Thunder rallies for wild victory in Ontario, Cooper picks up first victory

Published on March 16, 2013 under ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


ONTARIO, Calif. - Goaltender Matt Cooper made 26 saves in relief effort and stopped all four shots in the shootout to lift the Stockton Thunder (33-25-9, 78 points) to a resilient 5-4 victory over the Ontario Reign before 9,616 fans at Citizens Business Bank Arena.

The Thunder came back from two separate two goal deficits and helped Cooper earn his first career win - he stopped Matt Reigster in the fouth round to seal the game.

The Thunder began the game with momentum but squandered a four minute power play after Adrian Van de Mosselaer was whistled for hooking and roughing penalties on Gabriel Levesque.

After Ontario killed the penalties, they took a 1-0 lead when Brady Calla finished a backdoor feed at the right post from Matt Register's pass with 11:47 elapsed.

Matthew Clune then found Kevin Baker open at the right post with 3:08 left in the period for a 2-0 Ontario lead. Just a couple of shifts later, backup goaltender Matt Cooper relieved Tyler Bunz in the Thunder net due to injury with 1:30 left after Bunz sprawled to the right post to cut off a backdoor pass.

Colten Hayes began a Thunder run with three goals in five shots in the second period with his second goal of the season at the 1:23 mark, converting Matt Bergland's centering pass from the left wing.

Kevin Estrada's fourth goal of the season restored the Ontario lead to 3-1 at 5:42, but both teams played through a deliberate pace which quieted the Ontario crowd. The Thunder responded in mammoth fashion in the final minute.

Ryan Constant cut the deficit to a goal with his ninth goal of the year with 37.9 seconds left when his blueline shot deflected to the net off Dustin Carlson's glove.

Just 17 seconds later, Mike Little teed up a right point shot that caromed off Maxime Boisclair's stick in the slot for a 3-3 tie to shock the Ontario crowd.

The Thunder continued its pressure in the Ontario zone in the third period and Carlson's bobble on Shawn Weller's one timer produced a rebound for Ryan Hayes, who fed Nathan Deck in front for a 4-3 Thunder lead at 9:22 of the third period.

Ontario pulled Carlson, won a faceoff in the offensive zone with 1:06 left and set up David Walker's rebound bid at the left post with a minute left to tie the game at 4-4.

The Thunder fought through five Reign shots in overtime and got shootout goals in the first two rounds by Ryan Hayes and Boisclair. Cooper denied Matt Register in the fourth round with a wrist shot to seal the game.

Carlson took the shootout loss with 12 saves. Bunz had 13 saves before departing due to injury.

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