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7,586 fans enjoy Pitton's 24 saves, Thunder's fourth straight win vs. Bakersfield

December 30, 2009 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


STOCKTON, Calif. - Goaltender Bryan Pitton made 24 saves and a balanced offensive attack behind five different goal-scorers helped the Stockton Thunder (12-14-3, 27 points) rout the Bakersfield Condors in a 5-1 victory before 7,586 fans at Stockton Arena on Tuesday night.

The Thunder, who improved to 7-3-0 in the last ten games and won their fourth straight game over their Pacific Division leading counterparts, drew to within two points of the Ontario Reign for fifth in the National Conference and were aided by five different goal scorers from Judd Blackwater, Chris D'Alvise, Anthony Aiello, Brett Hemingway and J.F. Caudron.

Stephane Goulet scored the only Condors goal on a 5-on-3 marker in the third period.

Blackwater opened the scoring with his team-leading 13th goal of the season to lift the Thunder to a 1-0 lead with 12:06 left in the opening period, taking Ryan Constant's pass from off the rush at the left circle and beating Timo Pielmeier with a wrist shot through the five-hole.

D'Alvise converted a re-directed backhander from below the right circle to hike the lead to 2-0 at 9:37.

The Thunder hiked the lead to three when Aiello converted a 60-foot wrist shot with 8:56 left in the second period that deflected off Pielmeier's glove and into the net.

Pitton, who was crowned ECHL Goaltender of the Week earlier on Tuesday, was busier in the second period and made eight saves, including a highlight reel stop on Sasha Pokuluk's rebound at the left circle that Pitton steered away with his outstretched blocker.

Hemingway busted the game open with a 4-0 Thunder lead on his third goal of the year at 2:20 of the third period after J.F. Caudron took an end zone faceoff win and centered the puck for Hemingway from the right boards, followed by a Hemingway one-timer that beat Pielmeier through the five-hole.

Goulet sparked an attempted Bakersfield rally with a two-man advantage goal with 13:50 left in the game when he converted Ryan Menei's centering pass at the right goal post for his 10th goal of the season, cutting the deficit to four goals.

The Thunder managed the puck for the remainder of the game and finally put it out of reach on Caudron's seventh goal of the season with 2:06 to play for a 5-1 lead, slipping his way around the Bakersfield defense from the right wing and beating Pielmeier with a forehand deke to the blocker side.

Pielmeier made 20 saves in the defeat.

NOTES: Before the game, the Thunder activated Matt Robinson off injured reserve, transferred Bobby Davey to the seven-day I.R. list and placed left winger Garet Hunt on the three-day I.R. list... the Thunder scratched Matt O'Dette (injured reserve), Hunt (injured reserve), Kelly Czuy (injury, day-to-day), Steve Vanoosten (healthy), Craig Valette (injured reserve) and Davey (injured reserve)... the Thunder improved to 4-1-0 against Bakersfield this season... Oren Eizenman (two assists), Igor Gongalsky (two assists), Caudron (1g-1a) and Aiello (1g-1a) led the Thunder offense with two points each... for the second straight game, enforcer Riley Emmerson and Bakersfield counterpart Erick Lizon dropped the gloves for the second straight game with a first period fight with 12:36 left, with Emmerson foiling Lizon on a series of right jabs.

The Thunder returns to play on Thursday to begin a four-game road trip, beginning at 6:10 p.m. against the Idaho Steelheads at Qwest Arena. The game can be heard on radio at 1420 KSTN and viewed online at www.stocktonthunder.com, courtesy of B2 Networks (audio is free of charge).

The Thunder was voted "Best Local Sports Team" by readers of the San Joaquin Magazine, has led the ECHL in attendance for four consecutive seasons and drew 223,854 fans to Stockton Arena in 2008-09. Season Tickets for 2009-10 are on sale now. For more information about tickets, merchandise, or other inquiries contact the Stockton Thunder offices at (209) 373-1500 or visit http://www.stocktonthunder.com/.

THREE STARS:

1. STK - 31 Bryan Pitton

2. STK - 7 Anthony Aiello

3. STK - 10 Chris D'Alvise

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