The Springfield Jr. Blues were hoping for good things when they acquired the two sons of former NHL player Petr Klima, and they delivered in their debut Friday night.
Kevin and Kelly Klima, gotten from the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League, scored a goal apiece and the Blues beat the Michigan Warriors 4-3 in overtime.
Michael Crowley scored the game-winning goal halfway through the extra session. The Klima goals, first from Kevin and then from Kelly, both came in the second period. Kevin stashed home a rebound off a shot from Anthony Scarsella, who got a great feed down low from Brian Rigali. Kelly scored on a two-man rush with Rigali, who dished the puck on a left-wing feed and Klima finished in front of the net.
Jason Dhooghe scored a power play goal on a slap shot from the right side that squeezed through the pads of Michigan goalie Ryan Wischow in the first period. The Warriors responded with a power play goal of their own from Tyler Groat just a minute and 14 seconds into the second.
Groat got the second goal off a faceoff win for Michigan in the third to pull the road team to within one at 3-2. Collin Horton tied the game after a Springfield time out and with the extra attacker with just 67 seconds left in the third.
After an apparent missed tripping call in the neutral zone, the Jr. Blues entered the Warriors zone and Michael Crowley ripped a roof shot passed Wischow to win the game for Springfield.
The Jr. Blues are now 6-1 on the first game of home series this season.
Wischow stopped 40 shots for Michigan, while Springfield goalie Dryden McKay made 23 saves.
The Blues look for the sweep Saturday night, and you can hear it on FastHockey.com.
-Jim McCabe
