Stockton rallies late, upends Alaska 5-4 in OT
January 10, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Alaska Aces News Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska - For the second time this year, Stockton forward David Rohlfs beat Alaska with an overtime game-winner, giving the Thunder a 5-4 victory and capping a comeback from a 4-2 deficit with five minutes left.
The crowd of 3,632 had no inkling that Stockton even would be competitive after the first six minutes, when F.P. Guenette scored shorthanded at 4:13 to give Alaska a 1-0 edge, assisted by Olivier Filion. Guenette returned the favor 1:16 later with the Aces back at full strength, setting up Filion's 13th goal of the year to put Alaska up by a deuce.
But the penalty kill, the albatross for the Aces all season long (dead last among 25 ECHL teams coming into the game), let Alaska down again, as the Thunder regrouped with a power play goal by Brian Lee from the point at 9:12 of the first period. Stockton tied the game just 1:21 into the second on another power play goal scored by a defenseman, Brad Farynuk, who also handed out two assists.
Deadlocked 2-2 entering the third period and without a goal in five chances on their own power play, the Aces regained control on the man advantage when ECHL all-star winger Josh Soares, in his return to the lineup after an eight-game absence due to an AHL call-up (2g-2a in five games in Peoria), tapped in a rebound at 4:18 for his 15th goal in an Alaska sweater. Less than two minutes later, Matt Shasby ripped a drive top shelf for another power play goal and a 4-2 bulge, and the Aces seemed well on their way to recording their second regulation win in 10 games.
Once again, special teams proved pivotal, as Brandon Schwartz cut the gap to 4-3 with the Thunder's third power play goal of the night at 15:03. Stockton coach Chris Cichocki pulled his goaltender with a minute to go, and former Ace Ryan MacMurchy capped a four-point night with his 11th goal of the year on a rebound in front of Derek Gustafson (27 saves) with 28 seconds remaining. Coincidental penalties followed, so the winner came with the teams skating three-on-three 40 seconds into overtime, as Schwartz found Rohlfs barreling down the slot off the rush.
Alaska practices tomorrow and faces Stockton Friday and Saturday at 7:15 p.m., wrapping up its longest homestand of the year (eight games). The Aces are still 13-2-3 in the overall series with the Thunder, but have lost three games in overtime this year and another by a single goal in a game they led heading to the third period. At 18-11-4, Alaska sits in third place, six points out of the West Division lead. All regular season games are broadcast live on Alaska's flagship station, AM 750 KFQD, with coverage beginning 15 minutes prior to the opening face-off.
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