Ferguson wins it in OT for Flames

Photo: Scott Wiggins

Guildford Flames improved their potential Challenge cup Playoffs seeding with an OT win over Coventry Blaze at the Skydome.

Period one ended all square after a goal at each end. Kobe Roth tipped a James Shearer point shot past Eamon McAdam with 3:25 played to give the hosts the lead, but that was tied up by Peter Crinella in front of the Blaze net on a rebound with 8:02 played. Offsides were a theme in the opening period with both sides losing good changes for not staying on - Kim Tallberg's nice hands getting whistled down on the blue line as he threatened to go coast to coast.

Crinella had the best chance to put the Flames ahead in period two when he was clean through on a breakaway while shorthanded, but rang his shot off Taran Kozun's goal frame. At the other end, Shearer came closest to putting the Flames back into the lead as an uneventful period wound down.

Coventry had multiple chances to go back ahead Sam Talbot minor penalty early in perido three, but after laying siege to McAdam's net couldn't get the puck over the line. Inside the final five minutes, Alessio Luciani was one bounce of the puck away from scoring on two occasions but things didn't quite fall for him.

Both teams took a point with the score tied after 60 minutes. In a game that was scrappy throughout, it was a moment of individual brilliance from Brett Ferguson to win it for the Flames 61 seconds into OT - fine hands to pull and move and then slot past Kozun to get Guildford the extra point.