Team Alberta stole an off-day from the jaws of defeat Monday.
They trailed Team B.C. 4-3 with just over three minutes to play in the third period, with the winner clinching pool B and a trip to the quarterfinal Wednesday.
Alberta pulled off nothing short of a miracle, with Zack Ostapchuk scoring the tying goal at 3:11 of the third on the power play and Sean Tschigerl getting the winner with only 28 seconds left. Matthew Savoie drove wide and the rebound popped right onto the Tschigerl’s stick and he buried it past Thomas Milic in the B.C. net.
The win gives Alberta top spot in Pool B and a bye to the quarterfinal on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at the Centrium.
GOAL!!! An unbelievable turn of events in Red Deer, Sean Tschigerl buries the rebound after an outstanding effort by Matt Savoie with 30 seconds left, and #TeamAlberta WINS 5-4! #AlbertaBuilt #GoTeamAB #CGHockey pic.twitter.com/5ZSoCGdowa
— Team Alberta Hockey (@TeamABHockey) February 19, 2019
Early in the game, it was all Team B.C. as Steel Quiring and Ty Gibson scored in the opening frame.
In the second, Graham Sward notched a power play tally to give B.C. a 3-0 advantage.
That kickstarted the comeback for Alberta, as Craig Armstrong found the back of the net at 6:51 of the second and Colton Dach scored with 4:45 left in the frame.
Trevor Wong scored just 45 seconds into the third, but defenceman Marc Lajoie kept Alberta within striking distance with a goal midway through the period.
Drew Sim stopped 27 shots in the Alberta net, while Milic made 35 saves for B.C.
B.C. finished fourth in the pool and will have to fight to stay alive Tuesday night against P.E.I.
In other hockey action Monday, Nova Scotia knocked off New Brunswick 4-2, Québec beat Ontario 5-3 and Saskatchewan topped Manitoba 7-1.
In pool c play, Newfoundland beat Yukon 7-0 and P.E.I 4-3, while P.E.I. took down Nunavut 12-0. The Northwest Territories also beat Nunavut 6-0.
Email sports tips to Byron Hackett
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