After winning a couple of laughers in their previous two games, the Alaska Aces didn't enjoy any chuckles Saturday night until hockey game's end.
The short-handed, defenseman-deprived and generally woeful Stockton Thunder delivered a professional, prideful performance and gave the Aces fits.
Still, the Aces used Ryan Walters' game-tying goal deep into the third period and superiority in the shootout to bag a 5-4 victory in California that allowed them to keep pace in their hunt for an ECHL playoff spot.
Walters and Brendan Connolly scored in the first two rounds of the shootout at Stockton Arena, and Troy Redmann proved impenetrable against four shooters to lift the Aces to their season-best fourth straight road win.
At 33-25-7, good for 73 points in the Pacific Division, the Aces remained one point behind the fourth-place Utah Grizzlies for the final playoff spot in the seven-team division. The Aces have two games in hand on the Grizzlies, who beat visiting Idaho 4-3 in a shootout Saturday.
The Aces came into Saturday's second game of a three-game set that wraps Sunday fresh off a 10-2 dismantling of the Thunder that matched the most goals in a game in the franchise's 12 ECHL seasons. And that lopsided result followed an 8-4 victory at Bakersfield on Tuesday.
With four goals Saturday, the Aces have scored 22 goals in the last three games, the most in a three-game span in franchise history.
Walters and Connolly were among the ringleaders Saturday. Walters racked two goals, and his strike with less than seven minutes left in regulation forged a 4-4 tie. He has scored at least one goal in five straight games.
Connolly furnished one goal and one assist to give him 11-6—17 totals in eight games since his return from an upper-body injury. He also continued to torment the Thunder. In 13 games against Stockton, Connolly has delivered 11-18—29 totals and a plus-17 rating.
Greg Wolfe added one goal and one assist for the Aces.
Stockton defenseman Adam Phillips generated a 4-3 lead about five minutes into the third period on a power-play goal that came with a two-man advantage. While the Thunder (19-46-2) are lugging around the second-worst record on the 28-team circuit, their power play is the second-best in the league and scored twice Saturday after scoring twice Friday.
But the Aces killed more than three minutes of Stockton power-play time following Phillips' strike -- Aces blueliner Corey Syvret was boxed for a high-sticking double minor -- to set the stage for Walters' equalizer.
ECHL history is rife with undermanned teams that overcame depleted and makeshift lineups to prosper in a game, and the Thunder nearly authored another chapter.
They played with just 14 skaters, two below the league maximum. And they had just three natural defensemen in the lineup, forcing them to use forwards on the back end. Still, rookie goaltender Lucas Gore stopped 37 shots in regulation and overtime, and he and his teammates generated a gallant effort before an announced crowd of 5,216.
Stockton captain Garet Hunt opened the scoring 22 seconds into the game. Connolly and Wolfe scored 53 seconds apart early in the second period for a 2-1 Aces lead. Yet Stockton's J.T. Barnett answered less than two minutes later on the power play.
Walters' power-play goal midway through the second period restored Alaska's lead to 3-2. But Stockton's J.P. Chabot responded just 24 seconds later for a 3-3 tie that carried into the third period.
After Sunday's series finale in a matinee, the Aces close a season-long, 10-game road trip with a game at Stockton and two pivotal matches at Utah.
Shuffling the deck
Connolly's team-leading 31st goal and assist marked his fourth consecutive multiple-point game and his 24th this season.
Wolfe's two points gives him 4-4—8 totals in his five-game point streak. Chris Francis' two helpers gives him eight points in the last three games.
Rookie winger Dean Chelios was held off the score sheet for the first time in his seven games with the Aces.
Rookie forward Tanner Sorenson of Anchorage, fresh out of Michigan State, made his pro debut, fired two shots and earned an even rating.
The Aces improved to 11-2-0 against the Thunder this season. Alaska improved to 2-3 in shootouts.
Redmann, who made 25 saves, has won four straight games, is 7-0-2 in his last nine decisions and is 11-1-3 for the Aces.
Reach Doyle Woody at dwoody@alaskadispatch.com, check out his blog at adn.com/hockey-blog and follow him on Twitter at @JaromirBlagr
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Alaska 0 3 1 0 - 5
Stockton 1 2 1 0 - 4
1st Period-1, Stockton, Hunt 12 (Mallet, Shattock), 0:22. Penalties-No Penalties
2nd Period-2, Alaska, Connolly 31 (Francis, Walters), 3:15 (PP). 3, Alaska, Wolfe 21 (Cole, Connolly), 4:09. 4, Stockton, Barnett 8 (Stebner, Henry), 6:00 (PP). 5, Alaska, Walters 18 (Oslanski, Francis), 10:49 (PP). 6, Stockton, Chabot 10 (Phillips, Wilson), 11:13. Penalties-Shattock Stk (high-sticking), 3:10; Doggett Ak (bench - too many men), 4:51; Stebner Stk (hooking), 9:32; Hunt Stk (roughing), 17:53.
3rd Period-7, Stockton, Phillips 9 (Maxwell, Scarsella), 4:46 (PP). 8, Alaska, Walters 19 (Oslanski, Wolfe), 13:38. Penalties-Chelios Ak (bench - too many men), 3:53; Syvret Ak (high-sticking - double), 4:23; Scarsella Stk (high-sticking), 9:59.
OT Period- No Scoring.Penalties-No Penalties
Shootout - Alaska 2 (Walters G, Connolly G, Francis NG, Wolfe NG), Stockton 0 (Maxwell NG, Henry NG, Scarsella NG, Shattock NG).
Shots on Goal-Alaska 10-15-13-3-1-42. Stockton 8-10-8-3-0-29.
Power Play Opportunities-Alaska 2 / 4; Stockton 2 / 3.
Goalies-Alaska, Redmann 13-1-0-3 (29 shots-25 saves). Stockton, Gore 1-3-0-1 (41 shots-37 saves).
A-5,216
Referees-JM McNulty (21).
Linesmen-Brent Tubbs (42), Tanner Nua (90).