Guildford Flames made it a four-point weekend and moved into fifth with a 3-2 home win over Glasgow Clan, completing a clean sweep of all six meetings between the sides this season.
“It feels awesome to play a part in helping our team win,” said Jack Jacome, who hit a hat trick for the Flames. “The game is funny sometimes, you think you do a lot more and maybe don’t have anything to show for it, and some nights the puck just goes in.”
Clan struck first at 3:28 when a turnover behind the net allowed Joe Hazeldine to set up Rylan Schwartz, who converted his own rebound to give the visitors the lead.
Guildford responded midway through the period, with Jack Jacome carrying the puck down the ice before cutting inside and finishing neatly to level the game at 11:36. The Flames had to withstand multiple penalties as the period went on, but Clan were unable to make their powerplays count.
“It’s a tough outcome for us tonight, I thought we had a lot of chances to win that game,” commented Clan’s Brett Neumann. “Especially if that bounce had gone through at the end there, it’s pretty disappointing.”
Glasgow regained the lead late in the second period when Brayden Burke set up Mick Messner at 31:58, but Guildford hit back on the powerplay. Ethan Strang’s shot was saved, but Jacome was on hand to score the rebound at 35:11 and tie the game once more.
“Throughout the whole game tonight, we need to execute a bit better,” added Neumann. “Our special teams weren’t on tonight and Guildford’s were; ultimately that was the difference.”
Jacome completed his hat trick with 5:15 remaining in the third, firing home from the slot on the powerplay to put the Flames ahead for the first time.
“Tyler Busch told me to be ready for that exact play just before we went into the faceoff, so huge credit to him and Josh Waller,” said Jacome of the game-winner. “He put it on a tee for me and that was enough to win it.”
Clan pushed late with Aittokallio pulled for the extra skater, but could not find an equaliser as Guildford held on for the one-goal win.
Photo: John Uwins
