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Thunder Roll Above .500 Mark

January 24, 2010 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


STOCKTON, Calif. - Igor Gongalsky buried a pair of goals and newcomer Colin Hemingway collected his first point in a Stockton Thunder (17-16-6, 40 points) uniform, helping the Thunder to knock off the Alaska Aces in a 4-3 victory before a crowd of 6,508 at Stockton Arena on Saturday.

The Thunder, who jumped over the.500 mark for the first time this season, moved into a fifth place tie in the National Conference with the Utah Grizzlies and were aided by a goal each from Chris D'Alvise and Matt O'Dette, who returned to the lineup after missing the last 18 games due to injury.

The win also helped the Thunder continue their recent mastery of the Aces in the head-to-head series, increasing their recent streak to a 10-0-3 series record dating back to 2007-08.

The Thunder ripped off three unanswered goals to assume a 3-1 lead after 20 minutes of play, but the Aces drew first blood on Alexandre Imbeault's goal off a turnover in the slot with just 12 seconds into the game.

O'Dette responded for his first goal of the season, on the power-play at the 7:09 mark to level the score at 1-1. O'Dette set a screen in front of goaltender Frank Doyle and pumped a rebound past Doyle's glove side after James Bates was denied at the left circle.

The Thunder grabbed their first lead at 2-1 with 5:07 left in the period on a Gongalsky re-direction for his sixth goal of the season. Anthony Aiello took a loose puck at the left point and fired a slapshot that tipped off Gongalsky, who screened Doyle on the play.

D'Alvise's team-leading 15th goal of the year boosted the lead to 3-1 when he took Matt Robinson's feed in the slot, raced on net and beat Doyle with a deke to the forehand.

Alaska sliced the deficit to one goal on Nick Mazzolini's 14th goal of the year with 1:45 gone, when he pounced on a rebound from between the hash marks and snuck a wrist shot under the crossbar.

Both teams traded chances in the third period until Gongalsky broke through with his second goal of the game and seventh of the season with 11:29 remaining in regulation, converting Colin Hemingway's threaded pass from the left circle through a series of defenders on a backdoor play.

The game would go down to the final minutes though, set up by Judd Blackwater's 15th goal of the year and first in an Alaska uniform with 6:42 left in regulation, when he took a Nick Mazzolini pass at the right boards, walked uncontested into the slot and buried a wrist shot.

The Thunder killed off Alaska's rally in the final minutes with Frank Doyle pulled for an extra attacker.

Doyle had a personal six-game win streak snapped in a 29-save effort.

NOTES: The Thunder activated O'Dette off the injured reserve list before the game, placed goaltender Aaron Sorochan on the three-day I.R. list and moved right winger Brett Hemingway to the seven-day I.R.... scratched for the game were Sorochan (injured reserve), Brett Hemingway (injured reserve), Justin DaCosta (injury, day-to-day), and Craig Valette (injured reserve)... D'Alvise increased his scoring streak to eight straight games... Ryan Constant played in his 200th game in his ECHL career... for the second straight game, the Thunder wore special "throwback style" black jerseys that featured the "STOCKTON" wordmark across the front of the jersey, diagonally that was auctioned off after Saturday's game... Alaska donned their powder-blue colored third jerseys... the Thunder improved their head-to-head record against Alaska this season to 4-0-3.

The Thunder returns to play tomorrow to continue the 11-game homestand against the Bakersfield Condors, beginning at 4:00 p.m. at Stockton Arena. The game can be heard 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/.

-- ALL OUT, ALL SEASON --

THREE STARS:

1. STK - 11 Igor Gongalsky

2. STK - 71 Matt Robinson

3. AK - 42 Nick Mazzolini

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ECHL Stories from January 24, 2010


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