Laughing Skulls 5, Squirrels 4 (SO)

The Squirrels lost a heartbreaker on Tuesday, and were left frustrated after a 5-4 six-round shootout loss to the Laughing Skulls.

The Skulls scored the first of the game at 4:09, but Bob Valdes cleaned up a rebound and tied the game shortly after. Valdes then scored his second of the game when left alone in front of the net in the second period.

Early in the third period, Mike Bartock’s shot-off-the-faceoff put the Squirrels up 3-1. In a 30 second span, the Squirrels gave up two goals, which tied the game at 3-3.

With less than six minutes remaining, Bartock’s effort put the Squirrels back on top, and the Squirrels just had to kill off five more minutes. But the Skulls got away with a kick-in-the-net goal, which the refs missed and which tied the game.

In the shootout, the Squirrels got off to a good start, as Mario Constantinou scored. But on the second shot by the Skulls, Craig Beatty made the save, but the ref didn’t blow the whistle and when he stood up, it trickled in. Jason Gustafson kept the Squirrels in the shootout with a goal, and Valdes almost won it but his chip-in shot beat the goalie but hit the post.

The Squirrels were credited with 51 shots on net, to the Skulls’ 26. Pat Reilly subbed in for the first period before the Squirrels were left with nine skaters.