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Déjà vu in Game 2, Reed gives Thunder overtime win and 2-0 series lead

April 7, 2013 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


STOCKTON, Calif. - Harrison Reed buried a wrist shot from the slot with 1:44 elapsed in sudden death overtime to lift the Stockton Thunder to another exhilarating finish for the second straight evening in a 3-2 overtime victory over the Las Vegas Wranglers in Game 2 of the Western Conference Quarterfinal before 4,403 fans at Stockton Arena on Saturday.

The Thunder took a 2-0 series lead and has won eight straight playoff games finishing in overtime.

STOCKTON VS. LAS VEGAS- WESTERN CONFERENCE QUARTERFINALS (all times listed PT)

(Thunder leads, 2-0)

Game 1: Las Vegas 2 at Stockton 3 (OT)

Game 2: Las Vegas 2 at Stockton 3 (OT)

Game 3: Stockton at Las Vegas - Monday, April 8 - 7:05 p.m. (Orleans Arena)

Game 4: Stockton at Las Vegas - Tuesday, April 9 - 7:05 p.m. (Orleans Arena)

Game 5: Stockton at Las Vegas - Wednesday, April 10 - 7:05 p.m. (Orleans Arena) *

Game 6: Las Vegas at Stockton - Friday, April 12 - 7:30 p.m. (Stockton Arena) *

Game 7: Las Vegas at Stockton - Sunday, April 14 - 4:00 p.m. (Stockton Arena) *

*If necessary

"Every play in the playoffs is so magnified, and to come out and do what we did, come from behind to win at home on two separate occasions, what can you say about the character of the guys - Thunder head coach Matt Thomas said, "They found a way again."

"That was a war." continued Thomas, "Last night was a war, and tonight was probably twice as physical and twice as hard to play in. So the fact that we're finding a way to win games is a good sign for us."

Goaltender Olivier Roy made 28 stops for the Thunder. Reed finished with two points, while forward Shawn Weller recorded two goals. Las Vegas' Joe Fallon stopped 26 shots.

Las Vegas took a 1-0 lead 16:27 into the first period when Judd Blackwater redirected Mike Madill's shot from the point into the net.

Just 1:34 later, center Eric Hunter sent in a shot from the right circle that was collected by Weller at the lip of the crease. Weller spun around and wrapped a backhand shot off Fallon and into the net for the power play goal, tying the game at 1-1.

The Wranglers responded with 24.7 seconds left when Matt Campanale dished the puck to Scott Pitt, who beat Roy with a wrist shot from the left circle to give Las Vegas a 2-1 lead.

The Thunder evened the score at the 15:39 mark of the second period. Defenseman Shawn Boutin flicked the puck to the point, where Reed sent a backhanded pass directly to Weller's stick at the right circle. Weller released a quick wrist shot that beat Fallon's blocker, tying the game at 2-2.

After a scoreless third period, the Thunder followed the same ending as the previous night. Forward Maxime Boisclair knocked the puck to Reed at the boards. Reed skated towards the slot, where he fired a shot as he was knocked down to the ice. The puck sailed by Fallon's blocker at the corner of the net 1:44 into overtime, giving the Thunder another dramatic win.

"Our defense kept the puck in, and I just took it to the net as hard as I could." Reed said, "I got a clean shot on net and it went in. I'm happy about it."

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