Nordiques tie with nemesis Party Boyz Published May 7, 2010 By John Stuart Tinker Public Affairs TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- In this case the tie was better than the alternative for the Nordiques. As they faced the typically rough and tumble Party Boyz May 2, the Nordiques were aware of their two prior losses to the team last season. But this time was different. With two typically chippy players out for the game, the Party Boyz seemed to take on an almost jovial aura as the Tinker players looked to improve on their record. With Tinker missing a few players of their own to deployments they had to settle with a 4-4 tie to settle their summer season record at 1-1-1 so far. It was the Party Boyz who scored first, with an early goal to open the game. But the Nordiques came back with two goals in the period, both from Shayne Carroll, a new player the Nordiques picked up starting this season. The second came from a rush play down the left side. Forward Miguel Lopez took it down the ice and dumped it across the rink to Carroll who slapped it in top shelf on a wrist shot to put Tinker up 2-1 going into the second. Each team scored a goal in the second with solid play on both sides of the puck. Things got interesting in the third, though, as the Party Boyz scored two early in the half to take the lead by one. But forward Bryson Harley helped that when he netted a goal about midway through the final period on an assist from Lopez. It was 4-4 but there was plenty of time left. Fortunately for Tinker, the Party Boyz couldn't convert possession time into further goals late in the period. The Party Boyz were pressing when the clock ran out, but as it was, Tinker escaped with the tie. "We have a running history with them with it being a very aggressive and chippy game physically," Lopez said. "It was actually a very clean, good game because they were missing one or two of the instigators." Goalie Doug Heatherington took the place of Dan Publicover, who isn't suiting up for summer league hockey. Heatherington had several choice saves in the game, including a two on one save in the second period that "kept us from losing," Lopez said. The Nordiques return to the ice May 9 at 2:15 at the Arctic Edge Ice Arena in Edmond.