PHOTO: Tom Grimsdale/Ideal Images Red Deer
Austin Peters played the overtime hero as the Spruce Grove Saints earned their third consecutive victory in a 6-5 win in extra time over the Blackfalds Bulldogs on Saturday night at Eagle Builders Centre.
Ethan Kronewitt opened the scoring with his 4th goal of the season before the Bulldogs got a pair of goals from Matthew Croxall before the period was out to give Blackfalds the lead heading into the 2nd period.
The middle frame was the Saints’ best period, scoring three times to get ahead for the second time in the game. Teo Pisani lasered a shot from the right face-off circle for a shorthanded goal to tie the game at 2-2 before the captain Max Seguin popped a shot over the shoulder of Mikkel Christensen to give the Saints a one-goal lead.
Keifer Miller lifted a backhand flip pass from the neutral zone into the offensive zone as Josh Polak accepted the feed and went under the cross bar for a gorgeous goal and his team-leading 12th put the Saints ahead by a pair heading into the 3rd period.
The Bulldogs got the game within a goal before James Richards had his shot get through traffic from the left face-off circle before two goals from Antoine Gauthier helped the Bulldogs to tie the game at 5-5 and forced overtime.
The Saints possessed the puck the entire 39 seconds of overtime as Austin Peters collected the puck inside the blue line and worked around a defender before cutting to the net all alone, beating Christensen five hole for his 6th goal of the season and earning the game winning marker in a 6-5 overtime victory.
THREE STARS:
1) Antoine Gauthier (2-1-3)
2) Matthew Croxall (2-0-2)
3) Max Seguin (1-1-2)
The Saints (12-12-1-0) will head back on the road for a matchup against the Okotoks Oilers (10-13-0-0) on Friday night at Viking Rentals Centre. Puck drop is slated for 7:05 PM with the game being broadcasted live on the Saints Radio Network as well as streamed online on FloHockey.
