Alaska Claims Last-Second OT Win in Stockton
November 7, 2009 - ECHL (ECHL)
Alaska Aces News Release
STOCKTON, Calif. -- Ryan Turek scored as time expired in overtime, giving Alaska a 4-3 win before 6,976 Friday night at Stockton Arena. The Aces improve to 6-3-1 on the season and stay within four points of first place Idaho, who hammered Utah 7-2 Friday. The Aces and Thunder (4-4-1) meet again tomorrow night at 6:30 p.m. AT before Alaska finishes up its busy weekend Sunday at 4 p.m. AT against Ontario, now 4-6 on the year after a Friday win against Victoria. Both games will be carried live on the flagship home of Alaska pro hockey, KFQD 750 AM.
The Aces received immediate contributions from Nick Mazzolini and Tomas Kana, each playing their first game of the season, and each of whom assisted on the first of Matt Stefanishion's two goals just 2:18 into the game. Ryan Constant tied the contest with a power play goal for Stockton five minutes later on a wrist shot from the left circle, but Mazzolini fed Stefanishion for another goal from point blank range with 5:59 left in the frame, and Alaska led 2-1 at the break. Born and raised in Anchorage, Mazzolini's pro debut included two assists and a +2 rating in the first period alone.
The Thunder again drew even on a power play goal, this time scored by Judd Blackwater off the rush at 9:19 of the second period. Stefanishion set up Alexandre Imbeault as the Aces regained a one-goal advantage with just 13 seconds left in the period. That 3-2 lead remained intact until Jason Pitton fed Oren Eisenman off the rush for the equalizer with 6:16 left in regulation.
Alaska survived another Stockton power play late in the third period, and won the game outright when pressure by Imbeault and Colin Hemingway forced a Thunder turnover as time wound down in OT. Hemingway found Turek in the slot, and the second-year pro beat Andrew Perugini with a backhander just before the red light flashed. Hemingway extended his points streak to nine games with the last-second assist, while Sebastian Dahm earned his fourth victory of the year with 30 saves.
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