Brahmas stun Thunder with 3-2 shootout win
March 4, 2006 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Fort Worth Brahmas News Release
Fort Worth - For the Fort Worth Brahmas, Friday night's game at the Will Rogers Memorial Coliseum against the Wichita Thunder was a case of better late than never.
Despite carrying play for the majority of the game, the Brahmas found themselves facing a 2-0 deficit with less than five minutes remaining in regulation.
Then, with the Brahmas on the powerplay, Fort Worth center Cory Stillman unleashed a blistering slapshot from the left wing side that eluded Wichita goaltender Jon Volp to pull the Brahmas to within 2-1 at the 15:04 mark of the third period.
After a sequence of penalties, Fort Worth found themselves with a 4-on-3 powerplay with 1:03 showing on the clock. Brahmas head coach Guy Larose then summoned Fort Worth netminder Larry Sterling to the bench to give Fort Worth a 5-on-3 man advantage. As the clock wound down, Fort Worth pressed for equalizer.
The Brahmas efforts were rewarded with just 49 seconds left in regulation when winger Ben Gustavson, stationed just to the left of the Wichita goal crease, converted a beautiful Wes Mason centering pass into the tying goal to send the Brahmas fans at the Will into a frenzy.
After a scoreless overtime, the game would be decided in a shootout. In the shootout, Fort Worth netminder Larry Sterling stole the show. Sterling stopped Wichita's Ryan McLean, Travis Clayton, Joe Blaznek, and Jason Duda in succession. Gustavson, the Brahmas second shooter, wristed a shot that beat Volp high stick side. Gustavson's goal, his second of the game, would stand as the game winner when David Silverstone, the Brahmas third shooter, also scored in the shootout.
The gutsy come-from-behind win by the Brahmas, just their second victory of the year when trailing after two periods, capped off a strange night at the Will. Midway through the first period, the game was delayed for 29 minutes when a player entrance door on the south end of the ice surface was broken. Referee Adam Hendren sent both teams to their respective locker rooms while WRMC staff repaired the door.
When play resumed, it was the Thunder that moved out to the lead. Lardner scored his 21st goal of the season early in the second period to put Wichita on top 1-0. Clayton, Wichita's All Star centerman, extended the Thunder margin to 2-0 when he found daylight between the faceoff circles of the Fort Worth zone to slide the puck past Sterling at the 6:51 mark of the third period. Volp and Thunder would keep the Brahmas off the scoreboard until the Stillman goal triggered the Fort Worth comeback.
Sterling earned the win in net for the Brahmas, stopping 23 Wichita shots in regulation and the four Thunder shootout attempts. Despite playing well, Volp took the shootout loss for Wichita, making 27 saves in regulation and one in the shootout.
The win by Fort Worth (16-30-8) was their first in three games and also snapped a four game winning streak for the Thunder (29-17-7).
The Brahmas will be back in action on the Will Rogers ice on Saturday night, March 4, when they host the Austin Ice Bats at 7:30 p.m. Fort Worth will be wearing commemorative Verizon jerseys for the game. The game-worn jerseys will be auctioned off in a live auction immediately following the game in the Backstage Club of the WRMC. Also, prior to the game, there will be a Brahmas' Fan Appreciation Party in the plaza in front of the WRMC. The party, which will take place from 5:00-7:15, will feature a live performance by the Casey Donahew Band and four time PRCA World Champion bullrider Tuff Hedeman signing autographs. For additional information, please contact the Brahmas team office at (817) 336-4423.
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