7,974 fans enjoy numerous records, Thunder one point out of first place

March 27, 2011 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


STOCKTON, Calif. ‚¬" Jordan Foreman earned his first hat trick of the season and a career-high four points (3g-1a) as the Stockton Thunder (35-22-12, 82 points) demolished the Victoria Salmon Kings in an 8-4 victory before a home crowd of 7,974 fans at Stockton Arena on Sunday.

The Thunder, who improved to 4-0-3 in the last seven games and closed the gap to one point behind first place Bakersfield, tied a franchise record for most goals in a home game and also received a career-high four points (1g-3a) from Steve Vanoosten receiving four points (1g-3a) while Jarrett Konkle picked up three points of his own (1g-2a) in his return to the lineup to replace an injured Fraser Clair.

Goaltender Tyson Sexsmith made 18 saves, supported by an offense who erased a 3-0 deficit in the first period and scored eight of the game ‚¬â„¢s last nine goals.

‚¬Å“Our guys showed character and once we started battling back from the 3-0 deficit, our team didn ‚¬â„¢t stop, ‚¬Â said head coach Matt Thomas. ‚¬Å“Our defensemen were the difference-makers tonight. I thought they struggled last night, but tonight they dominated and took it to a whole new level - especially Vanoosten and Jordan Bendfeld. ‚¬Â

Vanoosten, P.A. Bureau and Foreman each broke a Thunder record with a +6 rating (two shy of the ECHL record), while Bendfeld was +5 with a goal, assist and a fight.

Victoria blitzed their way to an early three goal lead though, quieting the crowd on back-to-back goals from Jeff Caister blasts at the left point in a span of 2:17.

Chad Painchaud then converted off a neutral zone turnover and scored on a breakaway for a 3-0 Victoria lead with 11:58 remaining.

The third Victoria goal seemed to spark some life into the Thunder, as the team responded with a goal of their own twenty-five seconds later. A scrum developed in Victoria ‚¬â„¢s end with several Thunder players crowded in front of the net, all trying to jam the puck in with their sticks. Bendfeld found the back of the net with a blast from between the hash marks and cut the deficit to 3-1.

After controlling the ensuing faceoff, Stockton scored again 13 seconds later, to make it 3-2. The puck went back to Vanoosten, who took a long snapshot from the left circle that beat Jimmy Spratt high on the glove side, earning his seventh goal of the season.

The second period saw five additional goals, beginning with a bad-angle shot by Garet Hunt 51 seconds in. Hunt took Jim McKenzie ‚¬â„¢s cross-ice pass at the right circle and buried a wrist shot past Spratt ‚¬â„¢s shoulder as he threw his body sideways towards the post, to tie it up, 3-3.

At 11:10, Stockton took the lead for the first time off a tap-in by Jordan Foreman that made it 4-3. Spratt went to the top of his crease to stop a shot by Vanoosten, who instead fired a slap pass right to Foreman, who was stationed right outside the blue paint for an easy re-direction off the backhand.

Increased pressure in front of Spratt resulted in another Thunder goal three minutes later. Bendfeld ‚¬â„¢s shot from the right wing caused the goaltender to fall to the ice, and Jarrett Konkle ‚¬â„¢s persistence paid off as he hacked the puck and got it underneath Spratt ‚¬â„¢s body to increase the lead to 5-3 with 5:30 left.

After starting a scrum with Ryan Dingle, Bretton Cameron was off to the box with a minor roughing penalty. In the ensuing power play, Victoria once again closed the scoring gap to 5-4 from a goal by Milan Gajic.

Sexsmith had fallen to his backside in front of the net when Gajic buried a rebound in the paint with 3:30 left.

Foreman received his second goal of the night as he sent a high one-timer over the stick of Spratt and in the left corner of the net for a 6-4 advantage, just 40 seconds after Victoria ‚¬â„¢s goal.

The Thunder blew the lead open to 7-4 on Bueau ‚¬â„¢s ninth goal of the year with 12:35 left in the game, when he cut to the left goal post and converted Foreman ‚¬â„¢s feed from the right wing.

Foreman then completed the hat trick on a breakaway, cashing Jody Pederson ‚¬â„¢s lead pass with a wrist shot past Spratt ‚¬â„¢s glove with 4:12 left in the game.

Spratt ‚¬â„¢s overall record fell to 7-3-1 with tonight ‚¬â„¢s loss.

NOTES: The Thunder scratched Dan Ringwald (injured, day-to-day), Fraser Clair (injured, day-to-day), Ryan Constant (injured, day-to-day), and Kelly Czuy (injured reserve) ‚¬Â¦Stockton led the game in shots, 40-22 ‚¬Â¦for the fourth time this season, the Thunder had only one power play during the game ‚¬Â¦ tonight ‚¬â„¢s game marked the first time this season that Clair was unable to play- he has skated in all 68 games ‚¬Â¦ Stockton ‚¬Â¦ Vanoosten ended the week with 7 points (2g-5a) and a +10 rating in three games ‚¬Â¦ both teams combined for four goals in a span of 1:02 in the first period, falling six seconds shy of the ECHL record set by Huntington and Greenville on Nov. 9, 1996.

The Thunder returns to play on March 30th at Stockton Arena, hosting the Las Vegas Wranglers at 7:00 p.m. The game can be heard on radio at 1280 KWSX and viewed live on Comcast Hometown Network (Channel 104). Internet coverage (pay-per-view video charge) is also available at www.StocktonThunder.com, courtesy of AmericaOne.

A two-time recipient of the ECHL ‚¬Å“Award of Excellence, ‚¬Â Thunder was voted ‚¬Å“Best Local Sports Team ‚¬Â 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/.



ECHL Stories from March 27, 2011


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