The Port Huron Flags Wave Goodbye To A Victory In 2-1 Shootout Loss In The UHL

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MLN Newswire - www.mlntherawfeed.com – PORT HURON, MICH. – Coming up just short in the extra session, the Port Huron Flags picked up a point in the shoot-out with the Kalamazoo Wings, 2-1, on Sunday.

A lackluster performance from both sides kept the game scoreless through the end of the first period. Kalamazoo recorded five shots on goal to Port Huron’s 11, although neither team could capitalize.

After a combined 100 minutes of scoreless hockey against the Wings, the Flags ended their drought at 9:25 in the second session. The high-scoring forward line of Mike Olynyk, Rob Snowball and Colt King cashed in on Ryan Nie, putting the Flags up, 1-0. Snowball chipped in a shot from Olynyk that originally came from King. It was the first lead the Flags had held over the Wings since Dec. 27, 2006 and it lasted just under six minutes for the home squad. Mark Versteeg-Lytwyn leveled the tables at 15:20 with a goal that was barely visible to the majority of the 2,262 fans in attendance. Coming off assists from Jeff Brown and Chris McAllister, the tally was the last of the period, as Kalamazoo outshot Port Huron, 17-6.

Both teams created multiple scoring opportunities in the third, but Nie and Ruden turned in great performances to end regulation at 1-1 and send the game to a shootout. Justin Kindle and Ryan Markham each netted a point in the first round. Each team found the net once in the following two rounds to tie the shootout at 2-2. Kory Karlander and Greg Bullock kept the knotted score with their shots, but Versteeg-Lytwyn sealed the game for the Wings in the final round.

Ruden made 31 saves on 32 Kalamazoo shots and went 1-for-5 in the tiebreaker in the shoot-out loss, while Nie stopped 26 of 27 attempts and 3 shooters to earn the win. AT&T named its first, second and third stars of the game to Ruden, Snowball and Kris Vernarsky, respectively. Port Huron travels to Elmira next week for two games, before bringing the Jackals back on Saturday to close the series and the season.