In what is now one of the biggest rivalries of the division, the Screaming Squirrels and the Nordiques faced off for the third time Sunday night, trading goals down to the final moments. This time, the Squirrels found a way to win, snatching a 6-5 victory by scoring three times in the third period.
The Squirrels knew that there was one guy in particular who they needed to shut down: The league’s leading scorer, Walt Bender Jr. They didn’t. But the Squirrels got a spark of their own from Don Marks, who hadn’t played in more than a month. Two minutes into the game, Marks took a centering pass from Tony Richelson, and knocked the puck in to get the scoring started.
Bender scored his first goal midway through the first period. Thirty seconds later, it appeared that the Squirrels went ahead as Ed Bager hit the puck in the net, but instead he was called for high-sticking and served a four-minute penalty. The Squirrels killed it, and then another minor, but gave up a goal just as the power-play expired in the final minute of the period.
The Nordiques and Squirrels traded two goals apiece in the middle frame. Matt Borlik tied the game on a power play, and Ben Sumner slid in a loose puck to give the Squirrels the lead. Then Bender took over, getting two more in the second period to put the Nordiques back ahead.
Brian Jackson took a major penalty late in the period, which carried over to the third period, but the Squirrels managed to kill it. Jackson then redeemed himself by scoring later in the period on another power play to tie the game. With two and a half minutes remaining, Marks whacked in another loose puck in front of the net to regain the lead. On the same line shift, Bager scored a much-needed insurance goal. The Nordiques got one back with a late flurry around the net, but the Squirrels held on to win.
Rob Myers, Sergio Balatan and Greg Wenograd missed the game for the Squirrels. Drew Thiemann faced 19 shots in net as the Squirrels posted 35. The Squirrels and Nordiques are now 1-1-1 head-to-head this season.
The next game is Wednesday, February 22, at 10 p.m. in Resor against Southwest Airlines.