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8,330 fans enjoy Thunder victory in final home game before holiday break

December 12, 2010 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


STOCKTON, Calif. - Goaltender Garrett Zemlak earned his first win in four starts with 27 saves, boosting the Stockton Thunder (12-5-4, 28 points) to a 3-2 victory over the Utah Grizzlies before 8,330 fans at Stockton Arena on Saturday night.

The Thunder, who moved to a first place tie in the Western Conference with Utah and Las Vegas, improved to 6-4-2 at home and won in their final home game before the Dec. 25 holiday break. They scored the first three goals of the game with help from Marcus Watson, Bretton Cameron and Fraser Clair, who had the game-winner in the second period.

"I think we did a lot of positive things in creating momentum," said Thunder head coach Matt Thomas. "I thought some of the physical play got the crowd into it, giving us a boost in key situations. Our early goals were a big key. It was a good home win and we were hoping to give our fans an early Christmas present."

A physical game was capped by 120 minutes in penalties given to both teams, which included a combined 16 fighting, roughing and misconduct penalties.

Just one night after burying his first career pro goal, Watson's second goal in as many games broke the scoreless tie with 5:47 into the first period, deflecting Daryl Marcoux's wrist shot from the right point past Utah goaltender J.P. Lamoureux.

On the next shift, Cameron slammed a one-timer through Lamoureux's five-hole from between the circles, finishing Steve Vanoosten's pass from the right corner with 13:50 left.

Fraser Clair apparently boosted the lead to 3-0 at 9:13 on a two-man advantage, but the goal was overturned when ruled that a shot by Dan Ringwald, from the left point, deflected off Clair in a kicking motion.

Clair came right back with a power-play goal that counted, with 12:59 left in the second period when he set a screen in front of Lamoureux, and re-directed another Ringwald one-timer, from the high slot, to the back of the net for a 3-0 Stockton lead.

Utah broke Zemlak's shutout bid when Marcus Carroll finished a rebound after Matt Sorteberg was stopped on a slapshot from the left point with 6:32 left in the second period.

Carroll then buried his second goal, cutting the deficit to 3-2 on another power-play with 11:49 left in the third period. He went to the front of the net, took a slap pass by Sorteberg from the slot and tucked a forehanded shot around Zemlak's diving glove.

Despite Lamoureux being pulled for an extra skater in the final minute, the Thunder killed the remainder of Utah's rally in the period and finished the game by outshooting the Grizzlies, 33-29.

In turn, Stockton ended Utah's six-game winning streak on the road. Lamoureux took the loss for Utah with 31 stops.

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