Game Preview: Stockton Thunder Vs. Idaho Steelheads

Published on November 15, 2009 under ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


FACEOFF: 4:00 p.m.

RADIO: NONE (92.5 FM inside Stockton Arena)

INTERNET: www.StocktonThunder.com (B2 Networks)

TICKETS: Click here

2009-10 HEAD-TO-HEAD SERIES

Fri. Oct. 16 Stockton 1 at Idaho 3

Sat. Oct. 17 Stockton 2 at Idaho 3

Sun. Oct. 18 Stockton 2 at Idaho 3

Fri. Nov. 13 Idaho 2 at Stockton 1 (SO)

Sat. Nov. 14 Idaho 4 at Stockton 2

Sun. Nov. 15 Idaho 4:00 p.m.

Wed. Nov. 25 Idaho 7:00 p.m.

Fri. Nov. 27 Idaho 7:30 p.m.

Sat. Nov. 28 Idaho 7:30 p.m.

Thur. Dec. 31 @ Idaho 6:10 p.m.

Fri, Jan. 1, 2010 @ Idaho 6:10 p.m.

Sat. Jan. 2 @ Idaho 6:10 p.m.

MILESTONE TRACKER

o Mike Bayrack is 32 points away from 400 in his ECHL career

o Judd Blackwater is 17 games away from 100 in his professional career

o Kelly Czuy is 25 points away from 100 in his professional career

o Kenny MacAulay is 6 games away from 100 in his ECHL career

TONIGHT'S MATCHUP

The Thunder hosts the Idaho Steelheads tonight to finish three games in three days and a stretch of five games in six at Stockton Arena. Through 38 games in the lifetime series, the Thunder is 16-19-3 against Idaho and is 0-4-1 against Idaho this season. Both teams will face each other 12 times in the first 32 games with Friday's game beginning a stretch of six games in the next nine against the Steelheads. Idaho does not return to Stockton Arena for the remainder of the regular season after Nov. 28.

LAST 3 THUNDER GAMES

IDH 4 - STK 2: Evan Barlow scored twice and the Idaho Steelheads broke a 2-2 tie with goals in the last minute of the second period and in the first minute of the third period to edge the Thunder, 4-2 before a crowd of 5,716 at Stockton Arena on Friday night. The loss, which was the first at home in regulation for the Thunder since Oct. 23, cemented a game where the Thunder missed two of their top three scorers in Oren Eizenman (automatic one-game suspension) and James Bates (on AHL recall to Springfield). Judd Blackwater and Jason Pitton (1g-1a) scored each for Stockton, while Barlow's efforts were spelled on Idaho goals from Kevin DeVirgilio and Trevor Ludwig.

IDH 2 - STK 1 (SO) (11/13/09): Goaltender Richard Bachman made 26 saves to outduel counterpart Andrew Perugini and stopped three of four shots in a shootout to help the Idaho Steelheads edge the Thunder, 2-1 in a shootout before 5,101 fans at Stockton Arena on Friday. Adam Huxley scored the shootout winner in his first return to Stockton Arena since last season, to spell Idaho shootout markers from Evan Barlow and Tyler Spurgeon. Perugini made 26 saves to help force overtime. The Thunder (4-1-3 in the last eight games), received a goal from Oren Eizenman in the first period (100th point of his professional career) and Michael Neal scored for Idaho in the second period.

BAK 3 - STK 2 (11/10/09): Sasha Pokulok snapped a 2-2 tie with a game-winning power-play goal with 5:53 left in regulation, which was enough for the Bakersfield Condors to send the Thunder to a 3-2 defeat before a crowd of 4,948 at Rabobank Arena on Tuesday night. The Thunder, who had their six-game unbeaten streak in regulation snapped in the process, were aided with goals from Steve Vanoosten (first of his pro career) and Oren Eizenman. Shawn Weller and John deGray also scored for Bakersfield while Justin Pogge got the win with 18 saves in net.

WINTER COAT

Today's game is a special Thunder "Coats For Kids" event, presented by News10 and KAT Country 103. Fans in attendance who donate a new or gently used coat will receive free admission to today's game. Coats will be collected outside Stockton Arena beginning at Noon. Last year's "Coats For Kids" event helped donate over 1,000 new or gently used coats to the Salvation Army.

THUNDER CROWDING OUT THE ECHL

The Thunder leads the ECHL in attendance with an average of 6,533 fans per game and is vying to tie a league record by leading the league in attendance for five straight seasons. The Thunder led the ECHL in attendance last year with an average of 6,218 fans through 36 home games. Stockton has 14 sellouts in the team's franchise history and drew a standing room only crowd of 9,392 last Saturday vs. Alaska. Last year, the Thunder became the first team since 2004-05 to lead the ECHL in attendance for four straight seasons (Florida led the ECHL in attendance for five straight seasons - 2000-05).

MAC ATTACK

Kenny MacAulay is in elite company when it comes to dishing the puck. He leads all ECHL defensemen and is tied for second overall in the ECHL with 10 power-play assists. MacAulay has five assists in the last five games and had a season-high three helpers on Nov. 1 at Victoria.

POWER-PLAY ASSISTS PPA

1. Tyler Donati (ELM) 11

2. Brad Schell (GWT) 10

Kenny MacAulay (STK) 10

4. Jacob Micflikier (FLA) 8

Justin Donati (ELM) 8

YELLOW HORN IS RED HOT

Left winger Colton Yellow Horn, acquired in a trade with the Elmira Jackals on Oct. 28 in exchange for the rights to defenseman Neil Petruic, has six points (1g-5a) in seven games since joining the team. The 5-foot-9, 190-pound forward produced over a point-per-game average throughout his five-year (2003-08) junior career in the Western Hockey League with Lethbridge and Tri-City, scoring 349 points (153g-196a) in 330 games while compiling 248 penalty minutes. He led the WHL with 48 goals in 2007-08, skating for Tri-City.

ONE IN A MILLION

The Thunder has launched a special landmark "One Millionth Fan" contest which began Oct. 23. The contest begins the official countdown to search for one millionth fan to cross the turnstiles of Stockton Arena in the Thunder's five year history. As the reigning four-time ECHL attendance leader, the Thunder needs just 25,161 fans to reach the one million mark. The lucky fan will be selected as fans enter Stockton Arena, on the day the Thunder is scheduled to reach the one millionth fan mark. Upon selection, the lucky fan to cross the turnstiles will be awarded an array of prizes, including a vacation stay at Yosemite Lodge (Yosemite National Park), 2009-10 season tickets and an Amtrak train trip to Salt Lake City to see the Thunder face the Utah Grizzlies.

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