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Thunder Rise To Fourth In Conference Behind Season-Best Offensive Effort

January 28, 2010 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


STOCKTON, Calif. - All-Star center Chris D'Alvise scored a pair of goals, Matt Robinson tied a season-high three point (1g-2a) effort and the Stockton Thunder (18-17-6, 42 points) scored a season-high seven goals, cruising to a 7-3 victory over the Victoria Salmon Kings at Stockton Arena on Wednesday night.

The Thunder, who beat Victoria in regulation at home for the first time in 15 games (dating back to 2005-06), climbed to a tie for fourth place in the National Conference (Alaska) with the victory and improved to 4-1-3 on a club record 11-game homestand.

Spelling D'Alvise's goals and one by Robinson, the Thunder were also helped out by a goal each from James Bates, J.F. Caudron, Bryan Young and Igor Gongalsky. Victoria, who were previously 22-5-4 since Nov. 13, never led in the game and were aided by the second hat trick of the year from Wes Goldie.

The Thunder grabbed a 2-1 lead after one period, beginning with Robinson's 11th goal of the season at 4:41. Robinson completed a pass across the slot from Jamie Bates and banged a one-timer past David Shantz's stick from the left circle.

Goldie's power-play goal leveled the score at 1-1 at 8:49 when he slipped a rebound past Andrew Perugini from the mid-slot, who originally stopped Jimmy Sharrow's drive from the blueline.

D'Alvise restored the Thunder lead at 2-1 with three minutes remaining, scoring his 16th goal of the season off the rush when he fired a snap shot past Shantz from the left circle.

The second period featured a four-goal eruption by the Thunder, who raced to a 6-2 cushion that began on two consecutive power-play goals by Bates and Caudron, scoring in a 1:58 span. With 2:37 gone in the period, Bates scored on a backhander from the right circle and

Caudron bumped the lead to 4-1 when he finished Mark Pavli's cross-ice pass at the left goal post for his 10th goal of the season.

Young buried his first goal of the season with 5:49 left in the period when he followed up Colin Hemingway's blocked shot in the slot, and ripped a wrist shot past the blocker of SHantz.

D'Alvise's second goal of the game hiked the Thunder advantage to 6-2 with 3:49 left in the period when he converted on a 2-on-1 outnumbered attack and finished Robinson's post-to-post pass at the left side, with the play beginning when Bates muscled a loose puck away from former teammate Neil Petruic at the Thunder blueline.

The momentum continued for the Thunder in the third period when their former goaltender, Glenn Fisher, replaced Shantz and yielded the eighth goal of the year to Gongalsky with 15:09 left in the period. Gongalsky corralled Caudron's pass in the mid slot and beat Fisher with a wrist shot to the blocker side.

Goldie wrapped up the scoring with the hat trick and goal and his 28th of the season at 7:40, sneaking a deflected wrist shot from the right circle past Perugini's blocker.

Andrew Peugini improved to 10-7-3 in net by making 34 saves. Shantz took the loss (18-4-4), stopping 21 saves before Fisher made eight saves in relief duty.

NOTES: The Thunder scratched Aaron Sorochan (injured reserve), Brett Hemingway (injured reserve), Justin DaCosta (injury, day-to-day), Daryl Marcoux (injury, day-to-day) and Craig Valette (injured reserve)... the Thunder notched a 2-for-3 effort on the power-play... Young's goal was his first since April 5, 2009 with Springfield, against Portland... the Thunder also benefited with multi-point games from Anthony Aiello (two assists), Colin Hemingway (two assists), Bates (1g-1a) and Caudron (1g-1a).

The Thunder returns to play Friday to continue the 11-game homestand in a rematch against Victoria, beginning at 7:30 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 - 10 Chris D'Alvise

2. VIC - 16 Wes Goldie

3. STK - 71 Matt Robinson

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