STOCKTON, Calif. – The Stockton Heat (27-8-3-1) remained perfect following losses this season and retained the top spot in the Pacific Division with a 6-5 win in a shootout over the Ontario Reign (25-8-3-3) Saturday at Stockton Arena.
The Heat were paced on the offensive end by Justin Kirkland and Mark Simpson, who each finished the game with a goal and an assist in a game in which the Heat never trailed.
Stockton took the early edge, claiming the game’s first two goals from Kirkland and Simpson, and took a 2-1 lead into the first intermission. A game Ontario squad answered in the second to tie the game at four apiece entering the third, the Heat getting goals from Luke Philp and Byron Froese in the second stanza.
Emilio Pettersen then put the Heat on top with 11:30 to go in regulation, his second goal in as many nights, before the Reign answered in the waning minutes to force overtime.
After a scoreless 3-on-3 period, the Heat lit the lamp three times in the shootout, goals from Kirkland, Matthew Phillips and Martin Pospisil, while Dustin Wolf made a pair of stops to seal the win.
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