Four Road Games Left, Playoff Plot Thickens

March 31, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


THUNDER OVERALL RECORD: 26-39-3, 55 points LAST WEEK: 1-2-0

THIS WEEK'S OPPONENTS: (all times PT)

at FRESNO FALCONS (Tuesday - 7:00 p.m.) - 1420 KSTN, B2 Networks

The Thunder and local-rival Fresno Falcons meet for the final meeting this season as the Thunder looks to strengthen it's spot in the Kelly Cup Playoff race and improve on its 4-5-0 season record against the Falcons. The Thunder enters Tuesday in a two-way tie for eighth place in the National Conference with Phoenix and is embarking on the final four-game road trip of the regular season. Tuesday's game will mark the final hockey game at Save-Mart Center in Falcons history - the team will re-locate to its former downtown Selland Arena home in 2008-09.

at UTAH GRIZZLIES (Thur., Fri., and Sat. - 6:05 p.m.) - 1420 KSTN**, B2 Networks

The final three regular season games for the Thunder will take place at suburban Salt Lake City's E-Center, facing the Utah Grizzlies. The Thunder is 1-4-1 this season against Utah and the teams last met on Feb. 29 at Stockton, with Utah taking a 3-1 victory. The Kelly Cup Playoffs are still in the balance for the Thunder on the road trip, who are 1-1-1 this season at The E-Center.

** Denotes online broadcast only for Friday and Saturday

1420 KSTN is the Thunder's flagship radio station and all Thunder games can be heard live on the Internet (free-of-charge) and are available for viewing at a $6 "pay-per-view" charge at www.stocktonthunder.com, courtesy of B2 Networks. Radio broadcaster Mike Benton provides play-by-play commentary, with the "Thunder Forecast" pre-game show starting 15 minutes before each broadcast.

In addition, Valley Brew Family Restaurant is in its second season as official host of the Thunder Watch Party (via B2 Networks' "Bar and Pub Network") for all road games, featuring prizes and broadcast-interactive contests for all fans in attendance.

Located at 157 W. Adams Street in Stockton, Valley Brew Family Restaurant is placed in the heart of Stockton's "Miracle Mile" district and features an array of acclaimed burgers, beverages, appetizers, specialties and more, offering customers free wi-fi internet access inside the restaurant.

KELLY CUP PLAYOFF RACE UPDATE

The Thunder (55 points, 26-39-3) enters the week in a two-way tie for eighth place in the National Conference with the Phoenix RoadRunners, two points behind the seventh-place Bakersfield Condors. If the Kelly Cup Playoffs started today, the Thunder would capture the eighth seed in a tie-breaker with Phoenix (most regular season wins). Currently, 62 points guarantees a playoff spot as Phoenix can only amass 61 points this season. The Thunder has four regular season games left, while Phoenix and Bakersfield have three remaining. The Thunder can lock up a Kelly Cup Playoff berth as early as Thursday with two wins, combined with a Phoenix loss in regulation to Las Vegas on Tuesday.

KELLY CUP PLAYOFF TICKET INFORMATION

2008 Kelly Cup Playoff ticket packages are now on sale and individual ticket information for the 2008 Kelly Cup Playoffs will be announced soon. Ticket packages begin at $9 per game and can be purchased by calling the Thunder at 209-373-1500 or by visiting the Thunder's official website at www.stocktonthunder.com.

STOCKTON LEADS ATTENDANCE RACE, SURPASSES 230,000 FANS AGAIN

The Thunder announced that Saturday's game against the Victoria Salmon Kings was officially a sellout, marking the fourth capacity crowd of 9,737 that the Thunder has drawn this year at Stockton Arena. The Thunder leads the ECHL in attendance and it is the second straight year the Thunder has surpassed the mark of 230,000 fans for one season. Saturday's crowd raised the Thunder's yearly attendance total to 239,337, an average of 6,648 fans per game. The Thunder is vying to become the first team since 2004-05 to lead the ECHL in attendance for three straight seasons (Florida led the ECHL in attendance for five straight seasons).

WEEK IN REVIEW

Wednesday, March 26 (Victoria 7 - Stockton 6)

Wes Goldie's goal with 50.9 seconds remaining in regulation snapped a 6-6 tie and helped the Victoria Salmon Kings send the Thunder to a 7-6 defeat before a crowd of 5,836 at Stockton Arena on Wednesday night. The offensively-charged contest had the Thunder and Salmon Kings combining for 13 goals, tying the Thunder record for most goals in a game (combined with both teams), while Victoria all-star Ash Goldie had a career-high five points (3g-2a) and his fourth hat trick of the season, finishing one point shy of his six point effort at the 2008 ECHL All-Star Game at Stockton Arena. Five different Thunder had multi-point games.

Friday, March 28 (Idaho 4 - Stockton 3)

Aaron Gagnon's game-winning goal 5:10 into the third period snapped a 2-2 tie and helped the Idaho Steelheads send the Thunder to a 4-3 loss, its sixth straight setback, before a crowd of 6,889 at Stockton Arena on Friday night. The Thunder was led by a two-goal effort from Ryan MacMurchy and added a second period goal by veteran Tim Verbeek.

Saturday, March 29 (Stockton 3 - Victoria 2) (SO)

Goaltender Tim Boron made 36 saves, including a 5-for-5 effort in a shootout to lift the Thunder to a come-from-behind 3-2 shootout win over the Victoria Salmon Kings before the fifth sellout crowd of the season of 9,737 at Stockton Arena in the home regular season finale on Saturday night. The Thunder maintained its eighth place tie in the National Conference with the Phoenix RoadRunners and reduced its magic number to seven points to clinch a Kelly Cup Playoff berth (outright). Ryan MacMurchy scored the eventual shootout winning goal and Lance Monych and Tom Zanoski added first and third period goals, respectively.

UPCOMING MILESTONES:

o Tim Verbeek is 8 games away from 400 in his professional career

TEAM NOTES:

o Veteran Tim Verbeek has five points (2g-3a) in his last five games

o Rookie goaltender Tim Boron is tied for second in the ECHL with three shutouts

o Center Brandon Schwartz led the Thunder with 10 points (1g-9a) in 12 games for March

o Stockton leads the ECHL in attendance with 239,337 fans (6,648 average)

o Stockton has five wins when trailing after two periods

o Stockton ranks 2nd in the ECHL with 14 shorthanded goals

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING

(courtesy of The Record)

"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

"We were playing hard and hanging around, and this time we were able to make some good things happen," Cichocki said. "We always talk about how if you play good defense and have good goaltending, you have a great chance to win."

- Head Coach Chris Cichocki on a 3-2 shootout win over Victoria, The Record, 3/30/08

"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



ECHL Stories from March 31, 2008


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