Piekarczyk Wins it in Overtime (3/5)

BILOXI, MS - All eyes league-wide were on the Breakers and the Scarecrows as they kicked off their final 2-game set on a Thursday night in Biloxi. In a back and forth, penalty free game, Lucas Piekarczyk’s overtime winner secured Biloxi their first win in 55 days.

Topeka came out flying to begin period 1, tallying 9 shots through the opening 3 minutes of regulation time. The first punch came from Cameron Clark, lifting home a blind back-door pass by TJ Sneath to put the Scarecrows up 1-0 early. Around the midway point Biloxi added some pressure and had some solid chances of their own, but Topeka had all the tempo in their favor. With just inside 7 minutes to play, a panel of glass fell out in the corner wall, forcing a lengthy delay that ripped the momentum right from the Scarecrows. Once play resumed, Biloxi recorded 5 of the final 6 shots in the frame. At 18:49, Chiwetin Blacksmith stick-handled his way through traffic in the slot and finished high over the blocker of Bryn Sommerfeldt to tie the game at 1 in his Breakers debut. The Scarecrows led in shots 17-11 through the first frame. 

Period 2 began with not a whole lot of pressure for either side. At 5:13, Biloxi’s Matt Gellerman centered a pass that was tapped home inadvertently by Topeka’s Gordon Whalen for a unique go-ahead goal to make it 2-1. To the midway point we went, with sloppy hockey making for a nail biter to see who would find the all important 4th tally. At 17:46, Matt Stoia fired a catch and release rocket over the glove of Sommerfeldt for his 5th of the season to open up a 3-1 advantage for the home squad. However, 36 seconds later Trevor Grasby found Scott Coash with another backdoor feed that was shoveled home to pull the Scarecrows to within 1. 31 seconds after that, Coash beat a screened Anton Borodkin with a shot through the five-hole to tie the contest in the blink of an eye. Topeka was able to erase Biloxi’s 2 goal margin in a span of just 1:07 to tie things up heading into the final chapter. The game was still yet to have a single penalty minute through 40 minutes, with Topeka leading in shots 26-17. 

The 3rd period sped by with neither team recording a goal. Topeka outshot Biloxi 12-11 in the frame, but this game would need extra time.

In the bonus frame, Topeka recorded each of the first 6 shots on goal although the possession was split relatively equal. Into the 65th and final minute, Hugo Koch found Captain Lucas Piekarczyk who buried the overtime winner in the top corner to end Biloxi’s 15 game slide, their first win in 8 weeks. Anton Borodkin notched his 1st win of the season in his 20th start. 

The Breakers improve to 7-35-1 as Topeka drops their 6th straight and falls to 23-17-3. The two teams will close out their 12 game season series tomorrow night at 7:00.