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6,082 fans enjoy Sexsmith's win, 31 saves in return to lineup

January 30, 2011 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


STOCKTON, Calif. - Goaltender Tyson Sexsmith made 31 stops in his first game since Nov. 7 due to injury, including a seventh round stop on Aki Seitsonen to preserve a come-from-behind victory for the Stockton Thunder (22-12-7, 51 points), 5-4 in a shootout, over the Idaho Steelheads before 6,082 fans at Stockton Arena on Sunday.

The Thunder, who became the first team to hand Idaho a defeat when leading after two periods, were helped out with goals from Fraser Clair, Garet Hunt, Jordan Fulton and a game-tying goal in the third period from Jarrett Konkle. Mark Derlago led Idaho's offense with one goal and one assist.

‚¬Å“We needed a win, ‚¬Â said Thunder head coach Matt Thomas. ‚¬Å“At the end of the day we got a win on a Sunday in a must-win scenario. Tyson was great at key situations and in the shootout. He did a great job controlling his rebounds. For his first game back, he was very good and I was pleased with how he controlled the game. ‚¬Â

Clair broke a four game scoring drought with his 12th goal of the season with 1:13 left in the first period, converting Daryl Marcoux's slap pass from the blueline with a re-direction at the front of the net.

Derlago leveled the score, 1-1 at 3:26 of the second period when he converted Kael Mouillierat's centering pass from behind the net. The Thunder responded at 7:16, when Hunt got a piece of Mark Arcobello's wrist shot from the left circle, and deflected the puck in the air and over Jase Weslosky.

Idaho reclaimed the lead on their first power play goal, 3-2 when Geoff Irwin beat Sexsmith with a wrist shot from the left circle with 9:11 gone in the period.

With 1:40 left in the second period, Fulton tied the game on his seventh goal of the year, taking a ricocheted pass of the glass and rifling a snap shot past Weslosky from the slot.

But, Purves helped Idaho regain the lead just 18 seconds later when his wrist shot from the left circle glanced off traffic, just like Hunt's goal, and behind Sexsmith.

Konkle leveled the score again, 4-4 at 5:05 of the third period for his eighth goal of the season, stashing a rebound with a backhander past Weslosky's glove, after Jesse Gimblett was stopped with a wrist shot from the left circle.

Both teams endured a five-minute overtime period with nearly a two-minute stretch at three-on-three and Sexsmith preserved the game with several key saves.

In the seventh round of the shootout, Cameron buried the winning goal when his snap shot beat Weslosky over the glove. Sexsmith then sealed the victory when he knocked Seitsonen's bid from the mid slot away with a stick save.

Weslosky took the shootout loss with 34 saves.

NOTES: The Thunder scratched Chase Ryan (healthy), Ryan Constant (injured reserve), Jordan Foreman (injured reserve) and Garrett Zemlak (healthy) ‚¬Â¦ the Thunder outshot Idaho, 39-35 and went 0-for-2 on the power-play ‚¬Â¦ San Jose Sharks vice president and assistant general manager Wayne Thomas and Edmonton Oilers goaltending coach Frederic Chabot were in attendance ‚¬Â¦ the Thunder moved to 4-1-3 this season against Idaho ‚¬Â¦ Stockton drew over 19,000 fans for the three game weekend series.

The Thunder returns to play on Tuesday at Orleans Arena, visiting the Las Vegas Wranglers at 7:05 p.m. The game can be heard on radio at 1280 KWSX and viewed live on the internet (pay-per-view video charge) at www.StocktonThunder.com, courtesy of AmericaOne.

A two-time recipient of the ECHL "Award of Excellence," Thunder was voted "Best Local Sports Team" by readers of the San Joaquin Magazine, led the ECHL in attendance for four consecutive seasons and drew over 200,000 fans for the fifth consecutive season in 2009-10. Season Tickets, mini-plans and individual tickets for 2010-11 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/.

THREE STARS:

1. STK - 11 Bretton Cameron

2. STK - 21 Mark Arcobello

3. IDH - 10 Mark Derlago

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