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A Season "Rated E" For Excitement

May 1, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


A SEASON "RATED E" FOR EXCITEMENT An all-star game, attendance title and playoffs all rolled into a 07-08 year

FINAL THUNDER 2007-08 RECORD: 27-40-5, 59 points FINISH: National Conference Quarterfinal

BACKTRACKING: A RECAP OF THE KELLY CUP PLAYOFFS GAME 1 - Friday, April 11 STOCKTON 4 - Las Vegas 2 Rookie Jonas Almtorp's shorthanded goal with 4:19 left in regulation snapped a 2-2 tie, highlighting a four-goal rally in the third period to help lift the eighth-seed Thunder to a stunning 4-2 comeback victory over the first-seed Las Vegas Wranglers in Game 1 of the National Conference Quarterfinal round of the 2008 Kelly Cup Playoffs, before a crowd of 3,442 at Orleans Arena on Friday night. The Thunder scored four goals in the third period comeback with additional tallies coming from Tim O'Connell, Lance Monych and Stephane Goulet. Goaltender Tim Boron made 39 saves for the win in net.

GAME 2 - Saturday, April 12 LAS VEGAS 5 - Stockton 4 (OT) Ryan Donally scored a game-winning goal 28 seconds into sudden-death overtime to help the Las Vegas Wranglers send the Thunder to a 5-4 overtime loss in Game 2 of the National Conference Quarterfinal round of the 2008 Kelly Cup Playoffs, before a crowd of 3,653 at Orleans Arena on Saturday. Brandon Schwartz led the Thunder with a three point effort (2g-1a) and forced overtime in the final minute of regulation as the series was tied 1-1 (best-of-seven). Tim O'Connell, and Jacob Micflikier added goals for the Thunder.

GAME 3 - Sunday, April 13 LAS VEGAS 3 - Stockton 2 The Las Vegas Wranglers scored two goals in the final 1:15 of regulation to pose an improbable comeback, finished by Aki Seitsonen's shorthanded game-winning goal with 12.8 seconds left to send the Thunder to a 3-2 loss in Game 3 of the National Conference Quarterfinal round, in front of a crowd of 5,053 at Stockton Arena on Sunday night. Goaltender Tim Boron made a series-high 44 saves while Ryan O'Marra and Jacob Micflikier scored goals for the Thunder.

GAME 4 - Friday, April 18 LAS VEGAS 4 - Stockton 3 (OT) Adam Cracknell's game-winning goal with 20 seconds left in the first sudden-death overtime period completed a four-goal rally by the Las Vegas Wranglers, who sent the Thunder to a 4-3 overtime loss in game 4 of the National Conference Quarterfinals and a 3-1 series deficit (best-of-seven), before a crowd of 5,569 at Stockton Arena on Friday. The Thunder was led by Jacob Micflikier's goal and an assist to pace the offense. Goaltender Tim Boron, making his fourth straight start in the series, set a Thunder playoff record with 48 saves (previous - 46, Devan Dubnyk, 4/13/07 vs. Idaho)

GAME 5 - Sunday, April 20 STOCKTON 6 - Las Vegas 3 Stephane Goulet scored the first hat trick in Thunder playoff history and Jacob Micflikier scored a career-high and Thunder playoff-record five points (1g-4a), sinking the Las Vegas Wranglers in a 6-3 Thunder victory in Game 5 of the National Conference Quarterfinals before a crowd of 4,456 at Stockton Arena on Sunday. The Thunder, who also set a team single-period playoff record with four goals in the first 20 minutes and six goals in the game, also received goals from Brandon Schwartz, Ryan O'Marra and Micflikier.

GAME 6 - Tuesday, April 22 LAS VEGAS 4 - Stockton 1 Curtis Fraser scored two goals and the Las Vegas Wranglers led in a wire-to-wire fashion, elminating the Stockton Thunder from the Kelly Cup Playoffs in a 4-1 Thunder defeat, before a crowd of 3,464 at Orleans Arena on Tuesday night in Game 6 of the National Conference Quarterfinal round. The Thunder, who fell in the best-of-seven series at a 4-2 series mark and got its only goal of the game from Stephane Goulet, were also backstopped by Tim Boron's 32 saves, setting a new Thunder playoff record with 230 saves in the series, shattering Devan Dubnyk's mark (188, set in 2007).

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING The best of quotables from the 2007-08 season (courtesy of The Record)

"When it was 3-0, we were on the canvas, and I'd say we were at about eight on the 10 count. But we got up," Cichocki said. "The important thing is we're in the playoffs, and Brandon was right there again. I don't know what we'd do without him." - Head Coach Chris Cichocki on Schwartz's game-tying goal on April 5 to vault the Thunder into the Kelly Cup Playoffs, The Record, 4/6/08

"I've been keeping tabs on how things have been going for the boys here, and I'm very happy to be able to come here and help out." - Left wing and all-star selection Jacob Micflikier, The Record, 4/5/08

"When I was a player, I loved this time of year," Cichocki said. "There's pressure, but it can be a lot of fun, and we need to have fun with it and do what we have to do." - Head Coach Chris Cichocki, The Record, 3/26/08

"I thought to myself that this gives me a chance to stop one breakaway to win a game," Boron said. "I'll take that any day." - Tim Boron on stopping Victoria's Ash Goldie in a 3-2 shootout win, The Record, 3/30/08

