There's a saying in golf that there's no room for pictures on the scorecard. The same could be said for AJHL shoot out wins against cellar dwelling opponents. Don't spend any time critiquing the game. Just take the two points and run.
Gus Correale scoring the shoot out winner Thursday night in Lloydminster, as the Grande Prairie Storm nipped the Bobcats 4-3 to head out of town with two points in their back pockets. That's two points more than the Storm earned over the past weekend in the Border City, when they were shut down 4-1 and 5-1 by the last place 'Cats.
Storm were outshot 33-26 on the night, including 5-1 in the five-minute 3-on-3 overtime. Neither team led by more than a goal any time during the contest. Correale and Ryan Matthews both tallied in the first period, as the Storm battled back from 1-0 and 2-1 deficits. Marc-Etienne Drapeau gave Grande Prairie its first lead of the night, midway through the second, but Lloydminster forced overtime with the tying goal about five minutes into the third.
So, the Storm are now back on a winning streak, albeit only two games long. They doubled up on the Thunder 6-3 a night earlier in Drayton Valley.
For the first time all season Grande Prairie also moves alone into first place in the AJHL North Division. With 40 points, the Storm are one up on Spruce Grove and also enjoy three games in hand on the Saints. The two clubs collide next Tuesday in Spruce Grove—the final outing of a five-game road trip for the Storm.
The club then returns to home ice for games December 7th and 8th against the Sherwood Park Crusaders.
– Story by Don Whiteford of www.PeaceCountrySports.com