AHL Stockton Heat

Heat Complete the Comeback against Defending Champs

Published on February 10, 2018 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Stockton Heat News Release


Grand Rapids, MI. - An incredible finish inside Van Andel Arena saw Tyler Wotherspoon tie the game late in the third, goalie Jon Gillies make a penalty shot save in overtime and Andrew Mangiapane and Hunter Shinkaruk score in the shootout for the Heat to get the 3-2 win over the Grand Rapids Griffins on Saturday night.

Stockton got a great jump on the defending champs in the first period as the Heat outshot Grand Rapids 14-2, limiting the Griffins to the fewest shots allowed in a single period this entire season. Grand Rapids, playing in their third game in four nights, were sloppy in the early goings and eventually got into penalty trouble, with a pair of slashing calls and a too many men on the ice call that put Stockton on a trio of power plays, but the Heat couldn't solve Griffins goaltender Jared Coreau until the second period, when Brett Findlay would finish the backhand deke past the Griffins goalie to open the scoring and get the Heat a power-play goal.

However, after that goal, it'd be the Heat's turn to get into penalty trouble, which turned the tide of the second period and eventually led to Eric Tangradi finishing a three-on-two to draw the game even. Then on the third power-play chance for Grand Rapids where Matthew Ford would deflect the go-ahead goal and take the lead for the home club.

Late in the third, Wotherspoon would get his second point of the night when his wrist shot beat Coreau and send the game to overtime. An exciting three-on-three overtime went back-and-forth until Matt Lorito was dragged down on a breakaway putting Jon Gillies in a must-save situation as Lorito got the penalty shot opportunity. On the ensuing opportunity, Gillies made a beautiful pad save as Lorito tried to slip it through the five-hole to keep the game alive, his second penalty shot save of the season.

In the end, Stockton got two goals in the shootout while Gillies made a pair of saves and the Heat won their first overtime game this season.

Now the Heat hit the road around Lake Michigan as the team has a date with the Milwaukee Admirals set for tomorrow, February 11 at 3:00 p.m. PST. Fans can catch all the action live on AHL Live, Spreaker and iHeartRadio. The Heat will then return home to start a weekend series with the San Jose Barracuda, starting on Friday, February 16 at 7:00 p.m. It's another Fry Day presented by Golden State Restaurant Group McDonald's! Fans who eat at a participating McDonald's location can bring their receipt to the Stockton Arena Ticket Office and with a purchase of one ticket, can get one ticket free! To find a participating McDonald's location nearest you click here! Plus, during every Wednesday and Friday home games during 2018, fans can bring an empty can or bottle of any Coca-Cola product to the Stockton Arena Ticket Office to receive $5 off any regular priced ticket. One can or bottle required per ticket discount. Subject to availability. Stockton Arena retains the right to select seating locations.

Then on Saturday, February 17, Stockton will host Safety Night presented by City Rise Safety and Law Enforcement Appreciation at 6:00 p.m., where the first 1,000 fans in the building will receive Heat sunglasses! Learn more and purchase your tickets now by calling 209.373.1500 or by visiting stocktonheat.com/tickets.

SCORING SUMMARY

1st Period

No Goals

Shots: STK - 14 | GR - 9

2nd Period

HEAT GOAL: F Brett Findlay (9) pass fron right circle finds streaking forward in behind the defense and he finishes with the backhand deke (Cramarossa, Wotherspoon assists), (PP), 0:19

Grand Rapids Goal: F Eric Tangradi (20) three-on-two in close leads to pass from the left post back to the slot where the shot is one-timed pass the goalie's blocker and in (Svechnikov, Street assists), 12:16

Grand Rapids Goal: F Matthew Ford (19) shot from the top of the left circle is deflected in front and beats goalie high, glove-hand side (Hronek, Street assists), (PP), 14:14

Shots: STK - 5 | GR - 14

3rd Period

HEAT GOAL: D Tyler Wotherspoon (5) wrist shot from right point goes through traffic and beats the goaltender just over his glove-hand (Shinkaruk, Findlay assists), 17:57

