AHL Stockton Heat

Heat Stay Alive in the Playoff Chase with Overtime Win over San Diego

April 10, 2016 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Stockton Heat News Release


Stockton, Calif. - The Stockton Heat closeout their season series and their three-game homestand with a thrilling 5-4 overtime victory over the San Diego Gulls Sunday night at Stockton Arena. Freddie Hamilton netted the game-winner in overtime - his first overtime game-winner of the season - while Mark Jankowski and Brett Pollock each scored their first pro goals of their career, as the Heat keep their playoff hopes afloat with the two points tonight. The Stockton Heat will now head to Bakersfield for a tough road game Tuesday night against a team with nothing to lose, as the Heat and the Condors meet for the final time of the 2015-16 season.

SCORING SUMMARY

1st Period

HEAT GOAL: D Ryan Culkin (1) shot from the top of the nearside faceoff circle makes its way through traffic and beats the goaltender gloveside (Kulak, Van Brabant assists), 13:49

Shots: STK - 12 | SD - 13

2nd Period

San Diego goal: F Kalle Kossila (2) turnover on the breakout right in front of the cage leads to the a deke around the goaltender and a shot over his pad (unassisted), 5:16 (PP)

HEAT GOAL: F Mark Jankowski (1) puck is collected off a rebound off the back wall and tucked into the net behind the goaltender (Hamilton, Arnold assists), 6:59 (PP)

San Diego goal: F Antoine Laganiere (16) one-timer from right on the doorstep beats the goaltender low and goes into the net (Kase, Kossila assists), 17:40

Shots: STK - 13 | SD - 6

3rd Period

San Diego goal: F Chris Mueller (20) shot from just inside the farside faceoff circle goes high over the downed goaltender (unassisted), 2:17 (PP)

HEAT GOAL: F Brett Pollock (1) pass across the goalmouth is one-touched past the goaltender's outstretched pad and into the net (Wotherspoon assist), 3:54

HEAT GOAL: F Austin Carroll (5) shot from the center point makes its way through traffic and is tipped down at the top of the crease and beats the goaltender (Riley, Kylington assists), 10:53

San Diego goal: F Ondrej Kase (8) shot from the slot gets past the goaltender and into the net (Laganiere, Kossila assists), 14:47

Shots: STK - 8 | SD - 7

Overtime

HEAT GOAL: F Freddie Hamilton (17) wrist shot from the farside faceoff circle goes high blocker side past the goaltender and into the net just under the crossbar (Wotherspoon, Hathaway assists), 1:26

Shots: STK - 2 SD - 0

GOALIES

W: Nick Schneider (26 shots, 22 saves)

L: Matt Hackett (35 shots, 30 saves)

NOTABLE STATISTICS

Three Stars: 1- Freddie Hamilton (1 goal, 1 assist) 2- Mark Jankowski (1 goal) 3- Brett Pollock (1 goal)

Final Shots: STK - 35 | SD - 26

Power Plays: STK - 1/6 | SD - 2/5

Freddie Hamilton (1 goal, 1 assist) earns his 9th multi-point game of the season

With Hamilton's OT winner, the Heat now have had seven different goal scorers in their seven overtime wins

Tyler Wotherspoon (2 assists) earns his first multi-point game of the season

Mark Jankowski (1 goal) scores his first goal of his pro career and now has at least one point in back-to-back games (1 goal, 2 assists)

Brett Pollock (1 goal) scores his first goal of his pro career

Brett Kulak (1 assist) extends his point streak to four games (5 assists)

Garnet Hathaway (1 assist) now has at least one point in back-to-back games (1 goal, 1 assist)

Bryce Van Brabant (1 assist) now has at least one point in back-to-back games (2 assists)

The Stockton Heat keep themselves in the playoff hunt thanks to their win over the Gulls and the Charlotte Checkers losing to the Milwaukee Admirals earlier in the day

The Heat finish their season series with the Gulls with a record of 6-5-0-1

QUOTES

"[Tyler] Wotherspoon made a great pass and I just tried to get as much on it as I could. Fortunately it ended up sneaking in and I'll definitely take it." - Brett Pollock on his first pro goal.

"After getting playing my first game and getting a little taste of the pro game yesterday, I was excited to be back in the lineup today. It was important for me to show I had more [than last night]. I got a little bit of an idea of the speed and the size of the guys at this level in the first game, so my nerves were a little better today. I was happy with how it went." - Pollock on his feelings after his first weekend as a pro hockey player.

"It was a greasy one - kind of needed that one to get me going I guess. I saw the point shot off the faceoff bounce off the glass and I just tried to take it to the net right away. I think it hit the goalie or one of their defense and went in. It's good to get that one off my back." - Mark Jankowski on his first pro goal.

"I think everyone is pretty confident after that win. You can never get too high and never get too low. After yesterday's game we couldn't get too low and after tonight's game we can't get too high. We're going to have to stay focused and go into Bakersfield and have this type of game again." - Jankowski on heading on to the road to Bakersfield.

"We're confident in that room. I think even though no one is really talking about us, we all think we have a really good shot at making it." - Freddie Hamilton on the feeling in the locker room about their chances at making the playoffs.

"We just have to get right back at it. Bakersfield is not an easy place to play. They play well at their rink, so we need a good start right off the bat and not fall behind against them." - Hamilton on heading on the road to Bakersfield Tuesday.

"We were much better tonight. We had some guys that worked significantly harder and smarter than we did the night before. We gave them three goals tonight. You're not going to win many hockey games when you do that, but we found a way tonight. I thought Nick [Schneider] was good for us in net again, we scored some timely goals and we had a big penalty kill at the end of the game tonight." - Head Coach Ryan Huska with his feelings on how his team bounced back from a tough loss to the same San Diego team less than 24 hours before tonight's game.

NEXT HOME GAME

STOCKTON HEAT vs. San Jose Barracuda

April 16 @ Stockton Arena

Military Appreciation Night

Doors @ 6:30 p.m., Puck drop @ 7:30 p.m.

Check out the Stockton Heat Statistics



American Hockey League Stories from April 10, 2016


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