Thunder Play Final Ever Game vs. Alaska
March 29, 2015 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release
The Stockton Thunder say goodbye to the Alaska Aces tonight as the team hopes to continue the momentum from last night's shootout loss in hopes of stopping the Aces.
Arena: Stockton Arena
Date : Sunday, March 29
Time : 4:00 p.m. - Doors at 3:00 p.m.
Giveaway : Thunder metal lunchbox to the first 500 fans
Broadcast : ECHL.TV and Spreaker beginning at 3:45 p.m. PST
This Year's Record : Stockton is 2-9-1-1 vs. Alaska
Follow the Thunder Facebook Page for occasional updates or follow @StocktonThunder on Twitter for the play-by-play tweeting!
Star Wars Night Strikes Back!
Not just one but TWO Star Wars nights this season as Star Wars Night Strikes Back today at Stockton Arena with the 501st Legion, Central California Garrison.
Come dressed to impress with your best Star Wars themed costume and enter our costume contest today during the first intermission! The contest is limited to the first 50 people to sign up. May the force be with you!
Heat Rises in Fall 2015
During the first intermission of the March 12th watch party, Team President Dave Piecuch and Mayor Anthony Silva revealed that the Stockton AHL team will be known as the Stockton Heat.
The Heat name was selected over the Blaze, Scorch, Inferno and Fire after fans stuffed the boxes with names related to the parent club in Calgary.
Season tickets are on sale now for the first year of Heat hockey! For just $50 per seat, you can reserve your spot as the new team kicks off play for the 2015-16 AHL season. Call 209-373-1500 or visit StocktonThunder.com/ahl !
Vote now for your Fan Favorite
Who makes you get out of your seat and cheer? Who do you love seeing out in the community or at the autograph table?
The ballots are open right now for who YOU believe should be awarded the Thunder's "Fan Favorite" this season. Will it be Garet Hunt, who's won the award every year for the last six seasons or will there be a new player to dethrone him? It's up to you to decide!
Vote now by clicking over to StocktonThunder.com/fanfavorite and cast your vote now. Voting ends this Monday, March 30, at 5:00 p.m. and the winner will be given the award at the conclusion of the final ever Thunder home game on April 11.
Shattock is on Fire
Tyler Shattock has been one of the best players in the ECHL over the last two months.
Shattock has scored 12 goals and added 14 assists in 23 games thus far since February began. Of the 23 games, Shattock has points in 18 of them, missing out on just 5 games.
His 55 points this season has obliterated his previous pro high of 20 points that he picked up while playing for the Chicago Wolves of the AHL last season. After his five-game point streak ended on Wednesday, Shattock has picked up points in his last two games scoring a goal on Friday and adding an assist yesterday while actually playing the majority of the game on defense.
Last Time vs. Alaska
The Thunder put together a valiant effort, but couldn't come out on top despite captain Garet Hunt blowing the roof off the building just 22 seconds into the game with his record-breaking goal.
Hunt's goal was the first in a game that was tied four different times with neither team taking a multi-goal lead at any point during the contest.
Both team's power plays showed up to play as each scored 2 goals and 60 minutes simply wasn't enough to decide the game.
After the five minute overtime, the Aces were able to earn the win in the shootout and just barely escape what was one of the Thunder's best performances against the Aces.
Tonight
The Thunder will look to build off their furious effort last night and try to steal two more points from Alaska and help spoil the Aces' playoff hopes.
It will be the 89th and final matchup between the Thunder and the Aces as the Stockton franchise moves to the AHL at the beginning of next season.
To end the lifetime series on a positive note, the Thunder will have to continue the positives from last night and hold off the late push this time around. Easier said than done when you are short a few bodies, sure, but the Thunder are a confident group after last night's narrow defeat that earned them a point
Who to Watch
Adam Phillips, perhaps more specifically Adam Phillips' slap shot, has been providing highlight reel plays on the offensive end of the ice over the past few weeks. But don't let the pretty goals from that huge wind up distract you too much from what the versatile defenseman has been doing across all 200 feet of the ice.
The rookie out of UMass (Amherst) has been one of the most consistent players in the lineup, missing just two games all year, and has been a frequent starter on the blueline for Coach Kromm.
Last night, Phillips was the leader of a very young and forward-filled blueline corps, as injuries and call-ups have left the Thunder very light on the back end.
"It's been a group effort for sure," said Phillips after last night's game. "The forwards that have stepped back on defense have helped out a lot and we've been doing a lot of talking on the bench, so we're all helping each other out. Even with the short bench, we want to prove we can go out there and compete with the playoff contenders despite our place in the standings."
And compete they did as the defensive group played a significant role in last night's effort to force a shootout against the Aces. Tyler Shattock got an assist on the first goal while he was playing defense, Brad Stebner and James Henry (also a forward playing defense last night) assisted on the Thunder's second goal and then Phillips assisted on the third and scored the fourth giving the d-corps 1 goal and 4 assists, or 42% of the points given to Thunder players last night.
Look for Phillips to again be a major minute-getter on the blueline tonight, and watch for that 8 or 9-foot tall wind up of his because it seems like something positive happens every time he lets it go.
All-Time Greatest
Garet Hunt has done it, the longtime Thunder forward playing in his seventh season became the team's all-time leading scorer after a goal last night against Troy Redmann.
With the goal Garet breaks a two-way tie at the top with former Thunder forward Mike Lalonde and sets a new team record of 157 points.
Garet does have one more record to try and chase down as Lalonde still holds the all-time Thunder goals record of 72. Hunt's season goal total is now up to 12 meaning he is just 9 goals away from tying Lalonde's mark.
Hunt is now the franchise leader in games played (438), points (157), penalty minutes (1638) and ranks third all-time in assists (94) behind Ryan Constant (110) and Nathan Martz (97).
Stebner and Mallet on Streaks
Brad Stebner has his first pro point streak going with assists in his last three games.
Alex Mallet has points in his last three games after being activated off the IR. He scored a goal and had an assist on Wednesday, put in another goal on Saturday and assisted on Garet Hunt's record breaking goal last night. Prior to Wednesday's game, Mallet had last played on February 15 but was placed on the IR thereafter. Mallet missed 15 games while on the IR.
Interesting Fact
In 88 previous meetings with the Aces in the regular season, Stockton has posted a 30-45-13. The Thunder have their lowest win percentage against the Aces among teams they've played 50 or more times (.341).
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ECHL Stories from March 29, 2015
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