Thunder Set for Regular Season Finale
April 12, 2014 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release
The seventh seeded Stockton Thunder (32-31-2-6) host the eight seeded Las Vegas Wranglers (19-43-4-4) in the final game for the home side during the regular season tonight beginning at 7:30 p.m.
Doors are set to open at 6:30 with patrons' 21-years of age and over able to purchase Rough & Ready Irish Red from the Silver Bullet Bar beginning at 5:30.
The Thunder head into the final regular season game knowing who their first round playoff opponent will be, the Ontario Reign.
The Thunder have squared off with the number two seed and Pacific Division winner a total of 16 times this season with the Thunder going 6-7-1-2 including winning five games in 2014. Due to building conflicts, the series will begin in Stockton in a 2-2-1-2 format. Playoff dates and times are set to be officially announced later today.
Before the Thunder shift focus to the playoffs, they'll have to contain a team they've only played once this season. The Las Vegas Wranglers, who will take on the Alaska Aces in the first round of the playoffs, come into the game tonight having only won three of their last 10 games and having gone winless in their last five.
Vegas is led by Adam Hughesman who has 45 points in 59 games including one assist in the lone game against the Thunder. In that game Chris Kushneriuk, cousin of Thunder defenseman Marc Cantin, led the way with a goal and an assist on the way to the Las Vegas 3-2 win.
In that game the Thunder offense was generated all by blueliner Sean Escobedo who tied the game at one in the first period after former Thunder forward Adam Huxley put the Wranglers on top and then scored again with 37 seconds left in the game to give the Thunder one last chance to tie the game, a feat they fell short of.
The Thunder were missing a number of important players in that game including Joey Martin who was up in the AHL at the time, but the team that will take the ice against the Wranglers today will look a lot different than it once did.
The Thunder are still led by Joey Martin who has 21 goals, 43 assists, and 64 points in 64 games played, however right behind him with 18 goals, 40 assists and 58 points is Jeremy Langlois who came to the Thunder via the Bridgeport Sound Tigers after they acquired the forward in an AHL trade with the Springfield Falcons.
Langlois, who played in 49 games with the Evansville Icemen, has 2 goals and 4 assists in six games with the Thunder and was recently named to the ECHL's All-Rookie team and is tied atop the rookie leaderboard with Idaho's William Rapuzzi with 58 points.
One of the other big additions for the Thunder has been on the blueline with big Scott Langdon and Cantin shutting down opposing offenses. Langdon, the former captain of the San Francisco Bulls, is playing for his third team this season after being released by the South Carolina Stingrays and heading back to Northern California to play in Stockton. The big 6'2" tough-guy has played in 4 games with the Thunder, picking up two fighting majors and a minor, bringing his penalty minute total to 144, just 43 minutes shy of Garet Hunt's team leading 187.
Cantin,24, has proven to be every bit as tough as Landgon throwing big hits and big punches at opposing players. Having played in five games since being sent down by the Sound Tigers, Cantin has also shown to be a good offensive player as he scored his first goal during Military Appreciation Weekend and also has added an assist (coming shorthanded). Cantin looks to shoot and many of his shots get through on target with 19 making their way onto goal.
Of course after today Head Coach Rich Kromm will have his work cut out for him as he'll have to narrow down his roster to no more than 23 guys.
While both goaltenders will be included on the roster, Coach Kromm also has the interesting dilemma of who to play. Up until now, the goalies have alternated starts with Brian Foster getting the majority of his starts when Parker Milner was up in the AHL with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.
Milner, who has played in 25 games, has slightly better numbers than Foster having posted a 2.84 goals-against-average and .907 save percentage to Foster's 3.03 goals-against-average and .900 save percentage. However, it's been Foster who's posted the better record as he's 22-16-1-4 this season while Milner is just 9-14-1-1.
Before the Thunder can focus on games 17-20 (at least) against the Ontario Reign, the team will have to first face the Las Vegas Wranglers in today's regular season finale. The first 1,500 fans in the building today will receive Rally Towels to help cheer on the Thunder today.
After the game, the end of season team awards will be handed out to their respective winners. Hot Rod and a few lucky season ticket holders will be on hand to present the Rookie of the Year, Offensive Players of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Unsung Hero, and Team MVP as voted on by the team, hockey ops staff, and broadcasters. In addition, the award for Fan Favorite as voted on by you fans will be presented to the recipient as well.
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ECHL Stories from April 12, 2014
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