The Ridge Meadow Flames gave up five goals in the second period on the way to dropping a 6-5 decision to the Aldergrove Kodiaks on Wednesday, Sept. 20.
The Flames skated to a 2-0 lead after 20 minutes thanks to a pair of goals from Liam Evenson. Like their previous start against the Grandview Steelers, the Flames attacked early, scoring one minute and 45 seconds into the game.
However, the defensive wheels came off in the second as Aldergrove roared back to tie the game just 6:24 seconds into the frame. The Flames responded with two goals in the just past the midway mark of the second to regain their two-goal lead.
Ryan Wellburn scored a power play marker at the 12:15 mark and then Taylor Seganfreddo potted a marker 1:40 later.
Any momentum the Flames had was quickly extinguished as penalty trouble caught up with visiting team. Aldergrove roared back with three straight to end the period, the last two on the power play. The real back breaker was giving up the go-ahead goal with just a second left in the frame.
Joshua Gibbons was in the sin bin when Aldergrove tied the game 4-4, and the Flames had both Wellburn and Brendan Murphy off for roughing and hooking when the Kodiaks scored at the end of the frame.
Still on the power play to open the third, Aldergrove scored the eventual game winner 50 seconds into the period. That was the end of the night for Flames goalie Paul Tucek, who gave up six goals on 26 shots. Cooper Anderson turned aside all seven shots in relief.
Flames captain Andrew Strelezki pulled Ridge Meadows within one, but couldn’t find the back of the net to complete the comeback.
Evenson added an assist on the night to finish with three points, the Flames top scorer on the night.
Ridge Meadows will look to get back in the win column when they host the Grandview Steelers at Planet Ice on Friday, Sept. 22 at 7:30 p.m.