8,923 fans wrap up "Easy Being Green" event, enjoy three-goal rally

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


STOCKTON, Calif. - Matt Stefanishion's shootout goal in the sixth round helped the Victoria Salmon Kings escape a wild third period rally by the Stockton Thunder (34-22-12, 80 points) in a 4-3 shootout win before 8,923 fans on Saturday night at Stockton Arena.

Just one night after Victoria rallied from a 6-3 deficit in the third period, the Thunder turned the tables with three goals in the final 25 minutes, including a pair in the third period to move to 4-0-2 in the last six games.

Bretton Cameron's goal in the second period got the Thunder on the scoreboard, while last-minute goals in the third by both Jordan Fulton and Johan Motin put Stockton back into the game.

"It would have been nice to win the shootout, but I think the guys played really well," said Thunder head coach Matt Thomas. "It was an uphill battle tonight, their goalie was playing well and we missed some opportunities to capitalize. But at least we're not losing points- we're finding ways to battle back."

The Thunder dropped its magic number to 2 for a clinch of home ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

Though the pace in the opening period was much less frenetic than the previous game, Victoria still managed a comfortable two goal lead in the first twenty minutes.

Matt Siddall made it 1-0 at 6:02 when the puck squeezed between the skates of Zane Kalemba and trickled in past the goal line, as the Stockton goaltender was down hugging the right goal post.

The Thunder seemed to get a goal from Jordan Bendfeld shortly after, but the referees waived it off when it was determined that Fraser Clair interfered with Victoria goaltender Shantz. Instead, Clair got sent to the box with a minor penalty.

At 17:19, a quick wrister from Milan Gajic, past the stick of Kalemba, had the scoreboard reading 2-0 in favor of Victoria. Gajic skillfully skated around defenseman Cameron Brodie, who was unable to tie him up with his stick.

Three minutes into the second period, the Salmon Kings increased their lead 3-0, off a rebound goal by Matt Stefanishion. Kalemba was caught down in his butterfly in the left side of his cage, and Stefanishion easily slapped the given-up rebound into the empty side of the net.

Stockton finally got on the board at 15:10 of the second, to make it 3-1. After gaining the attacking zone, Motin's centering pass went past his intended target to Cameron, whose shot from the bottom of the right circle which beat Shantz.

A huge brawl occurred in the final two minutes of the second, with four simultaneous fights taking place around Victoria's net. It originated after Jordan Foreman made contact with Shantz, and Stockton's Garet Hunt, Craig Valette and Bendfeld then joined the fray to defend their teammate.

Both Benfeld and Victoria's Cam Ritchie received game misconducts, while Derick Martin was ejected from the game from a match penalty, which put the Thunder on a power play for the remainder of the period.

Late in the third period, it seemed that Stockton had run out of steam and the score would remain the same after taking two penalties in the offensive zone to drain the five-minute power-play, including a 5-on-3 for two minutes.

However, Jordan Fulton put the Thunder back in the game as he made the score 3-2, and earned his 17th goal of the season when he cashed in on a re-direction, stemming from Steve Vanoosten's bid from the right point.

Less than two minutes later, Motin got his first goal as a Thunder to tie up the game, 3-3. He cradled a P.A. Bureau feed at the left circle, stickhandled into the slot and rifled a snap shot over Shantz's glove.

After overtime which included a Victoria power play in the final minute, the game went into a shootout.

In the second round, both Gajic and Steve Vanoosten scored on wrist shots. During the sixth round, Motin's attempt was stopped by Shantz, but Victoria's Stefanishion got the game-winning goal on a snap shot past Kalemba's stick to give the Salmon Kings the victory.

Kalemba made a total of 25 saves in the shootout loss.



ECHL Stories from March 27, 2011


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