Four-point weekend helps Storm in playoff race

Photo: Mark Ferris

Manchester Storm secured a four-point weekend by coming back from a goal down to beat Guildford Flames by 4-1 at the Storm Shelter.

The sides ended the opening 20 minutes without score in a tight encounter with few good scoring chances. Tyler Hinam lifted the puck just over Taz Burman’s net in arguably the best opportunity of the period. With just over two minutes left in the opening session, Burman lost a skate blade and had to have running repairs – but he needed to head to the locker room, leading to Adam Long taking over in net until the end of the period.

Long started period two as well but was replaced by Burnham at the first whistle. The deadlock was broken 2:43 into period two off a powerplay slapshot form Peter Crinella that may have been tipped in front of Evan Weninger. Johnny Corneil levelled some 90 seconds later in close on a delayed penalty, while Austin Farley’s excellent breakaway finish put Storm 2-1 up less than five minutes later. Long was required to come back into the net in the final minute of period two, and this time he was beaten as Morrow shot through a sea of bodies in front to make it 3-1 shortly before the break.

Burman re-entered the net for the third time for the start of period three, and kept the Storm out to keep his team two behind. Both teams had powerplay chances to change the scoreline, but it took until seven seconds from the end for the final goal of the game - Stephen Johnson made an excellent block as the Flames pressed 6-on-4, allowing Loren Ulett to hit the empty net form his own zone and seal the game.