LOS ANGELES, Calif.- The Fresno Pacific Sunbirds (3-9 overall)  split a pair of close games against the McKendree Bearcats (5-8 overall) and the Whittier College Poets (0-16 overall) to close out the Gary Troyer Tournament. 
 
The game opened with both teams converting on their first possessions. 
 
With 3 minutes left in the 1^st period, William Green found the back of the net in back-to-back possessions off a pair of power plays to give the Sunbirds their first and largest lead of the game 4-2. 
 
A pair of turnovers on the 'Birds allowed the Bearcats to quickly close the gap and tie the game as the 1^stperiod came to an end. 
 
Fresno Pacific and McKendree continued to trade goals for the remainder of the 2^nd until the Bearcats pulled ahead in the final seconds to take the lead 8-7 heading into the half. 
 
Both teams opened the 3^rd period with multiple turnovers. 
 
Back-to-back goals from Forrest Gray allowed the 'Birds to storm back ahead taking the lead 9-8. 
 
The goal trading continued as the 3^rd came to an end tied 11-11. 
 
Early in the 4^th, Christian Clark capitalized off a Sunbird possession with an assist from Jacob Renevier to put the 'Birds back ahead by one. 
 
The lead wasn't kept long as the Bearcats scored on back-back possessions to tie the game. 
 
The Bearcats scored off a powerplay to give them the lead 14-13 with less than a minute to go. 
 
With less than ten second to go out of a timeout, Pietro Cattano scored off an assist from Green to tie the game and send it in to overtime 14-14. 
 
The first score of 5^th period OT came off the arm of Gray putting the 'Birds back ahead. 
 
Immediately out of the break however, the Bearcats converted themselves tying the score for the 14^th time in the game. 
 
The 6^th period OT came to an end and sudden death overtime began. 
 
Fresno Pacific and McKendree traded two possessions each until the Bearcats were able to score off a Sunbird turnover winning the game 16-15.
 
It was a true back and forth game that featured over 14 tie scores and 13 lead changes. 
 
Five Sunbirds scored one or more goal with Gray leading the way with four. 

In the second game against Whitter, the Sunbirds and the Poets opened the game trading a pair of shots late in the 1^st period to even the score 2-2. 
 
As time expired in the 1^st, the Poets pulled back ahead with a goal off a missed shot by the Sunbirds. 
 
The Sunbirds evened the score again early in the 2^nd period with a goal from Gray off the assist from Maldonado. 
 
Off a pair of Whittier turnovers and a penalty shot, Cameron Reynolds, Blake Johnson, and Gray add their names the score sheet to take their largest lead of the game so far at 6-3.
 
Out of a timeout, Whittier finally scored their first point of the 2^nd quarter.
 
A pair of goals on back-back possessions for the 'Birds from Cattano had Fresno Pacific up 8-5 heading into the half. 
 
The 3^rd period was a scoring frenzy. 
 
The 'Birds and Poets traded shots early in the 3^rd but the 'Birds continued to maintain their three-goal lead 10-7.
 
Whittier closed the gap with three goals to the Sunbirds one to end the 3^rd with a narrow Sunbird lead at 11-10. 
 
A powerplay early in the 4^th allowed Nikita Kravstov to score his first goal of the day to keep the Sunbird lead at two. 
 
Back-back goals from the Poets tied the game with less than one minute left. 
 
Out of a timeout off the pass Krastov, Cattano finds the back of the net to give the 'Birds a one shot lead 13-12. 
 
As time expired, the Poets heaved one final desperation shot but it was saved by Ethan McLaughlin securing the Sunbirds victory. 
 
Including the game winning goal, Cattano led all 'Birds in scoring with five goals. 
 
McLaughlin ended the game with nine saves and one steal. 
 
The Sunbirds will head to La Mirada on Thursday to face the Biola Eagles for their first WWPA conference match of the season. 
 
 
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