Game Preview: Stockton Thunder At Alaska Aces

Published on January 3, 2009 under ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


FACEOFF: 8:15 p.m. PT
SITE: Sullivan Arena
RADIO: 1420 KSTN (joined in progress)
INTERNET: www.stocktonthunder.com (B2 Networks)

2008-09 HEAD TO HEAD SERIES
11/28/08 Alaska 3 at Stockton 4
12/31/08 Stockton 2 at Alaska 3 (OT)
1/2/09 Stockton 4 at Alaska 1
1/3/09 @ Alaska 8:15 p.m.
1/24/09 Alaska 7:30 p.m.
2/4/09 Alaska 7:00 p.m.

MILESTONE TRACKER

o Kenny MacAulay is 7 games away from 100 in his professional career
o Ryan MacMurchy is 1 game away from 100 in his professional career
o Daryl Marcoux is 4 games away from 100 in his ECHL career
o Matt O'Dette is 14 points away from 100 and 16 PIM's away from 900 in his ECHL career
o Damian Surma is 9 assists away from 100 in his pro career
o Cory Urquhart is 12 goals away from 100 in his ECHL career

TONIGHT'S MATCHUP

The Stockton Thunder visit the Alaska Aces for a three-game series which concludes Saturday for the fourth of six games this year in the head-to-head series. The Thunder is 8-13-4 in the lifetime matchup vs. Alaska with four wins coming in sudden-death overtime last year. The Thunder finished with a record of 5-5-0 vs. Alaska in 2007-08. The teams last met on Jan. 2 with the Thunder defeating the Aces 4-1. The Thunder is 2-0-1 against Alaska this season.

LAST THREE THUNDER GAMES

1/2/09 - STK 4 at AK 1: Head Coach Matt Thomas earned his first win behind the Stockton Thunder bench while Cory Urquhart and James Bates each picked up a goal and an assist, helping lift the Thunder (11-17-5, 27 points) to a 4-1 victory over the Alaska Aces before 4,941 at Sullivan Arena on Friday night. In the process of snapping a six-game winless streak, it was the Thunder's first lifetime win in regulation at Sullivan Arena and was aided by a goal from Igor Gongalsky and Justin Chwedoruk. Goaltender Glenn Fisher made 19 saves to earn his first win of the season in a Thunder uniform. Alaska netminder Marek Schwarz stopped 30 shots for the loss.

12/31/08 - STK 2 at AK 3 (OT): Veteran Scott Burt scored on a snap shot from the left circle at 2:16 of sudden-death overtime to lift the Alaska Aces to a come-from-behind 3-2 OT win over the Thunder before a crowd of 5,193 at Sullivan Arena on Wednesday night. The Thunder, who snapped a season-long five-game losing streak (regulation) in the debut of head coach Matt Thomas behind the bench, were aided by a shorthanded goal from veteran Damian Surma and the fourth goal of the season from rookie Garet Hunt. Goaltender Glenn Fisher helped force the overtime session with a 28-save output in his Thunder season debut.

12/28/08 - VIC 5 at STK 2: Brady Leavold's second goal of the year and eventual game-winner with 16:08 left in regulation spearheaded a three-goal rally by the Victoria Salmon Kings in the third period, sending the Thunder to a 5-2 loss before 5,534 at Stockton Arena on Sunday. James Bates, who broke a 16-game goal-scoring drought and Damian Surma each scored for the Thunder, who dropped their third straight to Victoria this season. Surma's goal was his first in a Thunder uniform. Victoria goaltender Todd Ford made 29 saves to earn the win in net. Wes Goldie scored twice to lead Victoria's offense.

EXTREME MAKEOVER: THUNDER EDITION

The Thunder underwent a colossal shake-up of its roster and coaching staff on Monday, naming Matt Thomas the second head coach in Thunder history, succeeding Chris Cichocki who was relieved of his duties. Thomas, who previously coached the Fresno Falcons to a record of 18-10-2 in 30 games for 38 points this season before the club ceased operations on Dec. 22, made his debut behind the Thunder bench against Alaska on Wednesday. Thomas carries a record of 179-98-42 and a winning percentage of .636 in 318 career games at the helm for Fresno and Atlantic City in the last four-plus years.

Joining Thomas as new additions to Stockton are veteran Matt O'Dette, Judd Blackwater, Igor Gongalsky, Kenny MacAulay and Daryl Marcoux. All five players signed with the Thunder as free agents on Dec. 30 and the latter four made their debut in a Thunder uniform on Wednesday. O'Dette remains on the 30-day injured reserve list.

CROWDING OUT THE ECHL

The Thunder leads the ECHL in attendance with an average of 6,888 through 10 games, has 13 sellouts in the team's franchise history and finished last year as the ECHL's attendance leader for the third consecutive season. It was the second straight year the Thunder surpassed the mark of 230,000 fans for one season. The Thunder's yearly attendance total finished at 239,337, an average of 6,648 fans per game. The Thunder became 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). Stockton's crowd of 9,737 on Nov. 8 against Victoria was the team's first sellout of the year.

STEP UP TO THE MIKE

Returning to the lineup this season is left wing Mike Lalonde, who is the Thunder all-time leading goal scorer with 60 goals and ascended to the top perch as the Thunder all-time leading scorer with 124 points, scoring the milestone point on a goal on Dec. 21 at Ontario. Selected as the first player in Thunder history to the ECHL All-Star Game (2006), Lalonde led the ECHL with 308 shots and paced the Thunder with 29 goals as a rookie in 2005-06. Lalonde spent last season with Tilburg of the Netherlands League, guiding his team to the Dutch Cup and scoring 92 points (43g-49a) in just 34 games.

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