OKLAHOMA CITY – Daniel Duris stopped all three Brahmas shooters and Drew Sutton scored in the shootout to propel the Oklahoma Warriors over the Lone Star Brahmas Saturday at Blazers Ice Centre.
Mikko Liukkonen got Oklahoma on the board early with a goal from William Ahlrik and Therien Thiesing at 7:10 of the first period. The Warriors’ 1-0 lead would hold until the third period, and the home squad outshot Lone Star 18-12 through 40 minutes of play.
Lone Star got the first two goals of the third period to take a 2-1 lead just over six minutes into it, but Kaden Nelson tied it five minutes later. Nelson dumped the puck in along the far-side boards and while the Brahmas goalie went out to try and play it, it bounced off the glass and into the vacated net with 8:47 remaining in regulation. The teams held on through the end of the third, and through overtime to set up the skills competition.
Neither team scored through the first round, and Duris stopped the first two shots against him to allow an opportunity for the Warriors advantage. Sutton scored as the second shooter of the second round, and Duris made the final stop to go three-for-three in the shootout and secure Oklahoma’s 3-2 win.
The Warriors will host the Corpus Christi IceRays for their next home series, March 10 and 11 from Blazers Ice Centre.