Green Bay's Power Play Fuels 5-4 Overtime Victory Over Omaha
Published on February 27, 2011 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Omaha Lancers News Release
Green Bay, WI - The Green Bay Gamblers scored three power play goals, including the game-winner with just seven seconds left in overtime, in dropping the Omaha Lancers 5-4 Saturday evening at the Resch Center. Following the overtime setback, Omaha saw its overall record on the year dip to 26-13-6. The Lancers are now tied for second place in the Western Conference alongside the Fargo Force. Both clubs hold 58 standings points.
Omaha grabbed the game's opening goal with the team's first shot of the night when, just 3:40 into the first period, Kevin Albers' right point shot was redirected at the top of the goal crease by Nick Oddo producing Oddo's team-leading 19th goal of the season. Jonathan Liau earned the secondary assist on the five-on-five tally, which marked the 27th time in 45 games this season that the Lancers have scored the game's first goal. Omaha doubled the lead less than a minute later when a Gamblers giveaway in the defensive zone led to a two-on-one between Stefan Demopoulos and Seth Ambroz generating Ambroz's 18th goal of the season. Albers earned his second point of the period with the secondary assist on the even strength marker netted 4:23 into the opening period. Green Bay trimmed the deficit in half just past the midway point of the period when Austin Czarnik banked a shot from below the goal line off the backside of Lancers netminder Todd Mathews and into the Omaha cage. The unassisted five-on-five goal came 10:07 into period one. The Gamblers then evened the contest at two apiece with the only power play of the opening period when a slap pass from the left point by Matt Stewart found William Kessel at the right side of the goal who tapped in his 19th goal of the year. Jean-Paul LaFontaine garnered the secondary assist on the man advantage marker scored at the 16:09 mark of period one.
Omaha regained the lead less than five minutes into the second period when Oddo drove down the Green Bay slot before sending a pass to the left wing for Adam Chlapik who made no mistake in snapping home his fifth goal of the season. The five-on-five tally came 4:59 into the middle frame and was the only dent on the scoreboard in a period that featured a combined 20 shots on goal.
Green Bay evened the game once again just 1:39 into the final period when Travis Lynch redirected Brian O'Rourke's slap shot from the high slot. Matt Stewart earned the secondary assist on Lynch's 14th goal of the season, which extended his point streak to five consecutive games. The Gamblers then grabbed their first lead of the night less than three minutes later when, while on the power play, Robert Francis won a battle for a loose puck at the side of the Omaha goal before sending in his 13th goal of the year. Lynch and Aaron Harstad assisted on the man advantage marker netted 4:16 into the third period. The Lancers remained resilient though and evened the game at four apiece with just over four minutes left in regulation when Bryce Johnson won a battle in the corner before walking to the front of the net and sending his sixth goal of the season between the legs of Green Bay netminder Adam Wilcox.
The tension then really escalated with 3:30 left in regulation when a dump-in on the Omaha goal was settled and covered by Lancers netminder Todd Mathews followed by a late poke check by the Gamblers, which erupted into a line brawl and a goalie fight. Following ejections to both starting goaltenders, John Keeney and Ryan McKay assumed the crease duties for the remainder of the evening.
The Gamblers finally put the contest away with just seven seconds left in overtime when Green Bay converted on its third power play goal of the night. Andy Welinski blasted home a one-timer from the high slot from Stewart and Kessel 4:53 into the overtime period sealing the victory for the Gamblers.
The Lancers are back in action next Friday evening when they head to the Viaero Event Center in Kearney, Nebraska for a showdown with the Tri-City Storm.
United States Hockey League Stories from February 27, 2011
- Blackhawks Fall at Green Bay - Waterloo Black Hawks
- Mattson Burns Former Team, Phantoms Drop Steel 2-1 - Youngstown Phantoms
- Green Bay's Power Play Fuels 5-4 Overtime Victory Over Omaha - Omaha Lancers
- Storm shut out at home - Tri-City Storm
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