The Stockton Heat pulled another rabbit out of its hat on Saturday night, continuing their magical season with a 3-2 overtime victory over the Chicago Wolves in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals.
Thanks to back-to-back come-from-behind OT wins, the Heat have gone from the brink of being swept to extending the series to a sixth game back in Rosemont on Tuesday evening.
Defenseman Connor Mackey scored the winning goal at 14:27 of overtime, pinching in from the point and burying a pass from Byron Froese for his first career postseason goal.
Chicago scored the game’s first goal for the fifth straight time in the series as Spencer Smallman scored shorthanded at 3:28 of the second period.
Walker Duehr tied it up for the Heat with 2:37 left in the middle frame, and Stockton grabbed a 2-1 lead early in the third on Jakob Pelletier’s first goal of the series.
The Wolves pulled back level with 10:08 to go in regulation when Richard Panik converted on a power play to make it 2-2.
Dustin Wolf (8-4) made 37 saves in the win for the Heat. Alex Lyon (8-2) turned back 32 shots in defeat.
C1-Chicago Wolves vs. P1-Stockton Heat
Game 1 – Fri., June 3 – CHICAGO 5, Stockton 4 (OT)
Game 2 – Mon., June 6 – CHICAGO 3, Stockton 2
Game 3 – Wed., June 8 – Chicago 3, STOCKTON 0
Game 4 – Fri., June 10 – STOCKTON 4, Chicago 3 (OT)
Game 5 – Sat., June 11 – STOCKTON 3, Chicago 2 (OT)
Game 6 – Tue., June 14 – Stockton at Chicago, 8:00
*Game 7 – Wed., June 15 – Stockton at Chicago, 8:00
*if necessary… All times Eastern
