With a winter storm raging outside, the action was hot inside the Family Arena as the St. Louis Ambush posted a thrilling overtime victory over their I-70 rivals, the Kansas City Comets, Sunday at the Family Arena.
The Ambush held a 4-1 lead after the opening quarter, thanks for goals from Pepe, two from Tony Walls and one from new forward Qudus Lawal, playing in his first game as a member of the Ambush. Kansas City’s tally came from Kiel Williams.
The Comets scored two within the first four minutes of the second period. Lucas Rodriguez notched a power play goal, followed by an even strength goal by Leo Gibson, to shrink the Ambush lead to 4-3, a score that held until halftime.
The Comets drew even when Gibson scored a short-handed goal at 3:24 of the third quarter. The Ambush regained the lead (5-4) when Pepe scored his second tally of the game, on a power play, at 6:30. The Ambush increased the lead when Jonnathan Pachar took a pass from Felipe and buried it in the low corner of the goal in the final minute of the period.
The visitors reduced the Ambush lead to 6-5 when Gibson completed the hat trick in the second minute of the final quarter. The Ambush responded when Walls got a hat trick of his own less than a minute later. Kansas City wasted no time getting the point back as Gui Gomes scored 14 seconds after Walls to again shrink the Ambush lead to a goal (7-6). The Comets tied the game yet again when Pachar missed a block and the ball went off his foot and into the goal for the Comets equalizer, credited to John Sosa. Neither team scored before the buzzer signaled the end of regulation play, sending the game into a ten minute sudden death overtime period.
Ambush forward JT Thomas, shooting from outside the arc, was able to beat Comets goalkeeper Steven Hamersky with the game-winner at 5:48 of overtime.
The Ambush continue their current home stand when they welcome the Tacoma Stars to the Family Arena Friday, December 27 at 7:35 p.m. CST. Following that match, the Comets return for a New Year’s Eve matinee affair on Tuesday, December 31 at 3:05 p.m. CST.
