Game 2 Preview: Stockton Thunder at Utah Grizzlies

April 6, 2011 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


The third-seeded Thunder continues the Western Conference Quarterfinals against the sixth-seeded Utah Grizzlies, a best-of-five series that follows a ‚¬Å“2-3 ‚¬Â format. Utah leads the series, 1-0 and defeated the Thunder, 5-2 at Maverik Center in Game 1 last night. The matchup, is the first time the Thunder and Grizzlies will meet in the playoffs. Last season, the Thunder advanced to the Conference Final and Utah advanced to the second round. It marks the Thunder ‚¬â„¢s fifth straight playoff appearance and five in six seasons since joining the ECHL. The Grizzlies are making their fourth straight playoff appearance. The Thunder finished 7-3-1 against the Grizzlies this season and 5-1-1 at Maverik Center. The Thunder have eight players returning from last year ‚¬â„¢s playoff roster.

SERIES RECAP

(GAME 1): STK 2 at UTA5 (4-5-11): Simon Ferguson bagged a pair of goals, added two assists and rookie Matt Reber had a goal and assist in his playoff debut to help the Utah Grizzlies send the Stockton Thunder to a 5-2 defeat in Game 1 of the Western Conference Quarterfinal of the 2011 Kelly Cup Playoffs, before 2,167 fans at Maverik Center on Tuesday. Utah took a 1-0 series lead, hosting their first Game 1 since 2000 as a member of the International Hockey League. The Thunder fell to 4-4 lifetime in Game 1 scenarios and received goals from Kelly Czuy and Jody Pederson.

THUNDER PLAYOFF NOTES

It is the first time the Thunder will meet the Utah Grizzlies in the Kelly Cup Playoffs. Last season, the Thunder advanced to the Conference Final for the first time in team history, losing in a best-of-seven series, 4-2 to the Idaho Steelheads. The Thunder took that path by defeating the defending Conference champion (Alaska Aces), 3-1 in the first round and the Pacific Division champion (Bakersfield Condors), 4-1 in the second round.

BREAKDOWN: THUNDER ALL-TIME RECORD BY GAME TWO

DATE ROUND OPP LOCATION SCORE OT GOALIES (STK/opp) GWG

Apr. 11, 2007 NQF Idaho Qwest Arena L, 0-3 - Dubnyk/Silverthorn Derek Nesbitt

Apr. 12, 2008 NQF Las Vegas Orleans Arena L, 4-5 (OT) 0:28 Boron/Lalande Ryan Donally

Apr. 11, 2009 PSF Ontario CB Bank Arena W, 6-5 - Pitton/Zatkoff Craig Valette

Apr. 27, 2009 PF Las Vegas Orleans Arena L, 2-4 - Van Buskirk/Fisher Jason Dest

Apr. 6, 2010 NQF Alaska Menard Center W, 5-2 - Perugini/Sauer J.F. Caudron

Apr 17, 2010 NSF Bakersfield Rabobank Arena W, 4-3 (OT) 9:01 Perugini/Pielmeier Oren Eizenman

May 1, 2010 NCF Idaho Qwest Arena L, 0-4 - Perugini/Bachman Brandan Kushniruk

All-time game two record: 3-4

NEARLY A BANNER YEAR

The Thunder consistently played to the top of the standings and finished in a first place tie with Bakersfield in the Pacific Division, edged by a tie-breaker on the final day of the regular season. The Thunder went 7-1-3 in the final 11 games, tied a season record for most points (86) and broke another for most road wins (19). Among the milestones achieved in the season were:

Wins, 35 (second highest in Thunder history)

Points, 86 (tied Thunder single-season record)

Road wins, 19 (broke Thunder single-season record)

13 separate double-digit goal-scorers

Ryan Constant, 11 goals and 34 points (T-8, ECHL and career-high)

SEASON SERIES (Thunder went 7-3-1)

