Nationals edged in two road shootouts

The Glacier Nationals of the North American Tier 3 Hockey League went on the road to finish a five-game road trip looking to end their winless streak at four or at least gain some points in the Frontier Division Standings.

The Nationals traveled to Cody, Wyoming, and accomplished one of their goals as they squared off against the Yellowstone Quake, a Frontier Division rival in back-to-back games Saturday and Sunday. Both games were filled with drama and the Nationals lost in a shootout each night.

Despite extending their winless streak to six games, the Nationals did salvage two points because they lost both games in overtime.

In the first matchup Saturday, the Quake got off to a fast start as Sawyer Schalan beat Nationals’ goalie Ryan Lund for a goal with 14:39 to go in the first period to give Yellowstone a 1-0 edge.

Yet, the Nationals would answer later in the period when Joshua Larson scored a goal that was assisted by Gavin Lubin and Tyler McMahon 5:58 left in the first.

Then, after both teams went scoreless in the second period, the Nationals took their first and only lead of the game at 2-1 when Larson found the net with 9:47 left in the third. However, the Quake would not trail for long as 63 seconds later, Yellowstone got the equalizer when Nick Pizzey scored an unassisted goal to tie the game at 2-2.

From that point on, neither team scored during the final 8:44 of regulation or five minutes of overtime, forcing the game into a shootout to determine a winner.

Both teams failed to score on their first shot attempts and after Larson was denied on the Nationals’ second shot, the Quake went up 1-0 in the shootout with a goal by Sindre Baekken.

Neither team scored on their third attempt. And after the Nationals’ Blake Evennou failed to score on their fourth attempt, the Quake sealed with the victory with a score by Mike McCullen to win the shootout 2-0.

Despite the loss, the Nationals earned their first point in three games thanks to the overtime loss. Lund put together a valiant effort in the loss for Glacier and even though he saved 43 of 45 shots, he was given the loss. Sean Leahy got the win for the Quake and finished with 34 saves.

Sunday, the two teams went head-to-head again and this time it was Glacier that grabbed the lead when Larson scored an unassisted goal less than five minutes into the game, putting the Nationals up 1-0 with 15:05 remaining in the opening period.

Then, with just four seconds left in the first period, the Nationals stuck again when Derek Gosnell scored after getting an assist from Larson and Lubin. With that, Glacier took a 2-0 lead into the second period.

But the Quake refused to go away and with 13:05 left in the second, the lead was trimmed to one at 2-1, thanks to a power play goal by Will Landsverk.

The score would stay 2-1 until early in the third period, when the Quake tied the score at 2-2 with a power play goal by Sean Pilet with 16:43 left in the game.

Again both teams would go scoreless for the remainder of regulation and in overtime, forcing a shootout for the second straight night.

Each team connected on just one of their first four shots as Lubin scored for Glacier and Pilet scored for the Quake to make the shootout 1-1. On the fifth shot for Glacier, Hampton Hastings missed and then Max Doner connected on the fifth shot for Yellowstone to give the Quake the 2-1 shootout win.

Lund was charged with the loss again but in a spectacular showing, stopping 67 of 69 shots fired at him. Leahy won again for the Quake and finished with 22 saves.

The Nationals (1-8-3) are still in sixth place in the Frontier with a total of five points and will return home to face the Billings Bulls this Saturday inside the Havre Ice Dome. The first puck will drop at 7:30 p.m.