The white hot Alex Oldale ensured the Storm continued their excellent form to outlast Guildford Flames, 4-3, after penalty shots.

A spectacular triple save by Burman, in the Flames crease, in the opening phases kept the scores deadlocked but brought the sizeable home support into the match early. Not long after this, a bottle popping snipe from Tremblay brought the Christmas cheer to the Shelter before the midway point of the opening period.

The forward doubled his tally and the hosts lead – after an excellent drive by Heier drew the attention of the Flames blueliners which afforded the space for Tremblay to find the twine again . A tipped puck by Tesink slashed the visitors arrears in the 19th minute, after a well-directed wristshot from Locke. However, this would not be the end of the first periods goal scoring. An excellently worked powerplay by Manchester was rewarded by the in-form Hinam deflection, with only eight second remaining in the first twenty.

The Flames through another direction changing tipped effort scored their second of the match, this time in the shape of Lalonde, at 30:11. A succession of minor penalties assessed against the Storm invited wave upon wave of Guildford attacks. Yet, young Oldale in the Storm crease maintained his composure and pulled off multiple good saves to prevent any further scoring in the middle stanza. A costly turnover deep in their own defensive zone squared the game, as the Hook eased the puck beyond a hapless Oldale, in the 54th minute.

With the Storm, likely ruing the elapsed powerplay opportunities which proceeded this third Flames marker. Little in the way of scoring chances were fashioned in the closing moments of regulation, as both sides appeared content with guarantee of a point. The bonus hockey was played almost exclusively infront of Oldale’s net but the hosts held firm and made it to the penalty shootout. This extra effort would prove decisive, as some silky finishes from Heier; Hinam and Morrow clinched the two points for the Storm.