STOCKTON, Calif. – The Stockton Heat (42-12-4-1) earned their team-record 23rd home win of the season, taking the extra point in a 3-2 shootout victory over the Ontario Reign (36-15-5-4) Friday night at Stockton Arena.
Matthew Phillips started the scoring 7:12 into the action, setting another team record with his 28th marker of the campaign, the most by a Flames farm hand since 2013-14. Ontario answered back before the end of the opening frame, Frederic Allard pulling the Reign even in the final minute before the break for a 1-1 score.
Emilio Pettersen then gave the Heat the edge once again near the midway point of the second, a puck redirecting off the forward and into the net at the 9:31 mark of the middle frame. Thomas Hickey responded for the visitors, evening the game yet again with 3:33 to go in the period.
The teams then played to a scoreless draw in the third and the five-minute overtime set to push the game to a shootout, when Justin Kirkland and Phillips each found the back of the net and Dustin Wolf slammed the door with a two-for-two performance on the other end to seal the win.
The Heat have pushed their lead in the division to eight points with nine games to play and will face Ontario once again Sunday on the road.
/by Brandon Weiss
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