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8,923 fans in attendance mark third largest crowd this season at Stockton Arena

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


STOCKTON, Calif. - Tyler Beskorowany made 35 saves, including the first 27 he saw through the first two periods to help the Idaho Steelheads defeat the Stockton Thunder (21-11-7, 49 points), 4-1, before 8,923 fans at Stockton Arena on Saturday night.

Idaho, who jumped to two points ahead to third in the Western Conference, despite playing six more than the Thunder, were helped out by Evan Barlow's two-goal effort. Jesse Gimblett scored the only Thunder goal, breaking Beskorowany's shutout bid with 9:58 left in the game.

"Not a good enough effort tonight by us, in terms of execution," said Thunder head coach Matt Thomas. "Playing against a goalie who is playing confident, you aren't going to beat him unless you can execute. We need to find a way to be better on the power-play and bury our chances on their goalie. Idaho played well in front of him tonight."

Stockton took its first loss in regulation since Jan. 7, seeing a nine-game unbeaten streak (8-0-1) snapped and dropped its first loss in the head-to-head series this season, falling to 3-1-3.

Barlow's two goals in the opening period were enough to establish a 2-0 lead for the Steelheads after 20 minutes, beginning at 8:22 when he followed up a deflected puck in mid-air, and batted it past Bryan Pitton from the top of the crease.

He then added a shorthanded goal with 1:35 left in the period to bump the Idaho lead to a pair of goals, converting Marty Flichel's lead pass, driving around the defense at the right wing and slipping a wrist shot through Pitton's opened five-hole.

Beskorowany turned aside all 14 shots he saw in the second period, including four Thunder power-plays to hold the two goal advantage. Pitton made six saves in the second period.

Gimblett finally broke through, helping the Thunder slice the deficit to 2-1 on a power-play goal mid-way through the third period, when he caught an errant deflection at the front of the net on Mark Arcobello's shot from the right circle to pick up his 11th goal of the season.

The Thunder missed a chance to tie the game with less than four minutes left when Jim McKenzie's bid in the low slot was kicked away by Beskorowany's left pad. Idaho then wrapped up the game on an empty net goal by Matt Case with 56 seconds remaining, when his clearing pass from the Idaho goal line rolled all the way in.

Adam Huxley finished the scoring with 40 seconds left in the game, finishing a two-on-one break at the left circle.

Pitton took his first loss since returning from the AHL, making 17 saves.

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