Game Preview (Game 5): Stockton Thunder Vs. Bakersfield Condors

Published on April 24, 2010 under ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


TONIGHT'S MATCHUP

The sixth-seeded Thunder, with a 3-1 series lead, continues the National Conference Semifinals tonight against the second-seeded Bakersfield Condors (first time facing the Condors in the playoffs) at Stockton Arena, a best-of-seven series that follows a "2-3-2" format. The series features four players with NHL playing experience (Colin Hemingway, St. Louis Blues, Bryan Young, Edmonton Oilers, Kyle Calder, Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Detroit and Anaheim and MacGregor Sharp, Anaheim). It marks the Thunder's fourth straight playoff appearance and four in five seasons since joining the ECHL. The Condors are in their seventh straight playoff appearance and return to the second round for the first time since 2007. The Thunder defeated Bakersfield, 6-2 last night in Game 4 at Stockton Arena and is looking to advance to the National Conference Finals for the first time in club history.

SERIES RECAP

GAME 4: STK 6 - BAK 2 (4/23/10): Matt Robinson scored playoff career-high three points (1g-2a), helping the Thunder turn in a wire-to-wire lead and sink the Bakersfield Condors in a 6-2 victory in Game 4 of the National Conference Semifinals of the 2010 Kelly Cup Playoffs, before 4,932 fans at Stockton Arena on Friday. Stockton took a 3-1 lead in the series, and Robinson, who turned in his postseason best just one game after sitting out as a healthy scratch, helped the Thunder spur a four-goal rally in the second period. Oren Eizenman, Bryan Young, Chris D'Alvise, Jason Pitton and Matt Marquardt chipped in with a goal and Andrew Perugini posted a 27 save-effort to improve to 6-2 in the playoffs.

GAME 3: BAK 3 - STK 0 (4/21/10): -Philippe Levasseur stopped all 35 shots he saw for the first postseason shutout of his career, helping the Bakersfield Condors send the Thunder to a 3-0 defeat at Stockton Arena on Friday in Game 3 of the National Conference Semfinals of the 2010 Kelly Cup Playoffs. The Thunder, whose five-game winning streak in the playoffs was snapped but still holds a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series, were backstopped by Andrew Perugini's 29 saves in spite of taking the loss. Stockton was shutout on home ice for their first time in postseason history, marking the first shutout loss in the playoffs since Apr. 11, 2007 against Idaho.

GAME 2: STK 4 - BAK 3 (OT) (4/17/10): Oren Eizenman scored a pair of goals, including the game-winner with 10:59 left in sudden death overtime, to lead the Thunder to their second straight comeback victory in overtime in a 4-3 win over the Bakersfield Condors in Game 2 of the National Conference Semifinals of the 2010 Kelly Cup Playoffs, before 4,827 at Rabobank Arena on Saturday night. The Thunder, who took a 2-0 series lead in the best-of-seven series over the second-seeded Condors with the series moving to Stockton for Game 3 next Wednesday, were aided by Andrew Perugini's 41 stops while Ryan Constant and J.F. Caudron added a goal each, helping Stockton come back in three separate one-goal deficits.

GAME 1: STK 3 - BAK 2 (OT) (4/16/10): J.F. Caudron scored a game-winning goal with 9:42 left in sudden death overtime to lift the Thunder to a come-from-behind 3-2 overtime victory over the Bakersfield Condors in Game 1 of the National Conference Semifinal round of the 2010 Kelly Cup Playoffs, before 5,208 fans at Rabobank Arena on Friday. The Thunder, who seized home-ice advantage in the series with a 1-0 series lead and battled back from a 2-1 deficit with less than three minutes left in regulation, tied the game on a clutch power-play goal from Kelly Czuy and also received a second period goal from Jason Pitton. In net, Andrew Perugini improved to 4-1 in the postseason with 43 saves.

GOING FOR THE GOLD

The Stockton Thunder are asking all fans in attendance for Thunder home Kelly Cup Playoff games at Stockton Arena to "go gold" and wear gold clothing similar to the color in the Thunder uniform scheme. The first 1,000 fans in attendance tonight will receive a free Thunder playoff rally towel to wave proudly during the playoff run. The Thunder, who ranked third in ECHL attendance this season and drew over 6,000 fans per game for the fifth consecutive season, will roll out exclusive playoff merchandise including playoff rally towels, collectible playoff pucks and gold bandanas. Special gold playoff t-shirts with the second round theme are scheduled to be released at this Saturday's Kelly Cup Playoff Watch Party and will be on sale afterwards at all home games in the Stockton Arena "Fan Attic" and all in-arena merchandise locations.

