Aces rally for three in third period for OT point, Baldwin nets winner

March 23, 2014 - ECHL (ECHL)
Alaska Aces News Release


STOCKTON, Calif. - Lee Baldwin's game-winning goal with 2:14 left helped the Stockton Thunder escape, 5-4 in overtime over the Alaska Aces (40-17-6, 86 points) before 5,825 fans at Stockton Arena on Saturday.

The Aces used three goals in the final 10:45 of regulation to rally out of a 4-1 hole and earn an overtime point, while their record moved to 4-1-1 in the head-to-head series. Nick Mazzolini, Brett Findlay and Drew MacKenzie scored in a span of 8:10 to force the extra period, helping the Aces stay ahead of Ontario in a tiebreaker for the lead for the Brabham Cup.

After a scrap at the opening faceoff between Zach McKelvie and Garet Hunt, Stockton drew the game's first goal on a Corey Trivino rebound at 1:52. Evan Trupp responded with his 12th goal of the season, a wrister from the outside of the left circle, for a 1-1 tie at 8:05.

Stockton came back with a run of three unanswered goals, starting with Ben Rosen's sixth at 13:50 of the first period when he scored on a slap shot through traffic, following a face-off win in the offensive zone. After a MacKenzie interference penalty late in the period, a fatigued Aces penalty kill unit yielded Trivino's second goal of the game with 17.8 seconds left for a 3-1 advantage.

The Aces fell into a 4-1 hole on Joey Martin's 17th goal of the season, set up by Trivino in the slot while on the rush at 3:35 of the second period. But the Aces responded with sound defensive play, limiting the Thunder to nine shots over the final 40 minutes.

From there, the Aces chipped away at the deficit after several missed scoring chances.

Mazzolini blasted his 23rd of the season through traffic, from the blueline to cut the deficit to 4-2 at 9:15 of the third period.

The Aces won a battle for the puck into the corner and Findlay was set up in the slot for his 18th goal with 3:22 left in regulation, slicing the gap to a 4-3 score.

On the next shift, Turner Elson and Evan Trupp set up a rebound chance at the goal mouth, and an untouched MacKenzie tapped it by Foster's blocker side for a stunning 4-4 tie with 2:35 left.

Stockton earned the winner when Lee Baldwin chased his own rebound and converted, glove side on Gerald Coleman.

Coleman took the overtime loss with 17 stops, dropping to 15-2-1 lifetime against Stockton. Foster earned the win with 30 saves.



ECHL Stories from March 23, 2014


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