Heat Rally, Earn Point in First Matchup With Laval

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CALGARY, AB – Behind multi-point efforts from Glenn Gawdin and Luke Philp and a late goal from Matthew Phillips, the Stockton Heat (8-3-1-0) rallied from an early 3-0 deficit to salvage a point in a 4-3 overtime loss against the Laval Rocket (9-4-1-0) Thursday at the Scotiabank Saddledome.

Stockton fell behind early in the first, with the Rocket’s Jordan Weal netting his first of a pair in the opening frame just 1:36 in. Alex Belzile pushed the gap to two goals five minutes later, then Weal’s second score at the midway point of the frame gave Laval a 3-0 edge that lasted through the first intermission.

Alexander Yelesin’s first goal of the season cut into the deficit 5:57 in to the second, the front end of a two-score second for the home team with Luke Philp’s fourth goal of the campaign reducing the gap to just one with 1:17 remaining in the middle frame. Glenn Gawdin notched an assist on each of the scores.

The 3-2 tally held late into the third period until Matthew Phillips banged home a loose puck with only 19 seconds remaining in the third to push the game to overtime. For the first time this season, the extra frame did not end with a Stockton goal as Ryan Poehling found the twine to give Laval the win.

NOTABLE

– Koletrane Wilson made his pro debut in the game while Louis Domingue, Michael Stone and Byron Froese made their season debuts with the Heat.
– The Rocket snapped a streak of eight consecutive games with Stockton scoring first.
– Alexander Yelesin’s goal was his first since his AHL debut, October 4, 2019.
– Luke Philp continued his scoring run with a goal and an assist on the night, giving him at least one point in five of the last six and seven of the last nine. It was his second multi-point game of the season.
– Glenn Gawdin recorded his second multi-point game of the season with two assists.
– Matthew Phillips netted his second game-tying goal in the third period on the season.
– Stockton is now 2-1 on the year in overtime games.

SPECIAL TEAMS

STK PP – 0-4
STK PK – 3-5

THREE STARS

First – Ryan Poehling (1 goal, 2 assists)
Second – Jordan Weal (2 goals, 1 assist)
Third – Luke Philp (1 goal, 1 assist)

GOALIES

W – Cayden Primeau (25 saves on 28 shots faced)
OTL – Louis Domingue (26 saves on 30 shots faced)

UP NEXT

The Heat and Rocket will continue their four-game set on Saturday, a 2 p.m. MST, 1 p.m. PST puck drop at the Scotiabank Saddledome.