STOCKTON, BAKERSFIELD CITY MAYORS WAGE BET OVER SERIES

Adding to the stakes of the second round series, city mayors from the cities of Stockton and Bakersfield are now involved. On the eve of the best-of-seven series, Stockton mayor Ann Johnston and Bakersfield Mayor Harvey Hall announced a friendly wager: a case of asparagus from Stockton versus a case of Dewar's candies from Bakersfield. The winner not only will see their city's team advance to the Conference Finals for the first time in their club's history, but also enjoying a taste of the local food delicacy from the losing club.

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).

SEASON SERIES: STOCKTON VS. BAKERSFIELD

The Thunder was 6-4-2 this season against Bakersfield, going 3-2-1 this season at Rabobank Arena and Stockton Arena ... the Thunder finished just five points behind the Condors for first place in the Pacific Division ... after Bakersfield won, 3-2 on Nov. 10 at Rabobank Arena, the Thunder won two straight overtime games at home, 6-5 and 3-2 on Dec. 4-5 - J.F. Caudron scored both goals in OT ... Stockton finished a stretch of four straight wins over Bakersfield with a 3-1 win at Rabobank Arena on Dec. 26 (Bryan Pitton made a career-high 41 saves) and a 5-1 triumph at Stockton Arena on Dec. 29 (Pitton made 24 saves and Oren Eizenman and Igor Gongalsky had a pair of assists, each) ... a Mathieu Aubin overtime goal gave Bakersfield a 5-4 OT win over Stockton on Jan. 10, following a 6-4 win two days earlier at Rabobank Arena ... the Thunder dropped a 5-2 defeat in Stockton on Jan. 24 and responded with a 2-1-1 stretch in the last four games of the series, including a 2-0 win at Bakersfield on Feb. 20 (Andrew Perugini career-high 45 save shutout) and a 6-4 victory at Rabobank Arena on Mar. 30, gaining a tie for first place in the Pacific Division.

FIRST ROUND RECAP: THUNDER FLUSHES ACES

The Thunder advanced to the second round for the second straight season, defeating the Alaska Aces, 3-1 in the best-of-five series in the National Conference Quarterfinals ... the Thunder became the first team in ECHL history to eliminate Alaska in the first round of the Kelly Cup Playoffs ... Kelly Czuy had three straight multi-point games and Oren Eizenman led the Thunder series scoring with nine assists ... Defenseman B.J. Crum scored back-to-back goals, including the game-winner with 2:51 left in regulation to snap a 3-3 tie and help the Aces rally in a third period comeback, defeating the Thunder, 4-3 in Game 1 at Wasilla, Alaska ... a four goal effort in the third period, stamping a string of three unanswered goals, helped the Stockton Thunder sink the host the Alaska Aces in a 5-2 victory in Game 2 - J.F. Caudron had the game-winning goal ... All-star center Chris D'Alvise scored two goals and added an assist, Andrew Perugini made 39 saves and the Stockton Thunder scored a playoff club record five goals in the third period, en route to a thrilling 7-4 victory over the Alaska Aces in Game 3 at Stockton Arena ... the Thunder, who took a 2-1 series lead, scored five times in a span of 6:42 in the third period ... the Thunder erased two separate two-goal deficits in the first period and scored six unanswered goals, led by James Bates' four points (1g-3a) and a pair of goals by Matt Robinson, eliminating Alaska in a 8-5 victory in Game 4 at Stockton Arena ... ten different Thunder players hit the scoresheet and Andrew Perugini made 40 saves in net.

THUNDER PLAYOFF NOTES

It is the first time the Thunder are meeting the Bakersfield Condors in the Kelly Cup Playoffs. The Thunder has advanced to the second round for the second straight season and last year, 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 GAME FIVE

GAME FIVE

DATE ROUND OPP. LOCATION SCORE OT GOALIES (STK/opp) GWG Apr. 16, 2007 NQF Idaho Stockton Arena L, 2-3 (OT) 6:54 Dubnyk/Silverthorn Lance Galbraith

Apr. 20, 2008 NQF Las Vegas Stockton Arena W, 6-3 - Boron/LALANDE-Sims Stephane Goulet

Apr. 19, 2009 PSF Ontario Stockton Arena W, 4-2 - Van Buskirk/Zatkoff Craig Valette

May 4, 2009 PF Las Vegas Orleans Arena L, 2-4 - Van Buskirk/Fisher Dan Spang

All-time game five record: 2-2

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, 22 wins (career-high, two 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 - 51

J.F. CAUDRON - 39

MATT ROBINSON - 30

DARYL MARCOUX - 28

COLIN HEMINGWAY - 25

ALL TIME PLAYOFF SCORING (Thunder active players)

# Player GP G A PTS

12 J.F. Caudron 39 23 19 42

34 Kelly Czuy 51 16 23 39

20 Colin Hemingway 25 9 17 26

28 James Bates 21 7 15 22

9 Oren Eizenman 14 7 11 18

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