Cavalry Arrives in Final Family Day of the Season

Published on April 2, 2014 under ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


The Thunder were returned some familiar faces along with a couple new ones just in time for the team to host the Ontario Reign tonight at 7:00 p.m. for the final Family Day of the season

The Stockton Thunder (29-30-0-6) look to start April off on the right foot when they host the Ontario Reign (42-17-3-4) tonight at 7:00 p.m. for the final Family Day of the 2013-14 season.

Today is the final day that fans can purchase their Family Day packs at the box office or online for $38. Each pack includes four Upper End Zone tickets, four hot dogs, and four sodas but if you purchase online now, you'll receive a free Stockton Thunder hat for FREE!

The first 5,000 fans through the doors will receive a special edition "Uncle Garet" card featuring the Thunder captain in an "Uncle Sam" costume. Stockton Arena doors open at 6:00 p.m.

The Thunder look to bounce back after a March that saw them go 3-9-0-1 and end the regular season on a high note, and they'll be doing so with some major roster changes.

One of the biggest is the return of Andrew Clark from his stint in the AHL with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. At the time of his call-up, Clark was the top rookie point scorer in the league with 26 points in 24 games played, and at the time of his release from the Sound Tigers, Clark was the active team leader in points with 19 points in 35 games in the AHL.

Clark last played for the Thunder on December 15 against Bakersfield where Clark put up 5 points on 2 goals and 3 assists. This performance a day after scoring 2 goals and adding an assist against the San Francisco Bulls gave Clark the CCM ECHL Player of the Week Award for his 4 goals and 4 assists in 2 games.

In addition to Clark, the Sound Tigers also reassigned Riley Wetmore and newcomer Jeremy Langlois to the Thunder while the team's NHL affiliate, the New York Islanders, reassigned Matt Mangene from Bridgeport to Stockton.

Wetmore has suited up in 9 games with the Thunder this season before returning back to Bridgeport, showcasing his strong two way game and why he was a captain at UMass-Lowell. The center scored a shorthanded goal and added 2 assists before being recalled to the AHL.

While Langlois (Lang-loyz) is a newcomer to the Thunder, he is not a newcomer to the ECHL as he forward played 49 games with the Evansville Icemen and has proved to be one of the best rookies in the league.

Despite playing at least eight contests fewer than the three players above him, Langlois is tied for fourth in rookie scoring with 16 goals, 36 assists, and a total of 52 points, just one point behind Ontario's Matt White and Alaska's Brett Findlay and 5 points behind Idaho's William Rapuzzi.

The Bridgeport Sound Tigers acquired the Tempe, Arizona native from the Springfield Falcons in an AHL deal that sent then Bridgeport defenseman Dallas Jackson to the Falcons in exchange for Langlois. With the AHL season nearing an end, Langlois was sent back to the ECHL where he can experience his first professional playoff series.

Last but certainly not least is Mangene who started the season with the Adirondack Phantoms of the AHL but was acquired by the New York Islanders in a trade that sent defenseman Andrew MacDonald from the Isles to the Philadelphia Flyers.

Mangene has spent most of his pro career in the AHL playing 101 games with the Sound Tigers and Phantoms but has played 14 games with the Trenton Titans of the ECHL last season. Most notably Mangene is the third University of Maine player on the Thunder roster as he joins two former Black Bear captains in forward Joey Diamond and defenseman Brice O'Connor .

The Sound Tigers did recall Mathieu Gagnon from the Thunder while the Islanders reassigned Alan Quine from the Thunder to the Sound Tigers. Gagnon has provided a ton of toughness and also flexibility for Head Coach Rich Kromm as the Montreal, Quebec native has played both forward and defense in the ECHL this season.

Quine heads back the AHL after seven productive contests in the ECHL where the former 6th round draft pick of the Islanders in last year's NHL Entry Draft scored 2 goals and 6 assists.

Of course despite the changes, the Thunder need results if they hope to inch out of the 7th spot they currently reside in the Western Conference standings. As it sits right now, the Thunder would play the second placed Ontario Reign who are in a battle with the Alaska Aces for the top spot in the conference and the league.

The Thunder did just play Ontario last week sandwiched around a couple contests against Idaho where the Thunder outplayed the Reign but goaltender J.P. Anderson was on his game and turned away all but one of the Thunder's 39 shots.

The Thunder were on top of their defensive game in that meeting as they limited one of the top teams to just 18 shots on goal and only one shot in the first period. However, the Reign made the most of their chances as Rocco Carzo and Kyle Bigos gave Ontario the lead in the third with Carzo adding an empty netter to seal the win for the Reign.

While the Thunder started there now 16 matchups against the Reign off on the wrong foot going 1-4-0-2 against the Reign in 2013, the team has really turned it around and went 4-2-0-0 against the Reign in 2014.

One big factor of the success has been the fact that Michael Hutchinson hasn't been in the cage. The goaltender who went 5-1-0-0 against the Thunder this season is now in the AHL playing for the Winnipeg Jets AHL affiliate, the St. Johns Ice Caps.

It has been mostly Jussi Olkinuora between the pipes for the Reign as the Finnish goalie has gone 1-3-0-0 in 5 games against the Thunder posting a 3.32 goals-against-average and a .877 save percentage. Right behind him is the other man currently on the active roster in Mathias Niederberger who is 1-1-0-0 in just 2 games against the Thunder.

The Thunder have their work cut out for them after March but the team shakes off the poor month and begins to focus on the month of April that sees the Thunder at home three times this week, then hitting the road for a three-game road trip, and back home to conclude the regular season on April 12.

You've seen "Uncle Garet" and you've seen his message! We want you to support Military Appreciation Weekend this Friday and Saturday at Stockton Arena with both games starting at 7:30 p.m. Active duty, reserve, and veterans will be honored throughout the game with the team wearing special camo jerseys that will be auctioned off via silent, live, and online auctions.

Operation: Troop Outreach will be collecting sample or travel sized items at the Arena during both games. Fans can donate hygiene products, food/drink items, and miscellaneous items. For a complete list, or to find out how you can help in other ways, visit OperationTroopOutreach.com .

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ECHL Stories from April 2, 2014


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