Game 3: Team Manitoba 6 – Team BC 5 OT

Braden Cuthbert scored the game winner at 2:32 of overtime to cap off an extraordinary comeback by Team Manitoba over Team BC on night 2 of the inaugural Western Canada U-16 Challenge Cup.

Team BC led 2-1 after one period of play on goals from Jan Erricson and Evan Richardson’s marker on the power play. Brandon Leipsic continued his hot streak by scoring Manitoba’s loan marker of the 1st period.

The Second period saw Team BC pull away in the first half of the period to grab a 5-1 lead. Matt Bissett scored at 5:09 of the period and Evan Richardson scored his second of the night 22 seconds later as BC looked as though they were on their way to victory. After Mitch Guiel Scored near the 7 minute mark of period number two, it looked as though BC would surely have enough to come away with a win.

After Manitoba coach Billy Keane called a time out, Team Manitoba came out looking like a different team. The Momentum surely was in Manitoba’s favour after they scored 3 goals in 3 minutes to get within one goal after two periods. Manitoba’s charge of three goals came off the sticks of Sutton Olson, Brett Stovin and Jordyn Boyd.

Team Manitoba’s momentum carried over into the third as Ryan Pulock scored 4 minutes into the third period to complete the comeback and tie the game at 5. BC started to regain some of their first period play and had Manitoba on their heels in the dying minutes but Brenden Fieblkorn shut the door in relief of Manitoba starter Chris Driedger to send the game to Overtime.

It seemed it was only inevitable that Manitoba would complete the comeback in Overtime, and at 2:32 of the extra frame, Braden Cuthbert buried a rebound past Nicholas Renyard and Manitoba won 6-5.

Reid Gow from Manitoba and Morgan Zulinick from BC were awarded player of the game. Manitoba takes on Team Alberta tomorrow at 3:00pm in a possible gold medal preview, while BC takes on Saskatchewan at noon.

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