The Chase Heat were pummeled by the league-leading Kelowna Chiefs on Friday, Jan. 18, but broke even for the weekend with a home-ice victory over the Sicamous Eagles the following night.
At the Chiefs’ Rutland Arena, the home team lit the lamp first. The goal came six minutes in from Kayson Gallant. The Chiefs followed up with a power-play marker to make the score 2-0, and then Myles Mattila scored shorthanded and unassisted to stretch the lead to three. They scored once more, less than two minutes later.
The Heat weren’t willing to go quietly: Breckin Erichuk scored, assisted by Tony Dennis before the period was over.
The Chiefs added two more goals to their tally early in the second frame.
Evan Hughes scored, assisted by Erichuk at the halfway point of the period. Evan Vinterlik tried to help the Heat rally with another goal a few minutes later.
The Chiefs found the mesh with their seventh goal and then Erichuk took advantage of a power play for another late-period goal, leaving the Heat within three goals of the home team with 20 minutes to go.
Unfortunately, the Heat had done the last of their scoring for the evening and the Chiefs ran away with the third period, holding the visitors to only five shots on goal and scoring four more goals for an 11-4 final tally.
The Heat hit the ice again against the Sicamous Eagles on Saturday, Jan. 19.
Related: Chase Heat get one point out of weekend action
Eleven minutes after the opening whistle, Hayden Wiebe of the Heat collected a pass from Erichuck and slipped the puck by Cole Steinke in the Eagles’ net.
Tyson Lampreau chalked another goal to the Heat’s column, assisted by Gavin Mattey in the last minute of the first period.
After the first intermission, the Eagles found their feet.
Seven minutes into the second period, Sean Thornton got Sicamous on the board with some help from Jack Olson and Jacob Chafe.
Jordan Sheasgreen tied the game near the end of the middle period.
The tie held into the second intermission and both teams went to the dressing rooms to gear up for a closely contested final period.
Related: Chase Heat break their drought with two wins over Sicamous Eagles
The Heat restored their lead off Erichuck’s stick early on and then followed up with a power-play goal just two minutes later.Cody Allen scored, assisted by Brett Alexander and Tyler Collens as David Cloutier of the Eagles served a spearing penalty.
The Eagles pulled Steinke from the net in favour of a sixth skater two minutes ahead of the final whistle in hopes of making up the two-goal deficit.
Although the Heat were shorthanded, Marino Bordin managed to get his stick on the puck and put it into the Sicamous net with only two seconds on the clock. The final buzzer sounded on a 5-2 win for the Heat.
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