Back In Familiar Territory

November 14, 2005 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


THUNDER OVERALL RECORD: 2-3-2 (6 points) LAST WEEK: 1-2-0 (2 points)

THIS WEEK'S OPPONENTS:

Friday, November 18: @ Toledo Storm, 4:35pm (PT) - Returning to Ohio for the first time since they were christened the Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies, the Stockton Thunder marches into Toledo Sports Arena to take on one of the hottest ECHL teams in the early season. Toledo's 7-2-1 start (15 points) has put them two points off the pace for the best record in the American Conference. The Storm, an ECHL affiliate of the Detroit Red Wings and San Jose Sharks, has yet to lose away from home as well, compiling a 6-0-1 clip at Toledo.

The Thunder, as Atlantic City in 2004-05, compiled a 2-3-1 season record against Toledo, yet is 10-6-4 all-time (Atlantic City only) versus the Storm. Rookie forward Mike Lalonde leads the Thunder in scoring with eight points (5g-3a), while Toledo boasts three of the top seven ECHL scorers, paced by left wing Scooter Smith's 17 points (6g-11a), and 16 points from Ken Magowan (9g-7a) and Todd Jackson (6g-10a).

Saturday, November 19: @ Dayton Bombers, 4pm (PT)

and

Sunday, November 20: @ Dayton Bombers, 11am (PT) - On paper, it should be a matchup that the Thunder salivates over, after stacking a 12-6-2 all-time record (Atlantic City only) against the Bombers, including a 7-2-1 clip in 2004-05. Yet, only two former 2004-05 Boardwalk Bullies grace the current Thunder roster, and both are goaltenders (Jake Moreland and Jeff Weber). For the record, former 2003-04 Boardwalk Bully Aaron Foster spent last season with the Bombers.

Dayton, an ECHL affiliate of the Columbus Blue Jackets, currently stands at a 4-6-0 record (8 points), sitting in fifth place in the American Conference's North Division. Brian Gornick (6g-8a) and Scott Cameron (6g-8a) lead the Bombers in scoring with 14 points apiece.

All games can be heard on the internet free of charge, with Friday's game also available for viewing for a $6 pay-per-view fare at www.stocktonthunder.com, courtesy of B-2 Networks. Thunder broadcaster Mike Benton will provide play-by-play commentary, with the pre-game show beginning at 4:20pm (PT) on Friday, 3:45pm (PT) on Saturday, and 10:45am (PT) on Sunday.

STOCKTON THUNDER SCHEDULE: November 14-20

(All times pacific, subject to change)

Monday, November 14

11am: Practice at Oak Park Rink

Tuesday, November 15

10am: Practice at Oak Park Rink

Wednesday, November 16

10am: Practice at Oak Park Rink

Thursday, November 17

Travel Day

Friday, November 18

8:15am: Morning skate at Toledo Sports Arena

4:35pm: Game vs. Toledo Storm (Toledo Sports Arena)

Saturday, November 19

Morning skate TBA

4pm: Game vs. Dayton Bombers (Nutter Center)

Sunday, November 20

11am: Game vs. Dayton Bombers (Nutter Center)

UPCOMING MILESTONES:

o Geno Parrish is three assists away from 100 in his ECHL career

o Joel Irwin is five goals away from 100, and 11 games away from 300 in his ECHL career

o Dean Stork is three games away from 400 in his overall pro career

o Chris Cichocki is six games away from 300 coached in his overall pro career

WEEK IN REVIEW

Thursday, November 10

VICTORIA 5 vs. STOCKTON 2

VICTORIA, British Columbia - Jade Galbraith's three-point (2g-1a) effort catapulted the Victoria Salmon Kings to five unanswered goals, in a 5-2 Stockton Thunder loss to Victoria in front of 6,406 at Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre last Thursday.

In the inaugural game at Victoria's new arena, the Thunder found themselves fighting trips to the penalty box, surrendering three power play goals in nine chances to the Salmon Kings, one of the league's hottest power play units at a 23.4% clip entering the game (fifth in the ECHL).

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Joel Irwin christened the new building with a power-play goal 5:53 into the first period for Stockton, giving the Thunder a 1-0 lead when his 10-foot wrister from the left circle beat Victoria goalie Rob Muntain blocker side. The Salmon Kings then began their streak, capped by Galbraith's two goals. The Thunder finally stopped the bleeding when Mike Lalonde scored on a tap-in at the right side of the crease, closing the game to a 5-2 mark at 7:07 of the third period.

Friday, November 11

STOCKTON 2 vs. VICTORIA 1 (OT)

VICTORIA, British Columbia - Maris Ziedins' one-timed power-play goal from the right circle at 1:05 of overtime boosted the Stockton Thunder to a 2-1 overtime victory over the Victoria Salmon Kings, before a crowd of 4,780 at Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre last Friday.

