SAGINAW - Coulda', woulda', shoulda'. But in the end, they didn't.
Two third period goals had the Guelph Storm 1:17 away from evening the Western Conference final against the Saginaw Spirit Saturday night, but then they self-destructed, losing 4-3 in overtime.
Captain Isaac Ratcliffe took a needless roughing penalty as he headed back to the bench with 2:14 left in regulation and his team up by a goal and then with the goalie pulled for another additional attacker, the Spirit tied the game on a point shot by Bode Wilde.
In overtime, Ratcliffe mishandled a bouncing puck inside the Guelph blue line and Ryan McLeod swooped in, grabbed the puck and fired a wrist shot past the blocker of Storm goaltender Anthony Popovich for the game-winner 6:52 into the extra frame.
"We were probably fortunate to get through the first 20 minutes alive," said Storm coach George Burnett, whose team was out-shot 20-7 in a scoreless first period, "but I really liked the way we played the last 40 minutes."
They out shot Saginaw 28-11 over the final two periods of regulation.
"Unfortunately we made some choices late in the hockey game that gave them some life," Burnett said.
"We've got lot of older guys and guys that have been through the process before, so we can't get too down on ourselves here," said the Storm's Markus Phillips.
The coach and one player from each team is made available at a post-game press conference during the conference final. The Storm player was Phillips.
Burnett was asked about Ratcliffe's rather needless penalty late in the game that led to the tying goal.
"I know he doesn't feel good about things," Burnett said. "It was an unfortunate turn of events and I'm sure he'd step up and be accountable for a poor decision," he said.
"We can't change it. But he can go out there and be the best player on the ice in Game 3 and lead his team for like he's done for most of the season," the Storm coach said.
Saginaw could be without star goaltender Ivan Prosvetov after a relatively sedate game turned crazy in the third period.
With the spirit leading 2-1, Justin Murray caught Storm forward MacKenzie Entwistle with an elbow to the head and was given a five-minute major with 7:34 left in regulation.
Entwistle didn't return but Ratcliffe tied the game early in that power play then Markus Phillips fired a wrister past Ivan Prosvetov for the go-ahead goal.
A few seconds later Prosvetov was ejected from the game for intentionally batting the puck into the crowd following a whistle.
That's usually a five-game suspension.
Saginaw coach Chris Lazary said the whistle blew late and Prosvetov trying to shoot the puck down the ice and accidentally put it into the stands.
"It wasn't intentional. It was an attempt to clear the puck on his part. He's done it several times this season," Lazary said.
The league will have to rule on any possible supplementary discipline.
Lazary said his team was "so close there to losing our composure" but that the leadership group pulled the team together.
"Get through the kill, then we'll get an opportunity to tie it with the goalie pulled," Lazary said of the message on the bench.
Game 3 goes Monday night in Guelph. Game 4 is Wednesday.
