Game Preview: Stockton Thunder At Utah Grizzlies

Published on February 23, 2010 under ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


The Thunder, 7-1-2 in the last ten games and entering the week just five points behind the first place Bakersfield Condors of the Pacific Division, faces the Utah Grizzlies for the third time this season at The E-Center, the third of ten meetings between both teams this season and a second set of back-to-back games. The Thunder is 10-11-2, lifetime against Utah. The last meeting between both teams was on Jan. 16, when the Thunder defeated Utah, 6-4 at Stockton Arena. The series continues an eight-game road trip for the Thunder, who are looking to snap an all-time 0-4-1 all-time streak in West Valley City.

LAST 3 THUNDER GAMES

STK 2 - BAK 0 (2/20/10): Goaltender Andrew Perugini made 45 saves for his third shutout of the season and fifth of his career, helping guide the Thunder to a 2-0 victory over the host Bakersfield Condors, before 5,354 fans at Rabobank Arena on Saturday night. The Thunder, who took three of four points from their first place counterpart, closed the gap for first place in the Pacific Division to just five points as James Bates and Oren Eizenman scored in the second and third period, each.

BAK 5 - STK 4 (SO) (2/19/10): Chris Allen helped force overtime with a game-tying, extra-attacker goal with less than 33 seconds remaining in regulation and goaltender Timo Pielmeier stopped all four shots in a shootout to help the Bakersfield Condors squeak by the Stockton Thunder in a shootout, 5-4, before a crowd of 6,520 at Rabobank Arena on Friday. J.F. Caudron led the Thunder offense with a pair of goals, and James Bates and Chris D'Alvise each scored in the third period to help erase a 3-1 deficit and spur a three-goal rally. Matt Pope led the Condors with three points (1g-2a).

STK 3 - ONT 1 (2/13/10): Goaltender Andrew Perugini improved to 7-1-1 in his last nine games with 25 saves while Matt Robinson and Chris D'Alvise each posted one goal and one assist to help the Thunder edge the Ontario Reign in a 3-2 victory, before 5,583 fans at Citizens Business Bank Arena on Saturday. The win helped boost the Thunder run to 6-1-1 in the last eight games and move to within four points of first place in the Pacific Division after the Bakersfield Condors lost, 4-0 at home to the Las Vegas Wranglers. James Bates also pitched in with a goal for the Thunder, who swept a home-and-home weekend series from Ontario.

THUNDER CROWDS ROLLING IN

The Thunder ranks third in the ECHL in attendance with an average of 5,934 fans per game and is vying to tie a league record by leading the league in attendance for five straight seasons. On Jan. 30, the Thunder drew 9,158 fans to Stockton Arena against Victoria, the second largest home crowd this year. 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 on Nov. 8 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).

ALL-STAR IS SHINING

Rookie center Chris D'Alvise, who had an assist representing the Thunder at the 2010 ECHL All-Star Game in Ontario on Jan. 20, recently had a career-high eight-game scoring streak with eight points (4g-4a) in that span. This month, he has erupted with nine points (6g-3a) in six games. D'Alvise leads the Thunder with 23 goals (T-3, ECHL rookies) and leads Thunder rookies with 40 points (T-7, ECHL rookies) in 47 games this season. D'Alvise has two hat tricks this season.

COLIN' ALL CARS

Since his acquisition from the Alaska Aces on Jan. 21 in exchange for Judd Blackwater, Thunder right winger Colin Hemingway has poured in 13 points (5g-8a) in 12 games. He has three multi-point games and most recently, parlayed a one-goal, two-assist effort for the Thunder on Feb. 12 in a 5-0 win at Ontario. Colin's brother, Brett, is a fellow forward on the Thunder roster and the two are the second pair of siblings to join the Thunder roster this season (goaltender Bryan and forward Jason Pitton, who is currently on recall to the Springfield Falcons of the AHL). Hemingway also has 16 points (7g-9a) in 14 lifetime games against Bakersfield. Hemingway needs a goal or an assist to hit the 300-point plateau in his career.

'GINI IN A BOTTLE

Goaltender Andrew Perugini, who leads the ECHL lead in save percentage (.925) and ranks second in the ECHL in goals-against-average (2.48), became the Thunder career shutout leader (4) on Feb. 12 and posted his most recent blanking on Saturday at Bakersfield, a career-high 45-save effort in a 2-0 Thunder win. Perugini is 8-1-2 in his last 11 starts and was named Reebok Hockey ECHL Goaltender of the Week last Tuesday for the second time in his career.

ALL-TIME THUNDER SHUTOUT LEADERBOARD

GOALTENDER SHUTOUTS

1. Andrew Perugini (2008-present) 5

2. Tim Boron (2007-08) 3

3. Devan Dubnyk (2006-07) 2

Glenn Fisher (2007-08) 2

Jake Moreland (2005-06) 2

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