Game Preview: Stockton Thunder vs. Bakersfield Condors

Published on October 28, 2012 under ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


GAME PREVIEW: STOCKTON THUNDER VS. BAKERSFIELD CONDORS

DATE: Sunday, October 28, 2012

TIME: 4:00 p.m.

SITE: Stockton Arena

RADIO: 1280 AM KWSX/StocktonThunder.com (AmericaOne)

NHL AFFILIATES

Stockton Thunder: Edmonton Oilers

Bakersfield Condors: Independent

HOME GAME PROMOTIONAL NOTES

Tonight's Promotions: FAMILY DAY (presented by 99.3 KJOY and 97.7/98.3 KWIN)

2012-13 SCHEDULE POSTER GIVEAWAY (presented by Pepsi and Sutter Gould Medical Foundation)

TRICK OR TREAT WITH THE THUNDER

National Anthem Singer: Laurie Alley

Public Address Announcer: Mike McKnight

In-Arena Emcees: Alan Sanchez, "Hot Rod"

NEXT HOME GAME

Friday, Nov. 2 vs. Bakersfield Condors, 7:30 p.m.

THUNDER GOES PINK VII

TONIGHT'S MATCHUP

The Stockton Thunder returns to play today, concluding a weekend "home and home" series with the Bakersfield Condors at Stockton Arena. It will be the second of 11 meetings between both teams this season. The Thunder has an all time winning record of 30-27-12 against Bakersfield and has met the Condors once in the playoffs - a best of seven series won by the Thunder 4-1 in the 2010 Conference Semifinals. It will also be a reunion between Thunder head coach Matt Thomas and Bakersfield counterpart Matt O'Dette - previously a Thunder defenseman, captain and assistant coach from 2008-11. Thomas has the upper hand in the matchup with a lifetime 9-5-0 record.

2012-2013 Schedule: (1-0-0)

Sat. Oct. 27 Stockton 4 at Bakersfield 3

Sun. Oct. 28 Bakersfield 4:00 p.m.

Fri. Nov. 2 Bakersfield 7:30 p.m.

Fri. Nov. 23 Bakersfield 7:30 p.m.

Sat. Dec. 1 Bakersfield 7:30 p.m.

Sun. Dec. 9 at Bakersfield 5:00 p.m.

Thur. Dec. 27 at Bakersfield 7:00 p.m.

Fri. Dec. 28 at Bakersfield 7:00 p.m.

Tue. Feb. 5 at Bakersfield 7:00 p.m.

Thur. Feb. 21 at Bakersfield 7:00 p.m.

Sun. Mar. 17 Bakersfield 4:00 p.m.

LAST THREE GAMES:

STK 4 - BAK 3 (10/27/12): Defenseman Teigan Zahn and center Justin Maylan each collected a goal and an assist, while goaltender Tyler Bunz made 21 saves to lift the Stockton Thunder (3-1-1, 7 points) to a 4-3 victory over the Bakersfield Condors before 4,759 fans at Rabobank Arena on Saturday night. The Thunder completed a four game road trip at 3-0-1 and earned the eventual game winning goal on a shorthanded breakaway by Matt Reber in the third period.

STK 5 - LV 4 (10/20/12): Cameron Brodie's first goal in two seasons snapped a tie game with 15.3 seconds left in regulation and lifted the Stockton Thunder (2-1-1, 5 points) to a thrilling 5-4 victory over the Las Vegas Wranglers before 4,584 fans at Orleans Arena on Saturday. Brodie, who buried a wrist shot off the rush, capped another victory for Stockton that featured last minute heroics against the Wranglers in the last four seasons. Goaltender Cody Reichard, making his first start in the pro ranks, earned the win with 26 stops.

LV 3 - STK 2 (OT) (10/19/12): Scott Campbell scored a game winning goal 30 seconds into sudden death overtime, lifting the Las Vegas Wranglers to a 3-2 comeback victory over the Stockton Thunder (1-1-1, 3 points) before 5,656 fans at Orleans Arena on Friday. The Thunder got help with goals by Teigan Zahn and Philippe Cornet. Goaltender Tyler Bunz was tagged with the overtime loss despite being credited with 21 saves while counterpart Joe Fallon stopped 16 shots.

UPCOMING MILESTONES

- Ryan Constant is 15 games away from 300 in his ECHL career

- Ryan Constant is 11 assists away from 100 in his professional career

- Harrison Reed is 11 games away from 300 in his professional career

- Yannick Riendeau is 6 points away from 100 in his ECHL career

PLUS SIZE CONTRIBUTION

All but three players on the current Thunder roster have a plus/minus rating of "even" or better this season. Four players (Matt Reber, Teigan Zahn, Nathan Deck and Matt Bergland) share the Thunder lead at +5, ranking tied for seventh in the ECHL. Plus/minus is recorded as a +1 for each player on the ice for their team's goal at even strength or in shorthanded situations and -1 while on the ice for an opponent's goal at even strength or in shorthanded situations.

BEEN THERE ...

A total of ten players are on the Thunder roster that have playing experience in the NHL or American Hockey League: Cameron Abney, Cameron Brodie, Philippe Cornet, Ryan Constant, Tony DeHart, Garet Hunt, Eric Hunter, Yannick Riendeau, Justin Maylan and Harrison Reed.

COVERED WITH OIL

The Edmonton Oilers return as the NHL affiliate of the Thunder for the seventh straight season, helping advance eight players from the Thunder onto playing in the National Hockey League. The Thunder has also never missed the playoffs since first connecting with the Oilers in 2006-07. Edmonton has won five Stanley Cup championships and sent seven players onto induction in the Hockey Hall of Fame. Among the players assigned to Stockton, beginning this season, was LW Philippe Cornet, who made his NHL debut with Edmonton and led the AHL affiliate Oklahoma City Barons with 24 goals last season.

OH CAPTAIN MY CAPTAIN

Garet Hunt was named the sixth captain in Thunder history on Oct. 12, taking the "C" for the first time in his career for full-time duty. Hunt served as an alternate captain for the Thunder last season and has helped guide the team to the playoffs for four straight seasons since his 2008-09 rookie campaign. Hunt is the Thunder all time leader with 249 games played.

BUNZ ON A ROLL

Tyler Bunz became the first goaltender in Thunder history since Glenn Fisher (2007-08) to record a shutout in his first win as a professional, accomplishing the feat on Oct. 13 at Ontario in a 4-0 win (17 saves). His feat was the 25th shutout in club history. Bunz also had a shutout streak of 137:49, ending in the third period of an Oct. 19 game at Las Vegas.

AS GOOD AS GOLD

The Thunder will wear its gold "third" jersey on nearly each Sunday home game (dubbed "Gold Sunday") at Stockton Arena. The jersey was introduced into the uniform scheme in 2009-10 when the team celebrated its fifth anniversary season.

THUNDER CROWDS ROLL IN

The Thunder has drawn over 200,000 fans for seven straight seasons to Stockton Arena, totaling over 1.5 million through the turnstiles since opening in 2005-06. There have been 17 sellouts at Stockton Arena in Thunder history and last season, there were seven crowds of 7,000 or more at Thunder home games. The Thunder drew a club record 244,085 fans to Stockton Arena in 2006-07. Last season, the Thunder ranked third in ECHL attendance.

TOP FIVE THUNDER HOME CROWDS IN 2011-12

OPPONENT DATE ATTENDANCE

1. Alaska 3/3/12 9,398

2. Bakersfield 3/24/12 9,323

3. Utah 11/5/11 9,012

4. Alaska 1/28/12 7,613

5. Utah 3/17/12 7,537

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