Adam Taylor put Victoria out front 1-0 early in the second period, answered late in the third period by Nathan Martz's power play marker to knot the game at 1-1 with 12 minutes gone, when he took a Steve Slonina pass in the slot and wristed a 20-foot shot past Victoria goalie Rob Muntain's low glove side.

Stockton and Victoria took a late third period Salmon Kings penalty into overtime, and the Thunder capitalized. With the Thunder pressing Victoria's penalty killing unit, Joel Irwin found an open passing seam across the slot to a wide open Ziedins at the right circle. Ziedins promptly rocketed a one-timer underneath the crossbar for the win.

Saturday, November 12

STOCKTON 6 vs. VICTORIA 4

VICTORIA, British Columbia - Steve Lingren's game-winning power play goal late in the third period dropped the Stockton Thunder to a 6-4 loss to the Victoria Salmon Kings in the final game of a three-game, three-night series, before a crowd of 4,770 at Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre last Saturday.

Maris Ziedins' power play goal 13:56 into the first stanza put Stockton in front 1-0, rapping in a rebound at the right side of the crease.

The second period's pace contained the elements of a horserace, with Victoria roaring back with two quick goals separated by a minute and 14 second span. Steve Lingren knotted the game at 1-1 with a power play goal at the 6:50 mark, zipping a slapshot under the crossbar from the top of the right circle.

Adam Taylor then capitalized off a turnover in the slot and slipped a 10-foot wrist shot past Thunder goalie Jeff Weber for a 2-1 Victoria edge with 8:04 gone. Stockton came back shortly later to tie the game at 2-2, when Likit Andersson scored his first goal in a Thunder uniform via a 30-foot snapshot in the slot at the 11:05 mark.

A minute and 49 seconds later, Victoria regained the lead at 3-2 when Lanny Gare finished off a three-on-two break at the base of the right circle. K.C. Timmons then popped in a long rebound at the 13:56 mark to put the Salmon Kings up 4-2.

The Thunder fought back 14 seconds later to silence the crowd, when Nathan Martz converted a rebound on the left side of the crease to draw Stockton to a 4-3 score.

Lingren then began the third period's fight to the finish by giving Victoria a 5-3 cushion at the 16:30 mark with a power play goal. Stockton shot right back to make it 5-4 with 18:08 elapsed on Likit Andersson's second goal of the night, when Andersson drove the left wing and roofed a 10-foot wrister past Victoria goalie Rob Muntain.

The Thunder yanked goalie Jeff Weber for the extra attacker with under a minute left, yet were foiled with Seth Leonard's empty-net goal for Victoria with 12 seconds left, to finish the scoring.

WELCOME TO STOCKTON

STOCKTON, Calif. - The Stockton Thunder signed defenseman Likit Andersson, Thunder head coach Chris Cichocki announced last Monday. Per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

"Likit is an offensive-minded defenseman who will be a welcomed addition to our blueline," said Cichocki. "His arrival awards us with more depth."

Andersson, 32, joined the Thunder after spending his first four games of the 2005-06 season with the Trenton Titans (ECHL), recording one assist.

A native of Gothenburg, Sweden, Andersson is competing in his sixth ECHL season, where he had compiled 238 games in his ECHL career prior to his arrival, totaling 104 points (25g-79a). He tallied a career-high 44 points (8g-36a) in 2000-01 with the Augusta Lynx (ECHL) in 71 games, totaling 65 PIM's. He spent a part of the 2004-05 ECHL season with the Bakersfield Condors, totaling six points (3g-3a) in nine games.

NHL CONNECTION

STOCKTON, Calif. - The Stockton Thunder activated right wing Dominic Soucy off the seven-day injured reserve list, and acquired the rights to defenseman Aaron MacInnis in exchange for future considerations from the Victoria Salmon Kings, Thunder Head Coach Chris Cichocki announced last Thursday.

"Like his uncle, he has a big shot from the point," said Cichocki of MacInnis. "He plays a steady two-way game, and I know what to expect from him because I coached him in Cincinnati."

MacInnis, a nephew of former St. Louis Blues and Calgary Flames (NHL) defenseman Al MacInnis, has appeared in six games with the Salmon Kings (ECHL) in 2005-06, scoring three points (1g-2a) with four PIM's. He spent the previous two seasons with the Texas Wildcatters (ECHL), and also played for Cichocki with the Cincinnati Cyclones (ECHL) in 2003-04, racking up three points (1g-2a) in 22 games with the Cyclones.

WEEK IN REVIEW NOTES:

- Stockton has scored a combined ten goals in the third period and overtime, half of the team's total goal output for 2005-06

- Mike Lalonde, Joel Irwin, and Nathan Martz have combined for 22 points (10g-12a), 41.5% of the Thunder's total scoring

- Both Thunder victories this season have come in overtime, on power play goals

- Stockton has scored 11 power play goals for a 21.6 % clip, ranked 6th in the ECHL



ECHL Stories from November 14, 2005


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