SAN ANTONIO, TX – Kerby Rychel scored his second goal of the game with .7 seconds left in overtime to lead the Stockton Heat (18-20-5) to a 4-3 victory over the San Antonio Rampage (22-21-2) on Saturday night in front of 5,717 fans at the AT&T Center. The defeat snapped San Antonio’s home winning streak at 12 games, a franchise record, in the final contest before the All-Star break.
The Stockton Heat play the San Antonio Rampage during the third period of an AHL hockey game, Saturday, Jan. 26, 2019, in San Antonio. Stockton won 4-3 in overtime. (Darren Abate/AHL)
With the clock winding down in overtime, Curtis Lazar’s shot from the high slot was blocked. The loose puck came to Stockton defenseman Rinat Valiev, who slid a no-look pass to the back post for Rychel just as time expired to give the Heat their first win in their last five road games. The Rampage remain unbeaten in regulation over their last 13 contests at the AT&T Center.
Rampage All-StarJordan Kyrounotched a goal and an assist for San Antonio, and Austin Poganski earned an assist to extend his points streak to five games.
The Rampage led twice in the third period but twice the Heat came back to tie, including a Buddy Robinson power-play goal with 1:14 left in regulation time. With San Antonio leading 3-2, Mitch Reinke was called for interference to put the Heat on the power play with 2:18 left in regulation time. Stockton pulled goaltender Jon Gillies for the extra attacker to make it 6-on-4. A Matthew Phillips centering feed bounced off a Rampage skate and rolled to Robinson for a quick shot past Rampage goaltender Jared Coreau, Robinson’s eighth goal of the season making it 3-3.
With the score tied 1-1 to start the third, the Rampage took their first lead of the game at 7:37. Ryan Olsen drove to the net and took a Poganski feed from the right wing, redirecting the puck up under the crossbar as he went sliding past the net for his seventh goal of the season and a 2-1 Rampage advantage.
Olsen had an opportunity for his second of the game with a breakaway in overtime, but he was stopped by Gillies’ left pad.
At 14:13 of the third, Andrew Mangiapane tied it 2-2 with his ninth of the season with a blast from the slot. Sammy Blaisrestored the Rampage lead at 17:32, entering the zone late and taking a Joey LaLeggia feed at the left circle to snap his fifth of the season past Gillies for a 3-2 Rampage lead.
The Reinke penalty that led to the Robinson tying goal came ten seconds after the Blais goal.
Rychel opened the scoring at 2:11 of the second period with his 18thof the season, depositing a rebound off to the right of the net near the same spot where he would score his overtime-winner. Kyrou tied the game with his 12thof the year, a power-play wrist shot from the left circle at 11:18.
The Rampage were 1-for-7 on the power play, but they failed to convert one two 5-on-3 advantages in the first period.
With the overtime point, the Rampage moved within three points of the Texas Stars for fifth place in the Central Division, and they stayed within five points of the Milwaukee Admirals for the fourth and final playoff spot.
San Antonio is 2-2 this season in games decided within the five-minute 3-on-3 overtime.
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