Game Preview (Game 1): Stockton Thunder At Alaska Aces

Published on April 5, 2010 under ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


The sixth-seeded Thunder will open the National Conference Quarterfinals against the third-seeded Alaska Aces, a best-of-five series that follows a "2-3" format. The matchup, opening 45 minutes away from Anchorage at the Menard Memorial Sports Center. The matchup features four players with NHL playing experience (Colin Hemingway, St. Louis Blues, Bryan Young, Edmonton Oilers, Eric Boguniecki, St. Louis, Florida, Pittsburgh, NY Islanders and Jason Ryznar, New Jersey Devils). It marks the Thunder's fourth straight playoff appearance and four in five seasons since joining the ECHL. The Aces are making their seventh straight playoff appearance and are the defending National Conference champions. The Thunder finished 5-1-4 against the Aces this season and 3-1-1 in Anchorage this year.

THUNDER PLAYOFF NOTES

It is the first time the Thunder will meet the Alaska Aces in the Kelly Cup Playoffs. Last season, the Thunder played hockey into the month of May for the first time in team history, losing in seven games to the Las Vegas Wranglers, in the Pacific Division Final (second round). The Thunder achieved its first playoff series win in club history by defeating the Ontario Reign, 4-3, which included five one-goal games. In 2007-08, the Thunder was defeated by Las Vegas, 4-2 in six games of the National Conference Quarterfinal and was defeated, 4-2 to the eventual Kelly Cup Champion Idaho Steelheads in the quarterfinal round in 2006-07. Six players remain from last year's Thunder playoff team.

BREAKDOWN: THUNDER ALL-TIME RECORD BY GAMES

GAME ONE

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

Apr. 10, 2007 NQF Idaho Qwest Arena W, 4-2 - Dubnyk/Silverthorn Tim Sestito

Apr. 11, 2008 NQF Las Vegas Orleans Arena W, 4-2 - Boron/Lalande Jonas Almtorp

Apr. 10, 2009 PSF Ontario CB Bank Arena L, 3-4 - Perugini-PITTON/Zatkoff Shawn Germain

Apr. 24, 2009 PF Las Vegas Stockton Arena W, 4-3 - Van Buskirk/Fisher-DeCARO Cory Urquhart

All-time game one record: 3-1

SEASON SERIES RECAP

The Thunder was 5-1-4 this season against Alaska, going undefeated in regulation in four of five games at Sullivan Arena. Alaska won the first two games of the series at Stockton Arena in the extra stages, but the Thunder responded by becoming only the second team in ECHL history (joining Las Vegas, 2006-07) to sweep the Aces at Sullivan Arena in a three-game series (Dec. 11-13). Stockton took five of six points in the next three games at home, Jan. 22-23 and Jan. 31, including a Jan. 22 contest that featured the locker room swap of Colin Hemingway to the Thunder and Judd Blackwater to Alaska, both exchanged in a trade one day earlier. Both playoff-bound teams met again at Sullivan Arena on Apr. 2-3, a two-game series swept by Alaska. James Bates led the Thunder with 11 points (2g-9a) in nine games in the series.

SECOND HALF SWING

After beginning the season 5-11-3 and 1-6-3 on their own home ice, the Thunder roared back after the start of December to finish with a swing of 28-19-7 overall and 16-6-4 at Stockton Arena, at one point moving to a tie for first place in the Pacific Division with Bakersfield in the final week of the regular season. A multiple number of milestones were reached or neared in helping the Thunder secure its fourth straight Kelly Cup Playoff berth:

James Bates, 73 points (tied Thunder single-season record - Ryan Huddy, 08-09)Chris D'Alvise, 34 goals (one shy of tying Thunder single-season record)Andrew Perugini, 23 wins (career-high, one win shy of tying single-season record)Wins, 33 (second highest in Thunder history)Wins - road, 16 (one shy of tying Thunder single-season record)

ARE YOU EXPERIENCED?

The Thunder has one player (captain J.F. Caudron) and head coach Matt Thomas with pro championship experience - Caudron helped guide the Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies to a Kelly Cup championship title in 2003, the same team that had Thomas as assistant coach. Additionally, veteran right wing Colin Hemingway (Alaska, 2008-09), right wing Brett Hemingway (Alaska, 2008-09) and right wing Kelly Czuy (Las Vegas, 2007-08) have helped guide their former respective teams to appearances in the Kelly Cup Finals.

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

PLAYER - GAMES

KELLY CZUY - 44

J.F. CAUDRON - 31

COLIN HEMINGWAY - 23

MATT ROBINSON - 23DARYL MARCOUX - 20

ALL TIME PLAYOFF SCORING (Thunder active players)

# Player GP G A PTS

12 J.F. Caudron 31 18 16 34

34 Kelly Czuy 44 12 18 30

20 Colin Hemingway 23 9 16 25

28 James Bates 14 6 7 13

11 Igor Gongalsky 11 1 7 8

THUNDER CROWDS ROLL IN

The Thunder completed the regular season third in the ECHL in attendance with an average of 6,031 fans per game, marking the fifth straight season that an average of 6,000 fans have crossed the Stockton Arena turnstiles. On Jan. 30, the Thunder drew 9,158 fans to Stockton Arena against Victoria, the second largest home crowd this year. The Thunder led the ECHL in attendance last year with an average of 6,218 fans through 36 home games. Stockton has 14 sellouts in the team's franchise history and drew a standing room only crowd of 9,392 on Nov. 8 vs. Alaska. Last year, 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).

20 AND OVER ADMITTED

A new franchise high, five different players with 20 goals in one season adorn the roster, surpassing a club record when four separate 20-goal scorers dotted the roster in 2005-06 (Joel Irwin, Mike Lalonde, Ned Havern and Aaron Foster). Chris D'Alvise led the Thunder with 34 goals (2nd, ECHL rookies), Colin Hemingway had 24 goals (one off his career-high) to rank fourth and Matt Robinson had 31 goals (new career-high) to rank second. James Bates' 27 goals are also a career-high. D'Alvise and Robinson are the first pair of 30-goal scorers in Thunder history.

THUNDER 20 GOAL CLUB

YR PLAYERS GOALS

05-06 4. Mike Lalonde 29

Joel Irwin 25

Ned Havern 23

Aaron Foster 20

06-07 2. Mike Lalonde 23

Troy Bodie 21

07-08 2. Lance Monych 32

Ryan MacMurchy 23

08-09 2. Ryan Huddy 35*

Cory Urquhart 28

09-10 5. Chris D'Alvise 34 Matt Robinson 31

James Bates 27

Colin Hemingway 24

Oren Eizenman 21

* Denotes Thunder record

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