6,976 fans witness Thunder comeback for "Thunder Goes Pink 4" opener

Published on November 7, 2009 under ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


STOCKTON, Calif. - Ryan Turek's game-winning goal with one second left in sudden-death overtime denied a Stockton Thunder (4-4-1, 9 points) rally and attempt for a fifth straight win, helping the Alaska Aces send the Thunder to a 4-3 loss in overtime before 6,976 fans at Stockton Arena on Friday.

The Thunder, who were playing on a pink-colored ice surface and wearing pink-accented jerseys for their annual "Thunder Goes Pink 4" event, extended their unbeaten streak in regulation to five straight games (4-0-1). Ryan Constant, Judd Blackwater and Oren Eizenman scored for Stockton, while Alaska was aided by a pair of goals from Matt Stefanishion and Alexandre Imbeault.

Alaska goaltender Sebastien Dahm collected the win with 30 saves in net.

Stefanishion lifted Alaska to a 1-0 lead just 2:18 into the game when he put a rebound into a semi-open net past Andrew Perugini's blocker for his fifth goal of the year, but the Thunder responded just 5:18 later on a power-play goal.

Constant took a re-directed pass by Kenny MacAulay at the left point and ripped a snap shot past Sebastien Dahm's blocker to knot the score at 1-1.

Stefanishion's second goal of the game put Alaska ahead 2-1 with 5:59 left in the opening frame. He took a centering pass from Nick Mazzolini and while left wide open in the slot, took advantage and ripped a wrist shot past Perugini's blocker side.

With another power play goal because of Lee Green's roughing penalty on Colin Yellow Horn, Judd Blackwater put another goal on the board with the pass straight from James Bates from between the circles. The goal at 9:19 in the second period went straight through Dahm's five hole, tying the score at 2-2.

The Aces took the lead back at 3-2 with 13.3 seconds left in the period on Imbeault's power-play marker after he cleaned up a rebound at the goal mouth following a diving save from Perugini on Bryan Miller.

Eizenman capitalized with his first goal of the year with 6:16 left in the third period, directing a pass from Jason Pitton into the net with one-timer from the mid-slot, leveling the score at 3-3.

With time winding down in the overtime period, Alaska established a forechecking cycle against the left wing boards, setting up Turek's game-winning goal. After Imbeault untangled the puck out of a battle and found Colin Hemingway, the follow-up pass from Hemingway found Turek at the right circle, who darted on goal and snuck a backhanded deke past Perugini's blocker side.

Perugini made 19 saves and his record moved to 3-2-1 for the regular season.

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