Spirit win second game on road trip

JEREMIAH BARTZ/ Frontiersman sports editor

Maybe the key for the Wasilla Spirit is taking the game to a shootout?

Forward Daniel Siira scored in the shootout round to give Wasilla a 3-2 win over the Billings, Bulls in Billings, Mont., on Sunday. The shootout win was the fourth for the Spirit this season. Wasilla (11-16-0) is now 6-0 in shootout and overtime games.

&#8220We've got some guys who are pretty darn good on breakaways and in shootouts,” Wasilla head coach Dean Larson said after Wasilla's 1-0 shootout win over two-time defending league champion Texas on Nov. 4. &#8220We have some clutch guys who can put the puck in net under pressure.”

Chris Conway scored on the power play and Steve Murphy added an even-strength goal to give Wasilla a 2-0 lead over Billings. But the Bulls added a pair of late goals to tie the game. Mitch Kerns put a power-play shot past Wasilla netminder Andrew Volkening early in the final period of regulation.

After a scoreless overtime that featured just seven total shots, David Gault and Jesse Bryant converted their opportunities in the best-of-five shootout. Siira, the Spirit's fifth shooter, notched the game-winner.

Volkening, who has 372 saves in 10 games, stopped 45 shots in the win.

The Spirit are now 2-2 at the halfway point of their nine-day, eight-game road trip. Wasilla got off to a good start with a 2-1 win over Helena, but suffered a pair of losses to division-leading Bozeman.