
Kootenay doubled their lead soon thereafer when veteran forward Matt Alfaro strode off the right wall before snapping a quick wrister from the right circle that eluded Hollett through traffic. Zborosky rounded out the first period scoring with 1:42 to play in the period with a well-placed wrist shot from the slot after joining a rush at the Pats blue line. The ICE outshot Regina 16-12 in the first period.
The hosts stormed out of the gate in period two, finding the scoreboard 70 seconds into proceedings on a one-timer from forward Lane Zablocki from just outside the crease. Rearguard Sergei Zborovskiy cut the Kootenay lead to 3-2 three minutes later on a similar goal, as he found space down the right side before slamming a one-timer just out of the reach of ICE netminder Payton Lee’s glove.
Both teams recorded a power-play goal Friday, with the Pats scoring theirs early in the third period through Dawson Leedahl. The 20 year-old received a carom at the side of the Kootenay net after his centring pass struck the skate of an ICE defenseman. Leedahl then snuck the ricochet past Lee’s left pad for his second goal of the season. Both goaltenders held their opponents at bay through the remainder of regulation time, with Lee the busier of the two thanks in part to three Regina power plays.
Overtime proved no less exciting than the previous 60 minutes, with the Pats coming closest to winning just past the midway mark of extra time. Blueliner Chase Harrison found himself alone in the slot with time to shoot, but was foiled by a sensational glove save by Lee.
Just over a minute later, Alfaro dove to swat a puck out of the ICE zone sending blueliner Cale Fleury and Taphorn on a two-man breakaway. Fleury sifted a pass across to the 16 year-old forward, who backhanded a shot through Hollett for his second marker in as many games.
Lee turned aside 44 shots Friday, surpassing 4,000 career regular season saves in the first period. Hollett stopped 36 shots at the other end for the Pats.
Alfaro finished with a goal and an assist for Kootenay while Loschiavo had two helpers. Regina forward Jake Leschyshyn led all scorers with three assists.
HADDAD FINANCIAL SERVICES 3 STARS:
1. Zak Zborosky, Kootenay
2. Jake Leschyshyn, Regina
3. Vince Loschiavo, Kootenay
UP NEXT: the ICE continue their three-game Saskatchewan swing Saturday in Moose Jaw. Game time is 7:00 pm.
