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ECHL National Conference Finals Game 3: Stockton defeats Idaho in triple overtime, longest game in franchise history cuts Steelheads series lead to 2-1

STOCKTON GOALTENDER #31 BRYAN PITTON MADE 49 SAVES IN TRIPLE OT SHUTOUT

IDAHO STEELHEADS LW #27 JOHN SWANSON FIRES A SHOT ON GOAL IN THE 3RD

IDAHO GOALTENDER #31 RICHARD BACHMAN MAKES A DIVING STICK SAVE

It took the longest game in Stockton Thunder franchise history, and the longest scoreless overtime game in ECHL Kelly Cup Playoff history, but Ryan Constant scored a power play goal 36 seconds into triple overtime to earn a 1-0 shutout win and cut the Steelheads Conference Final lead to 2-1.

In his first start of the postseason, Stockton Thunder goaltender Bryan Pitton withstood consistent Idaho pressure to earn a 49-save shutout. “In the first overtime they didn’t get too many shots on goal, in the second overtime they got us a little on the power play,” Pitton said after the game. “Everyone did a fantastic job, this is probably one of the best wins we have ever had.”

Pitton served most of the season as backup to a rotating cast of goaltenders for Springfield of the AHL. Due to the tumultous situation in Edmonton, the goaltending pipeline of Edmonton’s AHL and ECHL affiliates was in a state of flux. Sharkspage favorite Nikolai Khabibulin went down with a season ending injury after playing only 18 games with the Oilers, leaving rookie netminders Jeff Deslauriers (16-28-4) and former Thunder starter Devan Dubnyk (7-9-2) to finish out the season.

Wednesday night the Idaho Steelheads only outshot the Thunder after 80 minutes 31-27, but they pressed hard with an 18-8 margin in the second overtime. They were helped by a pair of penalties on Jordan Bendfeld (tripping) and Igor Gongalski (delay of game). Pitton said the Thunder’s confidence never waivered. “Every time we came in here after a period, it was constant positive energy. I think everyone knew no matter how tired we were, someone was going to get the job done and people would believe in the guy next to him. I think that is why we won today.”

The Thunder shut down both power plays and finished 6-for-6 on the penalty kill, but it was a late tripping call on Idaho Steelheads center Marty Flichel that would prove to be the turning point in the game. It was Stockton’s Igor Gongalski who took an ill-advised roughing call in a scrum at the end of the first period, forcing the Thunder to start the second period down a man. Idaho could not make them pay. Flichel’s tripping call late in the second overtime would carry over into the third OT. It allowed the Thunder to rest at intermission, and use the time to gameplan an attack for the 41 seconds of power play time remaining.

Four hours and fifteen minutes into the game, and with 5 seconds left on the power play, Ryan Constant scored on a long wrist shot with traffic in front. He slid on his knees at center ice before being mobbed by his celebratory teammates. “It was definitely great to get the game winner, we needed that win,” Constant said. “It was a great individual effort by Robinson to get me the puck at the top. I had a wide open lane, and (Jason) Pitton was in front screening him. I just got a shot on net, and it was lucky enough to go through. It only takes one shot.”

“What a character win, our resiliency really came through when we needed it most,” Stockton Thunder head coach Matt Thomas said of the triple overtime victory. “Constant’s goal came as a result of simple hockey needed into a lengthy game like that – getting a screen in front of their goaltender. Bryan was remarkable in net as well – he made the basic saves all night and came through with some big stops when we needed them.”

The game started with physical play. Stockton pinned Idaho in their own zone early in the first period, and hammered them along the boards and in the corner. A half intentional check, half unintentional collision, saw Garet Hunt and Kevin DeVergillo each splayed horizontal in mid-air. Massive 6-foot-3, 214-pound Idaho left wing John-Scott Dickson started throwing his weight around at the end of the first. After laying out two Thunder players at the top of the defensive zone, and then again behind his net, a retaliation by Stockton narrowly missed being called.

