Final Thunder Home Game at Stockton Arena at 7:30 p.m.
April 11, 2015 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release
With the AHL coming to Stockton Arena in the Fall, the Stockton Thunder will take to home ice one final time as they host the Bakersfield Condors to end 10 Years of FANtastic Fun with the ECHL
Arena: Stockton Arena
Date : Saturday, April 11
Time : 7:30 p.m. - Doors at 6:30 p.m. (May want to be in your seats early as there is a special pregame presentation)
Giveaway : Calgary Affiliation Poster to the first 500 fans
Broadcast : ECHL.TV and Spreaker beginning at 7:15 p.m. PST
This Year's Record : Stockton is 8-6-0-0 vs. Bakersfield
Follow the Thunder Facebook Page for occasional updates or follow @StocktonThunder on Twitter for the play-by-play tweeting!
Fantasy Team and Golden Goalie Jerseys up for Bid
Visit MeiGray.com to bid on the one of a kind Fantasy Team and Golden Goalie Jerseys worn by Garet Hunt and Cody Reichard during Saturday, March 14th's win over the Idaho Steelheads. The auction is now going on and will run through April 16 so cast your bids now!
Heat Rises in Fall 2015
The table has now been set for the first ever Pacific Division in the American Hockey League, the premier Triple-A hockey league in the world! The Stockton Heat are one of five teams to form the Pacific as they will join the Bakersfield Condors, Ontario Reign, San Jose Barracuda and San Diego Gulls for the first AHL season to be played in California kicking off this fall.
Season tickets are on sale now for the first year of Heat hockey! For just $50 per seat, you can reserve your spot as the new team kicks off play for the 2015-16 AHL season. Call 209-373-1500 or visit StocktonThunder.com/ahl !
Tonight
The Thunder return to the friendly confines of Stockton Arena as they end a decade of Stockton Thunder hockey, fittingly against their biggest rival the Bakersfield Condors.
It will be an emotional night for players and fans alike as the Thunder drop the curtain on their final season in Stockton before the AHL moves into town. The Thunder will have to feed off those emotions and bounce back from a tough loss Friday night.
Last Time vs. Bakersfield
The Thunder defensemen led the way offensively as Mario Larocque and Austin Levi scored a goal each Friday night in Bakersfield, but the Condors ultimately skated away with the victory as they defeated the Thunder 6-2 in the final meeting between the two teams in Bakersfield this season.
Larocque's goal was his 4th on the season, with all 4 goals coming against the Condors, while Levi's was his first tally since returning from his latest stint in the AHL with the Charlotte Checkers
Who to Watch
Being that tonight is the final Stockton Thunder game ever, the player to watch tonight has to be Garet Hunt.
If any player embodies Stockton Thunder hockey, it's #24. He is the first name anyone thinks of when they think of the Thunder and he'll be the main attraction tonight as fans in Stockton get their final chance to cheer him on in the Thunder black and yellow.
The captain holds Thunder all-time records in games played (440), points (158) and penalty minutes (1,655). He has also won the Thunder Fan Favorite Award six times and the Thunder Unsung Hero Award two times.
This season against Bakersfield, Hunt has racked up 44 PIMs, the most he has had in a single season against Bakersfield since he joined the Thunder in 2008-09.
He certainly knows better than anyone what the rivalry with the Condors means and will be looking to make a final statement tonight with a victory.
Shattock is on Fire
Tyler Shattock has been one of the best players in the ECHL over the last two months.
Shattock has scored 14 goals and added 20 assists in 27 games thus far since February began. Of the 27 games, Shattock has points in 22 of them, missing out on just 5 games.
His 63 points this season has obliterated his previous pro high of 20 points that he picked up while playing for the Chicago Wolves of the AHL last season. After his five-game point streak ended on Wednesday, March 25, Shattock has picked up right where he left off and finds himself on a season long, six-game point streak (3-7-10), passing the five games he's hit three times this season..
Finally...Larocque HAS COME BACK to Stockton
Mario Larocque has found some great success against Bakersfield this season, as all four of his goals this season have come against the Condors.
The veteran defenseman will enter tonight's game riding a two-game goal streak and will look to extend that streak to three games to end the season on a high note.
While last night Larocque said that it doesn't matter who the opponent is, it certainly seems that the 36-year-old has found something that works against Bakersfield.
Look for Larocque to take advantage of some chances from the blueline and join the rush on occasion tonight as he looks to continue his success against the Condors.
I am Iron Man
If James Henry plays in the final game tonight (which there is no reason to believe he shouldn't suit up), he will join Tim O'Connell (06/07), Brandon Schwartz (07/08) and Brian Lee (07/08) as the only Thunder players to suit up in all 72 games in a single season!
Not only does this show Henry's ability to play through bumps and bruises, but also goes to show just how valuable he's been to the team. His 138 games played for Stockton will see him finish 9th on the Thunder's all-time games played list after playing 66 games in his rookie season last year.
Apart from his "Iron Man" season, Henry also ranks as one of the most prolific scoring threats for the Thunder as he sits 7th on the Thunder's all-time scoring list with 79 points, passing Mike Little back on March 25th.
All-Time Greatest
Garet Hunt has done it, the longtime Thunder forward playing in his seventh season became the team's all-time leading scorer after a goal against Troy Redmann on March 28.
With the goal Garet breaks a two-way tie at the top with former Thunder forward Mike Lalonde and sets a new team record of 157 points. Hunt added to his record as he scored his 158th point, an assist, last night.
Garet does have one more record to try and chase down as Lalonde still holds the all-time Thunder goals record of 72. Hunt's season goal total is now up to 12 meaning he is just 9 goals away from tying Lalonde's mark.
Hunt is now the franchise leader in games played (438), points (157), penalty minutes (1638) and ranks third all-time in assists (95) behind Ryan Constant (110) and Nathan Martz (97).
Interesting Fact
Garet Hunt's minor penalty for roughing last night propelled him to the 9th spot on the ECHL's All-Time penalty minute list, passing 10 year veteran Kam White (1,654). Garet, who began this year in 17th on that list, now has 1,655 minutes spent in the sin bin, nearly 28 hours spent in the box.
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ECHL Stories from April 11, 2015
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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
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