Sabers take down the Thrashers

A tight Wales Division matchup between the Sabers and Thrashers needed a shootout to determine the winner, and the Sabers scored twice in the extra session to pull out a 9-8 victory at Coast 2 Coast Inline Hockey Center in Huntington Beach.

Goals by Matthew Bennett and Kyle Christi in the shootout off-set a goal by the Thrasher’s Jake Rennison and allowed the Sabers to emerge with the win.

Bennett had scored four consecutive goals and finished with a match-best five, overall.

He scored all three of the Sabers’ goals in the third period, allowing his team to come back from a one-goal deficit and force the shootout.

Matthew Bozanich scored twice and Jake Richard once. Christi also led the team in assists with three and Bozanich and Richard had one apiece.

Todd Smith had 23 saves for the Sabers. Garrett Blackwell scored four-straight goals and led the Thrashers in scoring. Rennison finished with two goals and Luke Buntich and Kyler Scott each had a goal.

Assists went to Rennison and Aron Wong.

In other Wales Division action:

Senators 7, Red Wings 2

The Senators broke a 2-2 tie and took control of the match by outscoring the Red Wings, 4-0, in the second period.

Justin Williams led the scoring with three goals.

Zac Witt scored twice and Ethan Higbee and Austin Gearty each scored once.

Ice Dogs 10, Senators 5

The Ice Dogs scored eight of their 10 goals over the final two periods to pull away from the Senators.

Leading the Ice Dogs in scoring were Matthew Moore with three goals, Bryan Bennett and Kandice Ehret with two goals each and Travis Hunter, Drew Sorbom and William Engelke all scored once.