Thunder stages another remarkable playoff rally for 1-1 series tie
April 21, 2013 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Matt Bergland broke a 3-3 tie with a stunning go-ahead goal with 4:45 left in regulation and the Stockton Thunder scored four goals in the third period to rally in a 5-3 victory over the Alaska Aces in Game 2 of the Western Conference Semifinals before 4,638 fans at Sullivan Arena on Saturday.
The Thunder, who rallied from down 2-0 in the first period and 3-2 in the third period, was led by Harrison Reed's two goals and Tony DeHart's two assists. Olivier Roy made 24 saves for the win, helping swipe home ice advantage in a 1-1 series tie.
STOCKTON VS. ALASKA - WESTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS (all times listed PT)
(Series tied, 1-1)
Game 1: Stockton 2 at Alaska 5
Game 2: Stockton 5 at Alaska 3
Game 3: Alaska at Stockton - Thursday, April 25 - 7:00 p.m. (Stockton Arena)
Game 4: Alaska at Stockton - Friday, April 26 - 7:30 p.m. (Stockton Arena)
Game 5: Alaska at Stockton - Sunday, April 28 - 6:00 p.m. (Stockton Arena)
Game 6: Stockton at Alaska - Tuesday, April 30 - 8:15 p.m. (Sullivan Arena)*
Game 7: Stockton at Alaska - Wednesday, May 1 - 8:15 p.m. (Sullivan Arena)*
*If necessary
Bobby Hughes earned a hat trick for Alaska in the loss.
The Thunder outshot Alaska, 9-8 in the opening period but fell behind 2-0 on a pair of goals by Hughes. His first of the series came with 5:29 left in the period when he took a deflection off a skate and fired shot past Roy's blocker, while wide open in the slot.
Hughes then snuck a wrister through a screen, off the rush, for a shorthanded goal with 1:26 left for a two goal edge.
Harrison Reed's first goal of the series got the Thunder back in the game at 4:58 of the second period when he took a deflected puck in the slot and fired a laser past Gerald Coleman's glove.
Stockton had the edge in shots, 6-5 in a tight-checking second period and got Ryan Hayes open for a wrister from the left circle in the dying seconds, but his bid to tie the game just missed the upper corner.
The Thunder got its rally into high gear when Hunt tied the game two minutes into the third period on a deflection at the net. Tony DeHart took a pass at the right point and fired a shot through traffic which Hunt caromed to the upper corner for his second goal of the postseason.
Hughes answered with his hat trick goal with 12:09 left in the third period on a wrist shot from between the circles.
Following another effective cycle in the Alaska zone, the Thunder silenced the Anchorage crowd with Hayes' game tying goal - his eighth of the playoffs - for a 3-3 draw with 7:45 remaining in regulation. DeHart collected a feed from Bergland and whipped a backdoor pass at the left circle which Hayes one-timed under the crossbar.
Bergland then earned the stunning go-ahead goal with 4:45 left when he stopped at the front of the net. Mike Little ripped a blast wide of the net and Bergland parked the rebound past Coleman's glove for his third marker of the playoffs.
Coleman was pulled for an extra attacker with 1:17 left in regulation. The Aces buzzed the front of the net but Reed swiped a loose puck and fired a 200 foot lob into the vacated net with 7.1 seconds left to seal the game.
Coleman took the loss - his first in 12 games against the Thunder which dated back into last season's playoff series - with 19 saves.
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