Memphis RiverKings Edge Youngstown Steelhounds 5-4 in Shootout - CHL

 

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MLN Newswire - www.mlntherawfeed.com - SOUTHAVEN, MS --- Tyler McGregor scored the game winning goal in the 10^th round of the shootout in the Memphis RiverKings’ 5-4 win over the Youngstown Steelhounds Saturday night before 4,176 fans at the DeSoto Civic Center. Larry Sterling stopped eight consecutive Youngstown shootout attempts to secure his league leading 29^th win between the pipes. The win ended a four game winless stretch versus the Steelhounds and kept the RiverKings three points behind Bossier-Shreveport in the Northeast Division race. The Mudbugs picked up an overtime win against Oklahoma City Saturday night.

The game certainly ended right for the RiverKings, but the start was a totally different story. Shaun Landolt scored just 23 seconds in to give the Steelhounds a lead that they would hold onto until the final period of regulation.

Youngstown enjoyed a 2-0 advantage after one and a 4-3 edge after two. The RiverKings’ second period goals came from: Ryan Held, his 15^th of the season and 8^th in the last 10 games; Jason Sessa, his team leading 28th goal overall and 14^th on the power play; and Sheldon Wenzel, whose first of the season made it 4-3 entering the third.

Louis Dumont scored the only goal of the third period at 12:06 on the power play to tie the game at four. Phil Aucoin and Jason Sessa forced a turnover behind the net, with Aucoin centering the puck to Dumont for his 17^th of the season.

The overtime went scoreless thanks to the RiverKings penalty kill, which had to kill a penalty that was called 28 seconds in to the extra session.

In the shootout, each team converted on their first two attempts. That’s when the goalies settled in. Youngstown ’s David Currie made seven straight stops until McGregor’s shot tipped of his glove and in the net to start the 10^th round. Sterling then sealed it with a great pad save on Tab Lardner, but there wouldn’t have been a 10^th had he not stopped Stephen Margeson on a phenomenal diving glove effort in the previous round.

Sterling made 30 saves in regulation while Currie stopped 24 of 28 in regulation and was saddled with the OTL .

The RiverKings improved to 36-15-5 and will start a stretch of eight games in the final 12 days of the regular season at Tulsa on Tuesday at 7:05 .