Shots: STK - 9 | GR - 6

Overtime

No Goals

Shots: STK - 3 | GR - 5

Shootout

Andrew Mangiapane - GOAL

Dominic Turgeon - MISS

Hunter Shinkaruk - GOAL

Filip Hronek - MISS

GOALIES

W: Jon Gillies (27 shots, 25 saves)

L: Jared Correau (31 shots, 29 saves)

NOTABLE STATISTICS

Three Stars: 1- Tyler Wotherspoon (1 goal, 1 assist) 2- Eric Tangradi (1 goal) 3- Andrew Mangiapane (Shootout Winner)

Final Shots: STK - 32 | GR - 27

Power Plays: STK - 2/7 | GR - 1/5

Tanner Glass suited up in his 700th professional game in North America (NHL + AHL)

Joseph Cramarossa suited up in his 200th AHL game and celebrated it with his 10th point of the season, an assist

Tyler Wotherspoon (1 goal, 1 assist) records his team leading 23rd assist of the season, breaking a tie between he and Rasmus Andersson

Wotherspoon is now in sole possession of third among AHL defensemen with 23 assists and is seventh among AHL defenseman with 28 points

Wotherspoon records his sixth multi-point game of the year

Brett Findlay (1 goal, 1 assist) records his fifth multi-point game of the season

Stockton faced their second penalty shot of the season with Jon Gillies stopping Matt Lorito's shot attempt in overtime

It's the fourth ever time the Heat have faced a penalty shot with all four resulting in no goal (11/7/15 - Michael Mersch (ONT) vs. Kent Simpson) (11/12/16 - Joe Whitney (SA) vs. Rittich) (11/18/17 - Ryan Hamilton (BAK) vs. Gillies)

Stockton limited Grand Rapids to just two shots in the first period, a season low

The Heat recorded their first win in overtime this season in their sixth game

Stockton is 9-6-0-0 all-time against the Central Division and are 2-2-0-0 this season, beating Grand Rapids twice and falling to Manitoba twice

It was the 13th time the Heat have gone into the second intermission down in the contest. Tonight was their first win when trailing after 40-minutes and fourth occasion that the Heat earned a point

QUOTES

"I actually didn't know to be honest. Coach normally says it during the pregame skate, but I didn't get the hint today so maybe that is a good thing. I didn't think about it too much. It was a big play by Wotherspoon and Findlay. We had a nice comeback and it was a good win to start off the little road trip." - Joseph Cramarossa on playing in his 200th AHL game and contributing in the 3-2 win

"It is a big character game. We had some meetings a couple weeks ago about staying with it when we are down and I think today was a great example, and I think today was the first time we have been in this position since then and it was a great character win." - Cramarossa on the comeback victory

"I think it is a part of the game with the long road trip into tomorrow. We are going to get a good sleep and I think it is almost a good thing that we won't have time to think about it to get right into the next game tomorrow." -Cramarossa on the quick turnaround for tomorrow's game in Milwaukee

"For us we have pushed our guys. If we find ourselves in situations where we are trailing after two that we want to be a better team. I thought our guys really responded well tonight. We had to kill off some penalties in the third period, but our guys did a great job with that. We were able to score another power play goal, which is equally as important for us tonight." -Coach Ryan Huska on the comeback victory

"I thought both units, power play and penalty kill, were focused and I think they have an understanding that they have to be factors in games in a positive way for us." - Huska on his group's special teams

"Well that save and the two others he made in the shootout were terrific. In this building, the atmosphere around the penalty shot in overtime was pretty cool with the crowd they had here and Jon did an excellent job to make the save and prolong it so we could get into a shootout." - Huska on Gillies' play in goal

"I think we are more in control than we were earlier in the year in overtime. Once it gets to a shootout I think it is anyone's game. Mangiapane and Shinkaruk did some pretty nice things with their moves and Jon made some great saves. I just think we are in better control now in overtime" - Huska on the team's improvement in overtime

Check out the Stockton Heat Statistics

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American Hockey League Stories from February 10, 2018


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