Playing the last contest of a season-high six-game road swing, the Lake Erie Monsters (12-13-1-1) came back from a one-goal second-period deficit to defeat the Bulldogs (10-13-1-2), 2-1, in a shootout in Hamilton on Wednesday night. Ryan Stoa's sixth goal of the season was the lone score in regulation for the Monsters; a goal that vaulted him into a tie for second all-time on the Monsters points list with 89. Lake Erie’s leading goal-scorer, Hugh Jessiman, recorded the gamewinner in the shootout.

Hamilton’s Alexander Avtsin found a loose puck in front of the net after a feed from Philippe Lefebvre and poked it under Monsters goalie Cedrick Desjardins to give Hamilton a 1-0 lead at 18:07 of the first period.

Hamilton's 1-0 lead held until the final minute of the second period when, with the Monsters on a five-on-three power play, Stoa received a Tyson Barrie pass and one-timed a backdoor shot by Hamilton goalie Nathan Lawson for his sixth goal of the season to tie the game at 1-1. Luke Walker also assisted on the goal.

Overtime did not yield a winner, but in the shootout Jessiman sealed the Monsters victory in the third Lake Erie attempt on a slap shot from the high slot. Desjardins stopped all five Hamilton shooters to preserve the 2-1 win.

Desjardins turned away 27 of 28 shots and is 6-4-1 with the win. Lawson is 8-8-2 after stopping 22 of 23 Monsters shots in the Hamilton loss.

The Monsters return home to play the Grand Rapids Griffins Friday and Saturday nights at Quicken Loans Arena. Both games start at 7:30 PM and can be heard live on ESPN 850 WKNR. Saturday’s game will also be televised on MY43 THE BLOCK WUAB.

NOTES: The Monsters are 8-2 when Ryan Stoa registers a point... Stoa is now tied with Phil Dupuis for second on the all-time Monsters points list with 89... The Monsters snapped a two-game losing skid, avoiding what could have been their first three-game losing streak since 11/2-11/5... Defenseman Nick Tuzzolino, called up prior to the game from the ECHL's Utah Grizzlies, played in his first game as a Monster, registering a shot on goal and two penalty minutes.