Victoria falls in the extra frame during Teddy Bear Toss Night 5-4

Published on December 5, 2010 under ECHL (ECHL)
Victoria Salmon Kings News Release


Victoria, BC - In a Saturday night match-up at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre, the Victoria Salmon Kings looked to pull out a win on Teddy Bear Toss Night in the series finale against the Stockton Thunder. David Shantz took the crease for the Salmon Kings, while Bryan Pitton was given the nod by the Thunder.

An early scoring chance by Stockton in the opening minute was defused by Shantz as he denied Mark Arcobello on a breakaway to begin the game. The Thunder continued to apply pressure and ended up finding the back of the net at the 4:45 mark. Garet Hunt skated through the left side of the offensive zone when his shot was tipped over the right shoulder of Shantz for his first of the season. The visitors extended their lead during an odd-man advantage at the 15:31 mark after a Chris Lawrence shot skipped off the end boards to Fraser Clair who tapped in his fifth of the season. The Thunder led 2-0 after first period.

Victoria appeared to have scored to cut Stockton's lead in half during a scrum in the slot as Michael Wilson buried a shot past Pitton. The goal was surprisingly waved off by the referee, but that did not stop the rain of stuffed animals flying down from the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre faithful onto the ice as part of Teddy Bear Toss night. Moments later the Salmon Kings would net their first marker of night. Ryan Turek passed the puck to Matt Stefanishion, who skated through the right face-off circle and snapped a shot past the glove of Pitton. The tally gave Stefanishion five goals on the season. Victoria knotted the game at 2-2 less than two minutes later. Turek and Chad Painchaud were sprung on a 2-on-1. The duo moved down the right side with Turek leading the rush. The Kings' defenseman slid the puck to Painchaud and then cut to the centre of the ice and he took the Stockton defender with him. Painchaud then had a clear lane to the net down the right wing, as he looked off Turek he fired a laser beam that deflected off the crossbar and in for his sixth goal of the year. Following the goal, a melee ensued as Bretton Cameron attempted to bump heads with Painchaud; each player was assessed roughing penalties on the play and resulted on four-on-four play. Shantz held the fort for Victoria in the second frame as he stopped all 12 shots that went his way to hold the game to a 2-2 tie after forty minutes.

The Salmon Kings continued their momentum from the middle frame as they burst out of the gate quickly with the go-ahead goal a mere 1:50 into the third period. P.J. Atherton took a feed from Rob Hennigar at the blue line and blasted the puck through a flurry of players in front of the net and past Pitton for his sixth of the year. With the helper, Hennigar extended his own Salmon Kings' record to nine consecutive games with an assist. The Thunder took back control of the game with two goals just 1:25 apart. Dan Ringwald knotted the score at 9:03 when a clean face-off win by Bureau gave him the rubber at the point where he ripped a shot that found its way through traffic in front of the crease and past Shantz. Ringwald's first marker of the campaign was quickly added upon as Stockton stole back a one-goal advantage off the stick of Chris Lawrence. The Stockton forward took a stretch pass at the blue line which left many fans wanting an offside. The linesman didn't blow the play dead as Lawrence worked down the right wing and pulled a quick forehand-to-backhand move to roof the puck across Shantz's body and into the net over his right shoulder. The marker was Lawrence's seventh of the year. Victoria extended the exciting back-and-forth action of the third period and pressed hard for the equalizer, using their speed and quick puck movement in the offensive zone to draw a hooking penalty. On the man-advantage, Ryan Turek tied the game once more on a highlight-reel individual effort that brought the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre faithful to their feet. Hennigar dished a hard pass to Turek in neutral zone, where he took the puck in stride, worked with speed into the offensive zone, dangled through two defenders with nifty stick-work and slid a shot under Pitton. Following Turek's equalizer at 13:14, both teams pushed for the go ahead goal, but the clock ran out and the teams would play past 60 minutes for the second time in three games.

During the extra session both teams had chances. Pitton robbed Matt Siddall with a glove hand stab to keep the Thunder alive. In the final minute of overtime the visitors would hem the Salmon Kings in their own zone and end the festivities when Lawrence would find Fraser Clair at the right side of the Victoria net for the game winner. Thunder 5 Salmon Kings 4

Victoria went 2/3=66.7% on the power play, while Stockton was 1/4=25.0%. The Thunder outshot the Salmon Kings 44-37.

The Salmon Kings now head out on the road for a two-game set in Anchorage versus the Alaska Aces Wednesday December 8th and Wednesday December 9th. To watch or listen live to Salmon Kings hockey visit www.salmonkings.com.The Salmon Kings return home to the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre Tuesday December 28th when they take on the Ontario Reign. Puck Drop for both games is 7:05. For tickets call 250-220-7777 or visit www.selectyourtickets.com.

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