"The Stockton Thunder ended the longest streak in the league, and I think it sent the message that if we play our game, we can beat anyone." - Thunder left wing Tom Zanoski on a March 1, Saturday 3-1 win over the Cincinnati Cyclones to end Cincinnati's 17-game win streak

"It's just fantastic. I think the model they have, with (the Thunder) beside the (Ports), the hotel and this beautiful rink, (Stockton's) very lucky to have this. We only wish we could have a building like this in Johnstown." - Neil Smith, NHL Network announcer, Johnstown Chiefs (ECHL) Owner and former New York Rangers General Manager, on the Thunder hosting the 2008 Chase Chevrolet ECHL All-Star Game

"To come to the (ECHL) and see what the league has become, it's very impressive. The cities are great, a lot of the buildings are great, and the fan support - especially here in Stockton - is great." - National Conference captain Peter Ferraro of the Las Vegas Wranglers, on the all-star atmosphere

"As soon as coach told me I was in, I was excited. Then when I realized it was in Stockton, that was icing on the cake because I know how great the fans are here." - Former Thunder winger Andy Contois on being named as a participant (and eventual winner) of the CCM Vector Fastest Skater event in the ECHL All-Star Skills Competition

"Ryan took the puck hard to the net, and he has such a quick release. These were two great games." - Cichocki on Ryan MacMurchy's game-winning goal on in January at Sullivan Arena (4-3 Thunder OT win at Alaska)

"We're big hockey fans. Once in a while we go to San Jose Sharks games, but it's getting too expensive. This is affordable and the hockey is close to what the big teams play." - Jim Wise, Thunder season ticket holder, at an early-season FanFest at Stockton Arena

ATTENDANCE CHAMPIONS: 3 IS THE MAGIC NUMBER. The Thunder successfully defended its ECHL attendance title - again, drawing 239,337 fans to Stockton Arena this season (an average of 6,648) - the first team to lead the ECHL in attendance for three straight years since 2004-05).

TOP-5 THUNDER HOME CROWDS:

OPPONENT DATE ATTENDANCE 1. (tie) Victoria 3/29/08 9,737* The Thunder outlasts the Victoria Salmon Kings in a 3-2 shootout win in the regular season home finale Alaska 2/16/08 9,737* The Thunder battles with Alaska until the end in a 5-3 loss, facing first-round prospect goaltender Marek Schwarz - the first 2,000 kids received free Thunder replica jerseys Las Vegas 1/19/08 9,737* Brandon Schwartz's third period goal ignites a shower of teddy bears and stuffed animals onto the ice on "Teddy Bear Toss Night" Idaho 11/3/07 9,737* The Thunder ignites a third period comeback and defeats the defending Kelly Cup champion Idaho Steelheads 3-2 on the back-end of "Thunder Goes Pink II" 2. Utah 2/29/08 8,822 Thunder goatlender Glenn Fisher makes 36 saves in a 3-1 loss * Denotes sellout

THUNDER RAISES TEAM-RECORD $407,155 IN CHARITY The Thunder, in conjunction with its charitable arm, the Stockton Thunder and Lightning Foundation, announced an organization all-time high of $407,155 was raised in cash, tickets, memorabilia and other items for charity in 2007-08. The Thunder increased the amount of raised charitable donations for the third year in a row and surpassed the $400,000 mark for the first time in team history. "Thunder Goes Pink II," presented by St. Joseph's Medical Center in association with County Bank and MetroPCS, sought to help spotlight and raise funds and awareness for local breast cancer treatment and prevention. Once again the event proved to be a rousing success. In its second year, the weekend event (held Friday, November 2, and Saturday, November 3 at Stockton Arena) raised $36,000 for the American Cancer Society - Stockton Field Office and the St. Joseph's Foundation - Breast Cancer Services.

FINAL 2007-08 TEAM NOTES: o The Thunder embarked on a 2-1-2 run in the final week of the regular season to clinch its second straight Kelly Cup Playoff berth o The Thunder sent a league-high tying three players (Andy Contois, Brad Farynuk and Ryan MacMurchy) to the 2008 ECHL All-Star Game at Stockton, which drew the fifth-highest attended game in league history (7,455) o Left wing Jacob Micflikier set a new Thunder playoff record with 12 points (4g-8a) in just 6 games o Micflikier had five points (1g-4a) in a 6-3 victory over Las Vegas in game 5 of the National Conference Quarterfinal, a new Thunder playoff single-game record o Stephane Goulet scored the first playoff hat trick in Thunder history in a 6-3 victory over Las Vegas in game 5 of the National Conference Quarterfinal o Goaltender Tim Boron set a new Thunder playoff record with 230 saves in the National Conference Quarterfinal series o Lance Monych was the first player in Thunder history to hit the 30-goal plateau and finished tied for 9th in the ECHL with 32 goals o Goaltender Tim Boron set a Thunder single-season record with three shutouts, ranking tied for 3rd in the ECHL

VOTE NOW! The Thunder announced that fans can participate in naming the season's best games, events and other highlights to the 2007-08 campaign in an end-of-season "Ice Oscars" awards presentation, which will be hosted exclusively online via the Thunder's official website, www.stocktonthunder.com.

Taking a cinematic-theme that aligns with the Thunder's "Rated E For Excitement" marketing campaign and the famed "Academy Awards" presentation, fans can vote for their favorite in each category (Top Game of the Year, Best Score, Favorite Villain, etc.), with voting beginning on Monday, May 5

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