Central Hockey League: Jackalopes tie up Americans with overtime playoff victory

The Odessa Jackalopes broke the mold Saturday night.

Jeff Pierce, on a cross-ice feed from Sebastien Thinel, snapped a wrist shot past Allen goaltender Chris Whitley with 3:17 remaining in overtime to lift the Jackalopes to a 3-2 victory in Game 2 of the Southern Conference Finals at the Ector County Coliseum.

The best-of-7 series now is tied 1-1 with Game 3 set for Wednesday night at the Allen Events Center.

"That's the best feeling I've had in hockey in a long time," Pierce said of the game-winning shot.

Jean Bourbeau and Kenny Bernard also scored for Odessa, with Thinel, Dominic Leveille, Dave Van Drunen and Kory Karlander all finishing with one assist.

Odessa goaltender Joel Martin finished with 29 saves on the night, while Whitley stopped 42 of the 45 shots he saw.

Justin Bowers and Liam Huculak scored for Allen.

This was the first time in the past four playoff series that Odessa has not lost both home games to start the series.

"It was a better effort tonight," Jackalopes coach Paul Gillis said. "We got off to a good start in the overtime, with some good play and then they took over in the middle of the overtime and we were able to regain that at the end of overtime.

"We had a great first period, had a goal lead going into the third and that's playoff hockey. You have to battle and we were fortunate to come away with the win."

For the second consecutive night, the Jackalopes found the back of the net first in a déjà vu first period.

Bernard started the scoring opportunity with a strong forecheck in the Allen zone, forcing the puck to the top of the Americans’ zone, where Bourbeau was able to settle it down before it crossed the blue line.

Bourbeau then spun back into the Allen zone and after one stride, snapped a wrist shot that beat Whitley inside the right post 7:40 into the first period. It was Odessa’s first even-strength goal of the series.

"That was great work by Kenny and the puck just came right up the middle," Bourbeau said. "It was nice to get a goal, it's been a while, and to get the first one tonight was big.

"Allen's a good team and you know they are going to get their chances. But I thought we did a good job tonight in shutting down their big line."

Allen pulled even with 9:14 remaining in the period when Bowers, sitting at the right post, deflected a shot by Tyler Wooddisse behind Martin, who was partially screened on the play.

Bernard then got his first of the series on the power play at the 15:58 mark of the period. The play started behind the Allen net when Karlander gathered in a loose puck and fed it out to Leveille along the right-wing boards.

Leveille skated into the right circle and sent the puck toward the net, where it was knocked down in front of Whitley and right to the feet of Bernard. He didn’t miss, quickly snapping the puck behind the Allen netminder for a 2-1 lead that mirrored Friday’s first period score.

After a scoreless second period, it took little time for the Americans to tie the contest.

Martin, who made 29 saves on the night, moved behind the net to settle down the puck and when he was coming out from behind the left post, Huculak was there first, taking the puck off his stick and pushing it into the net just 2:54 into the third period.

That’s how it stood until Pierce’s laser into the upper right corner with time winding down in the extra period.

"I had to forget about it right away because we still had 16 or 17 minutes left in the period, " Martin said. "If I keep thinking about it, I'm not focused on what I need to do and they are going to score another one.

"I got some help, tonight, with a post in the third period, but he (Whitley) got a couple, too, so things evened out a little bit."

>> 2010 Ray Miron Presidents’ Cup Playoffs

ODESSA JACKALOPES VS. ALLEN AMERICANS

Southern Conference Finals

Series tied 1-1

Game 1: Americans 4, Jackalopes 3.

Game 2: Jackalopes 3, Americans 2 (OT)

Game 3: 7:30 p.m. April 14, Allen Event Center.

Game 4: 7:30 p.m. April 16, Allen Event Center.

Game 5: 7:30 p.m. April 17, Allen Event Center.

x-Game 6: 7:05 p.m. April 19, Ector County Coliseum.

x-Game 7: 7:05 p.m. April 21, Ector County Coliseum.

x-if necessary.