The Dauphin Kings scored with just three seconds left in regulation to hand the Winkler Flyers a heart breaking 5-4 loss on Friday night. After tying the game with two goals in the third period, the Flyers’ came up just short of picking up some much needed points in the MJHL Standings.

Entering play tied with the Winnipeg Blues for seventh place, four points behind the sixth place Dauphin Kings and just four points ahead of the ninth place Waywayseecappo Wolverines, the Flyers started their three game weekend road trip with a very important game in Dauphin.

The Flyers had won four of the previous five meetings against the Kings and had scored first in all four wins. Winkler scored first in Friday night’s game as well as Jesse Korytko picked off a Dauphin pass at the blueline and scored on the ensuing breakaway.

Before the end of the period, a failed Winkler clearing attempt resulted in the tying goal for Dauphin and the two teams skated into the first intermission knotted up at one.

The Kings took it to the Flyers in the second period and took their first lead of the night early in the middle frame. However, not even two minutes later, Griffin Leonard sent a bank pass up ahead to Gino Lucia who raced into the Kings’ zone on a breakaway and tied the game with his sixth of the season.

After peppering goaltender Riley Morgan with more than 20 shots in the second period alone, Dauphin jumped on a couple of Winkler mistakes to take a 4-2 lead into the third.

The third period was Winkler’s best and their comeback effort started with Collin Caulfield’s power-play goal just past the eight minute mark. Everett Bestland and Gino Lucia assisted on Caulfield’s second goal in his last three games.

Going the last eleven games without a goal, Jesse Korytko had already snapped that streak earlier in the game, and with 8:05 left in regulation, Korytko would add his second of the game after taking a nice pass from Colton Harder down low and the game was tied 4-4.

With just over five minutes left in the third, Winkler went on a four minute power-play and came close to retaking the lead only to see their chances come up short. Then in the final moments of the period with the Kings back to even strength, the puck went across the Winkler crease to Carter Sawchuk who scored with just three seconds left on the clock to win the game 5-4 and keep the Flyers from any points.

Despite giving up five goals, Riley Morgan had a very strong game in goal for Winkler. The Flyers were 1-for-3 on the power-play and 2-for-2 on the penalty-kill.

The Flyers, who are still tied for seventh place will continue their weekend road trip Saturday night in Swan River. Puck drop between the Flyers and Stampeders is 7:30pm with Matt Friesen’s pregame show on Country 88 and online at www.pembinavalleyonline.com getting under way at 7:25pm.

GAME STATS