Former Aces Hemingway, Robinson combine for 5 points to lead Thunder

Published on December 12, 2009 under ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Former Alaska Aces forwards Brett Hemingway and Matt Robinson combined for five points (3g-2a) in their first return to Anchorage as opposing players to help lift the Stockton Thunder (8-11-3, 19 points) to their third straight win in a 6-4 victory over Alaska before 5,780 at Sullivan Arena on Friday.

Hemingway, who was released by the Aces in November, led the Thunder offense with a goal and two assists and buried a go-ahead goal in the third period. Robinson, who returned to Anchorage for the first time since being acquired by Johnstown in a trade for Alexandre Imbeault before the 2008-09 season, scored two goals in the first period.

Kelly Czuy scored the game-winning goal at 6:36 of the third period, while rookie defenseman Justin Dacosta scored his first ECHL goal. The Thunder tied Las Vegas for third place in the Pacific Division with the victory.

Alaska's B.J. Crum drew first blood just 2:27 into the game on a seeing-eye wrist shot from the left point that beat Bryan Pitton through traffic for the defenseman's first goal of the season.

Robinson then scored his first of the game and sixth of the year just 1:42 later when he took Anthony Aiello's centering pass from between the hash marks and beat Sebastien Dahm through the five-hole, tying the game at 1-1.

Robinson came back in rapid-fire fashion for his second of the game at 5:48 of the first period for a power-play goal, lifting the Thunder to a 2-1 lead when he took Judd Blackwater's post-to-post feed and stuffed a one-timer into a wide open net past Dahm's glove.

Nick Mazzolini and Nick Tuzzolino combined for two goals in a span of 3:33 to put the Aces ahead, 3-2 after a Mazzolini rebound from the deep slot just 33 seconds into the second period and Tuzzolino's snap shot from between the circles for an Aces power-play marker.

The Thunder leveled the score at 3-3 on Dacosta's first tally in a Thunder uniform at 5:14 of the period, taking Oren Eizenman's feed in the slot, slipping behind the Aces defense and beating Dahm on a forehanded deke.

Hemingway buried the go-ahead goal in the third period with 2:55 gone, taking a feed from Caudron and leveling a backhander from the slot over the blocker of Dahm.

Czuy's eventual game-winner came at the 6:36 mark of the third period when he set a screen in front of the net, caught a piece of a shot from the point and re-directed it past Dahm for his first goal of the season.

Alaska got back in the game on Matt Stefanishion's ninth goal of the year with 10:19 left in regulation, burying a long wrist shot from the right wing.

The Aces pressed but a post-whistle scrum claimed top scorers Eric Boguniecki and Nick Mazzolini with 1:20 left in the game. The Thunder knocked a loose puck out of their own zone and Hemingway sprung Caudron at center ice, who buried the empty net goal from the red line with 51.6 seconds left in the game for his fourth marker of the year.

Pitton won his third game in a row in net with 30 saves.

NOTES: The Thunder scratched Matt O'Dette (injured reserve), Garet Hunt (injured reserve) Riley Emmerson (injured reserve), Chris D'Alvise (healthy scratch) and Bobby Davey (healthy)... after going winless in their first six lifetime games at Sullivan Arena, the Thunder improved to 6-2-1 in the last 9 games in Anchorage... Alaska outshot the Thunder, 34-29... Jordan Bendfeld dropped the gloves with Alaska counterpart Lance Galbraith at 8:57 of the first period and both players traded healthy jabs in the bout.

The Thunder returns to play tomorrow in the rematch against the Alaska Aces at Sullivan Arena, beginning at 8:15 p.m. to continue a seven-game road trip. The game can be heard on radio at 1420 KSTN and viewed online at www.stocktonthunder.com, courtesy of B2 Networks (audio is free of charge).

The Thunder was voted "Best Local Sports Team" by readers of the San Joaquin Magazine, has led the ECHL in attendance for four consecutive seasons and drew 223,854 fans to Stockton Arena in 2008-09. Season Tickets for 2009-10 are on sale now. For more information about tickets, merchandise, or other inquiries contact the Stockton Thunder offices at (209) 373-1500 or visit http://www.stocktonthunder.com/.

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