
Season high crowd of 9,398 enjoys Roy's record breaking shutout effort
March 4, 2012 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release
STOCKTON, Calif. - Goaltender Olivier Roy made 36 saves and broke a Stockton Thunder (28-24-5, 61 points) record with his fourth shutout of the season, helping the Thunder sink the Alaska Aces in a 4-0 victory before a season high crowd of 9,398 at Stockton Arena on Saturday.
With Roy sporting the ECHL's "Golden Goalie" jersey in lieu of the All-Star Game this season, the Thunder reduced its magic number to eight for a clinch of a Kelly Cup Playoff berth and Kevin Baker - wearing a special designed Thunder crest on his jersey as a "Silver Skater" - paced the offense with a three points (2g-1a). Jordan Fulton and Chris D'Alvise each chipped in with a goal while Gabriel Levesque earned an assist in his first game back from injury.
"It's hard to single out guys in a game where the whole team plays well as a whole, but Garet Hunt did what Garet Hunt does," said Thunder head coach Matt Thomas. "It's that All Star recognition. Those guys got the Silver Skaters. Baker scored two and Olivier gets a shutout. Those three guys really got us going the right way, but everyone played well."
Hunt - who wore the other metallic crest as a fan voted Silver Skater - put up two shots on goal and tussled with Alaska's Matt Ambroz just 2:48 into the game.
The Thunder played off the energy and scored first on Baker's 23rd goal of the season just six minutes into the game. He pounced on an Alaska turnover in the offensive zone and buried a wrist shot over James Reid's glove.
Baker extended the lead to 2-0 with 6:30 left in the second on his second goal of the game when he converted a rebound at the goal mouth, seconds after Reid denied Mike Little's bid on a delayed penalty.
Matt Foy then sprung Fulton on the rush with 2:12 left in the second period, who followed by pounding a slapshot past Reid from the left circle to hoist the Thunder to a 3-0 advantage.
Roy faced his busiest workload in the third period, where he made 15 saves including a desperation poke check on the Aces' Brian Swanson, who nearly escaped the Thunder defense for a clean breakaway.
D'Alvise put the game out of reach with his fourth goal of the season on the power play with 4:54 left in regulation, hiking the lead to 4-0 on a rebound at the left post after Reid made a save on Baker's one timer from the slot. Levesque earned an assist on the play with a pass to Baker from the right corner.
Reid took the loss with 22 stops.
ECHL Stories from March 4, 2012
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- Royals Come up Empty in Elmira, 3-0 - Reading Royals
- Gladiators Back in First with Three Goal Comeback in 5-4 win over Trenton - Atlanta Gladiators
- Jackals, Stewart Earn First Shutout of Season - Elmira Jackals
- Game Preview: Stockton Thunder Vs. Alaska Aces - Stockton Thunder
- ECHL Transactions - March 4 - ECHL
- Edmonton Recalls Goaltender Olivier Roy from Thunder to Oklahoma City - Stockton Thunder
- Express Youth Jerseys Available on March 13 - Chicago Express
- Cyclones Game Preview - Cincinnati at Toledo - Cincinnati Cyclones
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- ECHL Today - March 4 - ECHL
- Season high crowd of 9,398 enjoys Roy's record breaking shutout effort - Stockton Thunder
- Thunder Shutout Aces 4-0 - Alaska Aces
- Wrangler Rally Sinks Idaho - Idaho Steelheads
- Express Earn Point in 4-3 Shootout Loss to Toledo - Chicago Express
- Reign Sweep Grizzlies at Home 5-1 - Ontario Reign
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