STOCKTON, Calif – The Stockton Heat hosted the Grand Rapids Griffins on their tour through California Sunday in an overtime shootout match that ended with their fourth straight win.
Goals off the stick of Matt Frattin and Andrew Mangiapane in the first period put the Heat on the board early. Frattin caught a rebound in front of the net early in the game. A pass from Mark Jankowski for Mangiapane beat Jared Coreau in the net for the Griffins. The Griffins Kyle Criscuolo scored a power play goal late in the period, when his rebound shot found the net past Jon Gillies in the net for Stockton.
Mikkel Aagaard (12) scores to give the Heat the lead in the third period – Photo by Jack Lima
Mangiapane’s second goal came at 8:26 into the second period. Linden Vey and new comer Mike Kostka were credited on the assist. The Griffins evened the score to three apiece with goals in the second by Ben Street (power play) and Dan Renouf.
Matthew Ford (55) jumps to avoid a shot on goal in front of Heat goalie Jon Gillies – Photo by Jack Lima
The Heat regained the lead at 12:05 into the third period, when Mikkel Aagaard earned his second shot of the season when he redirected a shot past the goaltender. Kostka and Tyler Wotherspoon each earned assists as well. With the goaltender pulled for the extra skater, the Griffin’s forced the game into overtime when Joe Hicketts shot from the point beat Gillies, with only 16 seconds remaining in regulation.
Linden Vey scores the only shootout goal past Jared Coreau to give the Heat the win – Photo by Jack Lima
Neither team was able to break the tie in the five minute 3-on-3 overtime period, forcing a shoot-out. Linden Vey scored the only shot as the first shooter for Stockton. Mangiapane was the other shooter for Stockton. Shooters for Grand Rapids included Matt Lorito, Evgeny Svechnikov and Tyler Bertuzzi. Stockton earned the point in the 4-3 win over the Griffins with 4,626 fans in attendance.
Heat players Ryan Lomberg (41) and Jamie Devane (27) look for a rebound in front of Griffins’ goalie Jared Coreau – Photo by Jack Lima
With playoffs only a few games away, the Stockton Heat (26-23-4-1, 57 points, 0.537) are in the hunt. Currently ranked in fifth place, out of contention right now, but close on the heels of the Condors (26-22-5-1, 58 points, 0.616).
Heat goalie Jon Gillies stops a shot by Eric Tangradi (26) – Photo by Jack Lima
Heat foward Mikkel Aagaard (12) tries to tip a shot past Griffins’ goalie Jared Coreau as Dylan Mcllrath (52) defends – Photo by Jack Lima
Garnet Hathaway (9) end up in the Griffins’ bench as he attempts to check Dan Renouf (20) – Photo by Jack Lima
Eric Tangradi (26) watches as Joe Hicketts (not pictured) goal ties the game with sixteen seconds left in the game – Photo by Jack Lima
Dominic Turgeon (23) chases a loose puck in front of Heat goalie Jon Gillies – Photo by Jack Lima
Andrew Mangiapane (26) scores his first of two goals – Photo by Jack Lima
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