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Rohlfs lifts Thunder in OT

January 10, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Rookie David Rohlfs scored 40 seconds into sudden-death overtime to complete a two-goal comeback and help lift the Stockton Thunder (15-16-2, 32 points) to a dramatic 5-4 comeback victory in overtime against the host Alaska Aces before 3,632 at Sullivan Arena on Wednesday night.

The Thunder, who is 5-2-0 in its last seven games, battled back from two separate two-goal deficits and was led in scoring by former Ace right wing Ryan MacMurchy, who tied a career-high four point (1g-3a) effort in his first game back at Sullivan Arena in a visiting uniform since being acquired by the Thunder in an October trade with the Elmira Jackals.

MacMurchy set the table for the comeback with a critical game-tying goal just 28 seconds left in regulation while the Thunder net was left empty for an extra attacker.

Alaska opened the scoring with two goals on outnumbered attacks in a span of 1:13, starting with a shorthanded marker by F.P. Guenette to put the Aces up 1-0 just 4:57 into the game, finishing 2-on-1 break with Olivier Filion on a wrist shot from the slot. Filion then scored his 13th goal of the season to put the Thunder in a 2-0 hole at the opening period's 6:13 mark, finishing a 3-on-1 rush when he took Guenette's right wing pass into the slot and beat Thunder goaltender Glenn Fisher over the blocker side.

With a Thunder team rejuvenated by a spirited fight between enforcer Adam Huxley and Alaska counterpart Eric Neilson right off the ensuing face-off, Brian Lee followed with his fourth goal of the season to get the Thunder back in the game at a 2-1 deficit with a power-play goal at the period's 9:12 mark. Lee corralled a rinkwide pass by captain Brad Farynuk at the left point and smoked a slap shot past the sick side of Aces goaltender Derek Gustafson.

Farynuk's third goal of the year tied the game at 2-2 on a power-play goal just 1:21 into the second period, when he connected on a left corner pass by MacMurchy and sniped a wrist shot over the glove of Gustafson from the deep slot.

Fisher denied all 10 shots by Alaska in the second period, including a point-blank save on former Thunder center Jim Dahl at the top of the crease.

Two power-play goals by Josh Soares and Matt Shasby put Alaska ahead 4-2 early in the third period, starting with Soares' 15th goal of the season with 4:18 elapsed when the Aces all-star rookie buried a rebound through Fisher's five-hole after Filion was snuffed on a one-timer from the mid-slot. Shasby netted his fifth goal of the year just 1:48 later on a snap-shot from the inside of the left circle that eluded Fisher over his glove.

Brandon Schwartz started the Thunder comeback with his fifth goal of the season on a two-man advantage, carefully set-up when his face-off win deep in the Aces zone was deflected to Andy Contois at the base of the left circle. Contois quickly finished the give-and-go play with a centering pass for Schwartz at the right side of crease, who jammed a one-timer over the glove of Gustafson with 4:57 remaining in regulation.

The Thunder pulled Fisher for an extra skater for a 6-on-5 skating situation and capitalized on MacMurchy's game-tying goal with 28 seconds left, when the ex-Aces forward buried a rebound at the top of the crease after Gustafson originally denied a slapshot by Contois at the right circle.

Rohlfs finished the comeback with his seventh goal of the season just 40 seconds into overtime for his team-leading third game-winning goal of the year, taking Schwartz's centering pass from the left wing and re-directing a shot past the left arm of Gustafson from the deep slot.

Fisher earned the win in net with 23 saves.

NOTES: After entering the year with an all-time record of 1-8-3 against Alaska, the Thunder improved to 4-2-0 in the season series against the Aces ... the Thunder has scored a power-play goal in 11 of the last 12 games ... Farynuk scored a career-high tying three points (1g-2a) in his first game back with the Thunder since his re-assignment from Springfield (AHL) on January 7 ... MacMurchy extended his scoring streak to six consecutive games, netting 12 points (7g-5a) in that span.

The Thunder returns to play with a rematch on Friday against Alaska, starting at 8:15 p.m. from Sullivan Arena. The game can be heard live on radio at 1420-AM KSTN and on the internet (video and audio available) at www.stocktonthunder.com, courtesy of B2 Networks.

Host of the 2008 ECHL All-Star Game and festivities on Jan. 22 and 23, the Thunder has led the ECHL in attendance for two consecutive seasons and drew 244,085 fans to Stockton Arena in 2006-07. Season tickets, group tickets and individual tickets for 2007-08 are on sale now. For more information about tickets, merchandise, or other inquiries contact the Stockton Thunder offices at (209) 373-1500 or visit www.stocktonthunder.com.

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