Fri. Nov. 26 Utah 3 at Stockton 2

Sat. Dec. 11 Utah 2 at Stockton 3

Fri. Jan. 14 Stockton 4 at Utah 2

Sat. Jan. 15 Stockton 4 at Utah 1

Mon. Jan. 17 Stockton 6 at Utah 3

Fri. Feb. 4 Utah 2 at Stockton 1

Sat. Feb. 5 Utah 2 at Stockton 3

Wed. Mar. 9 Stockton 5 at Utah 1

Fri. Mar. 11 Stockton 2 at Utah 4

Sat. Mar. 12 Stockton 6 at Utah 1

Sun. Mar. 13 Stockton 2 at Utah 3 (OT)

SEASON SERIES RECAP

The Thunder finished 7-3-1 this season against Utah, going unbeaten in five of the seven games at Maverik Center, including a three-game sweep from Jan. 14-17 where the Thunder combined to score 14 goals. Before that series, both teams split two games at Stockton Arena in November and December. Both teams split a two-game series in Stockton Feb. 4-5. The Thunder then went 2-1-1 in a four-game series, spread through five days at Maverik Center from Mar. 9-13. In Stockton ‚¬â„¢s two wins in the series, they combined to score 11 goals. Fraser Clair led the Thunder with 13 points (5g-8a) in 11 games in the series.

ARE YOU EXPERIENCED'

Thunder head coach Matt Thomas leads the playoff experience resume with a pro championship under his belt ‚¬" he helped guide the Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies to a Kelly Cup championship title in 2003 as assistant coach. Additionally right wing Kelly Czuy (Las Vegas, 2007-08) helped guide the Las Vegas Wranglers to a berth in the Kelly Cup Finals. Eight other players return from last year ‚¬â„¢s Thunder team that advanced to the Conference Final.

Below is a list of the top-5 Thunder players who have the most pro playoff experience in games:

PLAYER GAMES

1. KELLY CZUY 53

2. RYAN CONSTANT 38

3. GARET HUNT 26

4. FRASER CLAIR 23

5. CRAIG VALETTE 21

ALL TIME PLAYOFF SCORING (Thunder active players)

# Player GP G A PTS

34 Kelly Czuy 53 18 22 40

9 Fraser Clair 23 9 6 15

17 Jason Pitton 16 7 7 14

22 Ryan Constant 38 4 10 14

14 Craig Valette 21 6 7 13

CROWDING OUT THE ECHL

The Thunder ranked second in ECHL in attendance with 6,382 fans per game. A whopping crowd of 9,482 piled into Stockton Arena on Jan. 22 for the ‚¬Å“Teddy Bear Toss ‚¬Â game, the largest crowd at Stockton Arena this season and the fourth crowd over 9,000 in the event ‚¬â„¢s history. Stockton has 16 sellouts in the team's franchise history and in 2008-09, the Thunder became the first team since 2004-05 to lead the ECHL in attendance for four straight seasons (Florida led the ECHL in attendance for five straight seasons - 2000-05). This season, 12 crowds of 7,000 or more at Stockton Arena were present and the Thunder had its highest attendance since 2007-08, a six percent increase from 2009-10.

WE CAN BE HEROES

A look below at the all-time list of Thunder game-winning goals in the Kelly Cup Playoffs:

THUNDER OVERTIME PLAYOFF GAME WINNERS (4)

DATE Series/game # VS. SITE GWG TIME SCORE SERIES WINNER

4/17/09 PSF/4 ONT Stockton Arena James Bates 2:28 5-4 W Stockton, 4-3

4/16/10 NSF/1 BAK Rabobank Arena J.F. Caudron 10:18 3-2 W Stockton, 4-1

4/17/10 NSF/2 BAK Rabobank Arena Oren Eizenman 9:01 4-3 W Stockton, 4-1

5/5/10 NCF/3 IDH Stockton Arena Ryan Constant 40:36 1-0 W Idaho, 4-2



ECHL Stories from April 6, 2011


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