The Thunder began to tighten up play in their own zone in the third period. Short, crisp outlet passes allowed them to carry the puck up ice quickly. They were less risky than the long, cross-ice passes that were more susceptible to turnovers earlier in the playoffs. The one area of improvement for Stockton has to be getting the puck deep in the Idaho defensive zone. They need to speed upon entry for puck retrieval and the forecheck, and forcing an opponent to skate 200 feet to beat you will wear them down over the course of a 60-minute game. For a 100+ minute game, the effect would have been more dramatic.

Rookie Idaho Steelheads goaltender Richard Bachman was strong in his own end, but the triple overtime goal by Ryan Constant resulted in his first loss of the playoffs. In 100:36 minutes of play on Wednesday night, Bachman stopped 35 of 36 shots against. The former Colorado College netminder has stopped 205 of 215 shots against in 7 postseason games, earning himself a sparkling .953SV%. Originally a 4th round draft selection by the Dallas Stars in 2006, Bachman was a runner up for ECHL goaltender of the year after registering a 22-7-4 record in the regular season (2.26GAA, .910SV%). In call-up duty for the AHL Texas Stars this season he was 3-3.

Stockton opened the Kelly Cup Playoffs with a 3-1 win over Alaska in the best-of-five NCQF series, and advanced to their first National Conference Final appearance with a 4-1 series win over the Bakersfield Condors in the best-of-seven NCSF. The Idaho Steelheads were awarded the Brabham Cup for the best record of the regular season, and they stole the first two games of the Conference Finals with solid goaltending from Bachman and opportunistic special teams play. A 4-0 lead in the first game was too large a hurdle to overcome despite late goals by Matt Robinson and Ryan Constant. In the second game, Stockton finished 0-6 on the power play and allowed a pair of first period shorthanded goals en route to a 4-0 loss.

The 5-year Thunder franchise lead the ECHL in attendance for its first 4 seasons. In 2009-10 the Thunder finished 3rd in attendance with 217,098 total fans and a 6,031 average over 36 home games. The southern-California based Ontario Reign finished first in league attendance with 232,223 total fans and a 6,451/game average.

A photo gallery from the game is available here.

[Update] Official box score from the game:

Stockton Thunder 1, Idaho Steelheads 0 (3OT)
ECHL National Conference Finals Game 3
May 5, 2010 – Stockton Arena

1st Period- No Scoring. Penalties-Hunt Stk (slashing ), 7:19; Flichel Idh (hooking), 16:11; Gongalsky Stk (roughing), 20:00.

2nd Period- No Scoring. Penalties-Barlow Idh (roughing), 4:13; Constant Stk (roughing), 4:13; Eizenman Stk (cross-checking), 9:06; Kushniruk Idh (roughing), 11:56; Gongalsky Stk (elbowing), 14:52; Tardy Idh (holding), 19:11.

3rd Period- No Scoring. Penalties-DeVergilio Idh (slashing ), 11:03.

OT Period- No Scoring. Penalties-No Penalties.

2nd OT Period- No Scoring. Penalties-Bendfeld Stk (kneeing), 2:09; Gongalsky Stk (delay of game), 6:53; McCutcheon Idh (interference), 7:36; Flichel Idh (tripping), 18:41.

3rd OT Period-1, Stockton, Constant 4 (Robinson, Bates), 0:36 (pp). Penalties-No Penalties.

Shots on Goal-Idaho-49. Stockton-36.
Power Play Opportunities-Idaho 0 of 6; Stockton 1 of 6.

Goalies-Idaho, Richard Bachman (36 shots-35 saves). Stockton, Bryan Pitton (49 shots-49 saves).
A-3,441

Referees-Jean Hebert (27).
Linesmen-Steven Berry (77), Paul Reid (97).

[Update2] Good things come in 3s for Thunder, Longest game in team history has happy ending – Scott Linesburgh for the Stockton Record.

[Update3] Deadlines and hockey thrillers – Stockton Record. The triple overtime game finished at 11:15PM, the Record goes to print at 11:30PM. Mike Klocke describes how the Record sports staff got results in 80-90% of the newspapers for the print run in under 15 minutes.

[Update4] Stockton’s Garet Hunt Fined, suspended for one game – ECHL.com.