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Birds Outlast Lasers In OT Thriller

By Mike Hammett WiPH Staff, 02/11/22, 5:30PM CST

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   The Janesville Bluebirds and KMMO Lasers met Thursday night in Janesville. Earlier in the season Janesville won a 6-5 tilt during the Christmas break.

   This game was just as close and needed extra time.

   Ian Perkins scored with just over 3 minutes gone in overtime for the 8-7 comeback win. The two teams combined for seven goals in the first two periods. But the third period itself had seven goals combined forcing the extra frame.

   The Lasers jumped out to a 3-0 lead after the first period. The Lasers first goal was scored as a winger won a race to a puck and was able to find Cole Duncan by the post who poked the puck past Janesville goalie Jaicy Campbell for the early 1-0 lead.  With just over four minutes to go in the period the Lasers struck again as Eli Schwartz socked home a rebound from the right post for a 2-0 lead. Tristan Arnold scored with just under a minute left to give the Lasers a 3-0 lead thru one period.

   But after the first intermission Janesville came out with more jump in their skates, and with 2:31 gone in the period they got within one on goals by Skyler Swearingen and Tyler Steuck. Finally, the game was tied on a goal by Drew King's fifth goal of the season. King dumped the puck in from the right point on the entry to the goal, The KMMO goalie squeezed his pads together, but the puck stayed on edge and slowly rolled into the net for the tie. At that point all the momentum was in Janesville's favor, but it was KMMO who lead after two periods when they came back and scored with a power play goal on Eli Schwartz's second goal of the night and the Lasers lead by one going into a crazy third period.

   Janesville got the Third period going as they scored the first three goals of the period in seven minutes taking a 6-4 lead on goals by Bryce Sullivan. Tyler Steuck and Lucas Young. So, with ten minutes left the Lasers stepped up their pace and scored three of their own goals to take the lead back at 7-6 with goals by Cooper Barry. Eli Schwartz with his third of the game, and Anthony Bartnik. So now the Birds had to try to tie it up and with 30 seconds left they called their timeout, which gave them time to get their top line a break. With an extra attacker on the ice, they got a faceoff win in the offensive zone. The puck was worked behind the net and finally Tyler Steuck found Jake Shaffner wide open in the low slot with the easy tap in for the tie with seven seconds left in regulation.

   The overtime period had Janesville up in shots 2-0 when Ian Perkins scored the game winner. Tyler Steuck's shot was fought off by the goalie and the rebound came out to Perkins who let a wrist shot off that went under the crossbar and set off a celebration. Their four-game losing skid was over and they claimed the 8-7 win.

  in the game Janesville Goalie Jaicy Campbell finished with 37 saves while KMMO goalie Ethan Nappier finished with 24. Janesville now goes to 13-10 with their regular season finale Saturday with Beloit. KMMO finishes their regular season with a 7-16 record, and face WNS on Tuesday in their playoff game.

   

   

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