STOCKTON, Calif. – Three goals on the power play fueled the Stockton Heat to a dramatic win over first-place Tucson by a 4-3 final in a shootout Saturday night in front of 4,241 fans at Stockton Arena. 
Stockton, which held Tucson to 1-for-5 with the extra skater, got the better of the special teams battle starting from the opening puck drop, the Heat killing a pair of early penalties before Rob Hamilton’s slap shot from the point on the man-advantage gave the home team the early lead.
Adam Ruzicka then continued his scoring run, now a five-game point streak, with a power play goal of his own for a 2-0 edge through one period.
After the Roadrunners cut into the cushion early in the second, it was again the power play unit that answered as Zac Leslie picked a corner to produce a 3-1 lead through 40 minutes.
The Roadrunners mounted their rally in the third, scoring back-to-back goals in 61 seconds midway through the frame to draw even and push the game to extra time, where after a scoreless overtime period Austin Czarnik and Justin Kirkland scored in the shootout to clinch the win.
The contest was Stockton’s first win over Tucson on the year and brings the Heat to within three points of first place in the Pacific Division.
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