ONTARIO—Regardless of the sport, there is nothing quite like a game seven. And for the first time in ECHL history, fans would be treated to two on the same night. In another first, the Stockton Thunder advanced to the second round of the Kelly Cup Playoffs after defeating the Ontario Reign 5-4 in a game that lived up to its billing. “It’s going to take above-average and spectacular performances from individuals but also from the team as a whole to get a win,” said Stockton head coach Matt Thomas. For Thomas it was his third game seven appearance as an ECHL head coach. And spectacular performances is what both coaches and 3,466 fans at Citizens Business Bank Arena got—this series going undecided until the final four seconds. The Thunder were again without starting defensemen Matt O’Dette and Mike Lalonde. A significant factor in game six, this setback would be offset by the late scratch of Kings prospect Colten Teubert from the Reign lineup. Stockton flew out of the gates to start the game—Ryan Huddy hitting the post on a shot just a minute and 35 seconds in. Ontario would go on the power play first with Thunder center Cory Ur quhart getting the gate for hooking at 3:07. The Reign would not convert, however, and would go scoreless on all three opportunities on the night. The Thunder would get their first chance when Ontario’s Tim Kraus would go off for interference at 7:40. A head-man pass from Cleve Kinley through the neutral zone sprung Urquhart along the right wing boards with defenseman Robbie Bina trailing. Bina would put Stockton on the board first, wristing the centering feed from Urquhart past Reign netminder Jeff Zatkoff. Ontario seemingly tied the game at 10:28 when winger Geoff Walker scored on a two man against none breakaway. The goal was subsequently waved off due to an interference penalty called on Bud Holloway which led to the odd-man rush. The Reign would get the equalizer at 13:05, when a defensive zone face-off win by Urquhart would take a tricky bounce of the back boards and out into the crease area where Andrew Martens would tuck it behind Stockton goaltender Parker Van Buskirk. Urquhart received a break of his own with 5:28 remaining in the first, taking his own offensive zone draw from along the right boards down around the circle. Beating the Reign defense, Urquhart drove into the crease, snapping a wrist shot high over the glove of Zatkoff for his sixth goal of the playoffs. Less than a minute later, left wing Igor Gongalsky would put the Thunder up by two. Zatkoff’s attempt to play the puck inside the trapezoid res ulted in a turnover and the puck on the stick of a wide-open Gongalsky in the slot, who put it home before the Ontario goaltender could get back into position. Stockton had all the momentum at this point in the contest. With Ontario’s Shawn Germain in the penalty box for hooking, the Thunder would strike again—James Bates beating Zatkoff blocker side at 18:46, to take a 4-1 lead into the first intermission. But like other games in this series, there was still plenty of hockey yet to be played. Knowing Ontario would step up the pressure in period two, Coach Thomas stayed on the attack. The frame would feature end-to-end action with quality chances for both squads but no scores. The Thunder were now only 20 minutes away from the first series win in franchise history, still holding a three-goal lead. But Brad Mehalko’s tally from captain Jon Francisco cut the lead to two only two minutes and 16 seconds into the third, energizing the crowd. The ice now appeared tilted in Ontario’s favor. But a roughing minor to Reign defenseman Chad Starling gave Stockton their fifth power play of the game. The Thunder would rack up their third man-advantage goal when Surma walked the puck along the goal line from the left half-boards and he tried to jam it past Zatkoff. Craig Valette put the loose puck in at 5:36 and seemingly sealed the victory with the score now 5-2 in favor of Stockton. With the=2 0season on the line, the Reign attacked relentlessly, cutting the deficit back to two at the 12-minute mark on Kraus’ fifth of the series from Walker and Holloway. Holloway’s assist gave him points in all seven games and extended his playoff-leading total to 13. Holloway would get his 14th point four minutes and 45 seconds later, assisting on Geoff Walker’s goal at 16:45. Once again in this series, a sizeable second-period lead had vaporized. With the tying score now within reach with over three minutes left in regulation, Ontario threw everything they had at Van Buskirk. With the Zatkoff off for the extra attacker, the Reign crashed the Stockton crease, nearly converting on a flurry of chances, including a cross-crease pass that just hopped over the stick of Holloway waiting in front of an empty net at the far post. But all good things must end and this exhilarating game seven effectively concluded with the cross-checking minor to Mehalko at 19:56, the face-off coming all the way back to the Reign zone. Stockton now moves on to the second round where they will face the Las Vegas Wranglers. Game one is Friday night at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.
Contact john.soltis@prohockeynews.com
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