Game Preview: Stockton Thunder at Alaska Aces

Published on December 15, 2010 under ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


The Stockton Thunder, entering the week tied for first place in the Pacific Division and Western Conference, visit the Alaska Aces for the first time this season at Sullivan Arena. It is the first time both teams meet since the first round (National Conference Quarterfinal) of last year's Kelly Cup Playoffs, won by the Thunder, 3-1 in a best-of-five series. Both teams split the first two games of the series at an alternative site in Wasilla, Alaska. The Thunder was 5-1-4 in the head-to-head series against the Aces last year and went 3-1-1 at Sullivan Arena. The three games are the last the Thunder will play before the holiday break, who are 6-1-2 on the road this season.

LAST THREE GAMES:

STK 3 ‚¬" UTA 2 (12/11/10): Goaltender Garrett Zemlak earned his first win in four starts with 27 saves, boosting the Thunder to a 3-2 victory over the Utah Grizzlies before 8,330 fans at Stockton Arena on Saturday night. The Thunder, who moved to a first place tie in the Western Conference with Utah and Las Vegas, improved to 6-4-2 at home and won in their final home game before the Dec. 25 holiday break. They scored the first three goals of the game with help from Marcus Watson, Bretton Cameron and Fraser Clair, who had the game-winner in the second period.

BAK 5 ‚¬" STK 3 (12/10/10): Kyle Calder scored two goals, added an assist and his Bakersfield Condors never trailed, sending the Thunder to a 5-3 loss before a crowd of 4,377 at Rabobank Arena on Friday night. Calder was aided by two goals from Joel Broda to send the Thunder to its first loss on the road in regulation in ECHL. Chris Lawrence totaled three points (1g-2a) and was also aided on the Thunder end for scoring from Marcus Watson (first pro goal) and Garet Hunt.

STK 5 ‚¬" VIC 4 (OT) (12/4/10): Fraser Clair capped a two-goal game with game-winning goal, coming with 21.9 seconds remaining in sudden death overtime to lift the Thunder to a 5-4 overtime win over the Victoria Salmon Kings, before a crowd of 3,363 at Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre on Saturday. Clair, who broke a 12-game goal-scoring drought with the effort, capped off a five-point run in the last two games and converted Chris Lawrence's centering pass from the left corner at the goal mouth to boost the Thunder to a three-game road sweep of Victoria and a team record 6-0-2 streak on the road. Pierre-Andre Bureau capped off a two-goal game (first goal in his pro career) and Lawrence also chipped in with two points (1g-1a). Goaltender Bryan Pitton improved to 7-0-1 with 33 saves.

SEASON SERIES (Thunder is 0-0-0)

Wed. Dec. 15 at Alaska 8:15 p.m.

Fri. Dec. 17 at Alaska 8:15 p.m.

Sat. Dec. 18 at Alaska 8:15 p.m.

Fri. Feb. 11 at Alaska 8:15 p.m.

Sat. Feb. 12 at Alaska 8:15 p.m.

Sun. Feb. 13 at Alaska 6:05 p.m.

Fri. Mar. 4 Alaska 7:30 p.m.

Sat. Mar. 5 Alaska 7:30 p.m.

Sun. Mar. 6 Alaska 4:00 p.m.

UPCOMING MILESTONES:

Aaron Clarke is 12 assists away from 100 in his professional career

Ryan Constant is 9 points away from 200 in his professional career

Ryan Constant is 25 games away from 300 in his professional career

Jim McKenzie is 17 games away from 200 in his professional career

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 2010 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.

LIKE A BROKEN RECORD

The Thunder broke a club record on Saturday, Nov. 20 in a 2-1 shootout loss to Idaho for a 12-game unbeaten streak in regulation (8-0-4). The previous standard was set with an 11-0-0 run in 2006-07. The Thunder began the streak with a 5-4 overtime loss to Ontario on Oct. 16 at Stockton Arena and tied the mark on Nov. 18, in a 3-2 shootout win over the Idaho Steelheads.

THUNDER ANSWERS ROAD RULES CHALLENGE

Despite a 5-3 loss at Bakersfield last Friday, the Thunder had a 6-0-2 streak on the road, finishing as the last remaining team in the ECHL yet to lose a game in regulation on the road before Friday. Additionally, the streak to start the season broke the mark of five straight games without a loss in regulation (5-0-0), set back in 2006-07 (Mar. 17-31).

CLAIR FOR THE DRAMATIC

Forward Fraser Clair picked up a goal in Saturday's game vs. Utah, extending his scoring streak to four straight games while scoring eight points (3g-5a). Clair was signed by the Thunder as a free agent on Sept. 21, 2010 and had 14 goals and 37 points (14g-23a) in 36 games for Bolzano HC in Italy last season. He set ECHL career-highs with Fresno in 2005-06, scoring 25 goals, 21 assists and 46 points in 58 games.

HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT

The Thunder have allowed just 27.1 shots per game, second in the ECHL (Alaska is 1st with 25.9). The Thunder have allowed over 30 shots on goal in just nine games this year and on Nov. 24, the Thunder tied a franchise low with 13 shots allowed in a 1-0 defeat to Las Vegas. They outshot Las Vegas, 42-13. In the last game, the Thunder outshot Bakersfield, 33-29 in a 3-2 victory on Saturday.

HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT, PART II

The Thunder also are averaging 34 shots per game, third highest in the ECHL. They have posted 30 shots or more for seven consecutive games and have fired 40 shots or more in three games this season. On Nov. 10 at Idaho, the Thunder put up a season-high 45 shots and outshot the Steelheads, 45-33 in a 2-1 shootout win at Qwest Arena. IIn the last game, the Thunder outshot Bakersfield, 33-29 in a 3-2 victory on Saturday.

HAIL TO THE CHIEF

Thunder head coach Matt Thomas ranks third in wins in the last decade in the ECHL (among active coaches), entering the year with a lifetime .606 win percentage (234-143-54 record) in six seasons as a head coach for Stockton, Fresno and Atlantic City. Thomas also has never missed the playoffs, won a Kelly Cup championship in 2002-03 as an assistant coach with Atlantic City, has been named coach for the ECHL All-Star Game twice (2005, 2009) and has been behind the bench in a coaching role for teams that advanced to the Conference Finals three times.

ALL-TIME WINS, REGULAR SEASON (2000-2010)

COACH WINS

1. Jeff Pyle (Gwinnett, Mobile) * 357

2. Malcolm Cameron (four teams) * 308

3. Davis Payne (Alaska, Pee-Dee) 289

4. Glen Gulutzan (Las Vegas) 254

5. Matt Thomas (Stockton, Fre, A.C.) * 245

* Currently ECHL active

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



ECHL Stories from December 15, 2010


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central