STOCKTON , Calif. – Just as promised, a physical and rigorous game two allows the Thunder to even the series at one-apiece with the Alaska Aces. Stockton’s 5-2 win over the Aces left 1,734 fans disheartened at the Menard Memorial Sports Center.
The first period was solid back and forth action, but shots on the net were limited and at the horn the teams were scoreless. The Thunder led the shots on goal 9-5 and the Aces had the only power play opportunity of the period.
Both teams returned to the ice for the second period and the game momentum was remarkably different. This is what the playoffs are all about. The first goal came at 11:19, with a goal by Aces Ryan Turek that went through traffic past Andrew Perugini. There was plenty of back and forth action and only tremendous goal tending by both ends kept the goals limited. But at 19:26, Stockton’s Kelly Czuy found the net on a short-handed slapshot past Billy Sauer, to even the score 1-1 to the break. Stockton led in shots on goal 17-15.
Stockton came back from the break with determination. Matt Marquardt scored his first goal of the post season at 2:26 into the third, giving Stockton their first lead of the series. A second power play goal at 6:14 by J.F. Caudron, his second of the post season, would stretch the lead by two goals. But, two minutes later the Aces’ Bryan Miller found the net on a shot past Perugini to close the gap to 3-2.
Stockton persisted and Jason Pitton scored on a feed from Jordan Bendfeld at 15:26 to widen the gap then at 19:35 Anthony Aiello scored on an empty net to seal the deal. Stockton takes game two, with a final of 5-2.
In the end, Sauer would take the loss with 29 saves, while Andrew Perugini gets the win with 28 saves.
The teams will have a short break as they travel to sunny Stockton California for games three and four and if necessary, game five. Game three is scheduled for Friday, April 9, at the Stockton Arena.
Contact the writer at Shellie.Lima@prohockeynews.com
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