JAN Aro Regencia played the role of the hero as his two late goals lifted the Philippine ice hockey team to a pulsating 5-3 victory over Singapore in the 30th Southeast Asian Games on Tuesday evening at the Mall of Asia Skating Rink.
Regencia cashed in on a pass from John Fuglister at the 59:50 mark to break the 3-all deadlock and followed it up with another conversion, this time from a pass by Carl Michael Montano a second before the horn.
That allowed the Philippines to stay unbeaten through two matches and keep in step with leader Thailand, which is also 2-0 in the group stages.
The Filipinos return to the ice on Wednesday, where they will face Indonesia.
It was a defensive struggle for both teams, but the hosts looked to be in danger after Singapore's James Nicholas Kodrowski put his side ahead just before the first period ended.
Fuglister tied the game at the 26:26 mark that set up a back and forth affair between the two sides.
Scoring eventually picked up in the third period as Fuglister, the team captain, put his side ahead at the 53:00 mark before Kodrowski knotted the match anew 18 seconds later.
Samuel James Bengzon pushed his the Philippines up, 3-2, at the 55th minute, but Ethan Redden refused to quit for Singapore, scoring a goal of his own at the 57:23 mark to once again lock the game at 3-all.
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