Game Preview: Stockton Thunder At Bakersfield Condors

Published on March 30, 2010 under ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


March 30, 2010 - Rabobank Arena

FACEOFF: 7:00 p.m.

RADIO: 1280 KWSX

INTERNET: www.StocktonThunder.com (B2 Networks)

RECORDS:

Stockton Thunder: 32-27-9, 73 points (2nd, Pacific/T-4, National Conf.)

Bakersfield Condors: 35-28-5, 75 points (1st, Pacific/2nd, National Conf.)

MILESTONE TRACKER

o J.F. Caudron is 11 assists away from 100 in his ECHL career

o Oren Eizenman is 7 assists away from 100 in his professional career

2009-10 HEAD-TO-HEAD SERIES

Tue. Nov. 10 Stockton 2 at Bakersfield 3

Fri. Dec. 4 Bakersfield 5 at Stockton 6 (OT)

Sat. Dec. 5 Bakersfield 2 at Stockton 3 (OT)

Sat. Dec. 26 Stockton 3 at Bakersfield 1

Tue. Dec. 29 Bakersfield 1 at Stockton 5

Fri. Jan. 8 Stockton 4 at Bakersfield 6

Sun. Jan. 10 Bakersfield 5 at Stockton 4 (OT)

Sun. Jan. 24 Bakersfield 5 at Stockton 2

Fri. Feb. 19 Stockton 4 at Bakersfield 5 (SO)

Sat. Feb. 20 Stockton 2 at Bakersfield 0

Tue. Mar. 30 @ Bakersfield 7:00 p.m.

Wed. Mar. 31 Bakersfield 7:00 p.m.

TONIGHT'S MATCHUP

With just four games remaining in the regular season, a showdown for first place implications in the Pacific Division is on tap for Tuesday and Wednesday, as the Thunder, two points behind the Bakersfield Condors, tangle with the first place counterpart in a home-and-home series on Tuesday at Rabobank Arena and Wednesday at Stockton Arena. Wednesday's game is the Thunder's regular season home finale. In the last meeting, the Thunder defeated the Condors, 2-0 at Rabobank Arena on Feb. 20. Stockton carries at lifetime record of 16-16-10 against Bakersfield and leads the season series, 5-3-2.

LAST 3 THUNDER GAMES

STK 6 - LV 5 (3/28/10): Left winger Matt Robinson completed a hat trick on a dramatic, game-winning goal with 59.5 seconds left in regulation, helping the Thunder overcome two separate three-goal deficits in a thrilling 6-5 come-from-behind win over the Las Vegas Wranglers before a crowd of 6,845 at Stockton Arena on Sunday afternoon. The Thunder, whose magic number was reduced to three to clinch a Kelly Cup Playoff berth, moved to within two points of the idle Bakersfield Condors for first place in the Pacific Division, scored three goals in the final period and five of the last six goals in the game. Chris D'Alvise (1g-2a) and J.F. Caudron (1g-1a) chipped in with multi-point games while Bryan Young added a first period goal for the Thunder, helping backup goaltender Kurtis Mucha earn the first win of his pro career.

LV 3 - STK 2 (3/27/10): Alex Bourret bounced a loose rebound off traffic to the back of the net, snapping a 2-2 tie with 2:55 left in regulation, helping the Las Vegas Wranglers send the Thunder to a 3-2 loss before 8,053 fans at Stockton Arena on Saturday night. The loss kept the Thunder's magic number at 5 to clinch a Kelly Cup Playoff berth and received goal-scoring support from Colin Hemingway and Matt Marquardt. Jimmy Spratt earned the win in net with 25 saves while Andrew Perugini took the loss with 26 stops.

STK 3 - LV 2 (SO) (3/26/10): Goaltender Andrew Perugini made 19 saves, including all three in a shootout, to help guide the Thunder to a 3-2 shootout victory over the Pacific Division rival Las Vegas Wranglers, before 5,717 fans at Stockton Arena on Friday. James Bates and Igor Gongalsky scored for the Thunder while Oren Eizenman put the game away with a shootout winner in the fourth round, firing a snap shot past Jimmy Spratt to the stick side. Additional shootout goals included Kelly Czuy (second round) and newcomer Matt Marquardt (third round).

ALL-STAR IS SHINING

Rookie center Chris D'Alvise, who was runner-up for ECHL Player of the Week (Mar. 23), had an assist representing the Thunder at the 2010 ECHL All-Star Game in Ontario on Jan. 20 and recently had a career-high eight-game scoring streak with eight points (4g-4a) in that span. In February, he erupted with 13 points (6g-7a) in 10 games. D'Alvise leads the Thunder with 30 goals (3rd, ECHL rookies) and leads Thunder rookies with 62 points (4th, ECHL rookies) in 64 games this season. D'Alvise has two hat tricks this season and posted a career-high four assists on Mar. 6 vs. Victoria (7-3 win). D'Alvise has scored 20 points (7g-13a) in the last 11 games.

THUNDER CROWDS ROLLING IN

The Thunder ranks third in the ECHL in attendance with an average of 6,006 fans per game and is vying to tie a league record by leading the league in attendance for five straight seasons. 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). Stockton needs 4,671 fans to reach the 200,000 mark for the fifth straight season.

BATES AND SWITCH

Since returning from an AHL call-up with the Springfield Falcons, James Bates has embarked on a tear spanning over two months with 44points (18g-26a) in 34games and has a +16 rating. Bates currently leads the Thunder and is tied for 16th in league scoring with 65 points (26g-39a), 65 assists and has set a new career-high with 26 goals.

ECHL LEADERS - SCORING (since Jan. 15)

Player Team GP PTS G A +/-

1. Tyler Donati Elmira Jackals 33 62 25 37 17

2. Mark Derlago Idaho Steelheads 31 59 27 32 22

3. Adam Miller Las Vegas Wranglers 33 52 22 30 5

4. Ryan Kinasewich Utah Grizzlies 26 45 20 25 0

5. James Bates Stockton Thunder 34 44 18 26 16

20 AND OVER ADMITTED

A growing club this season that just set franchise high, five different players with 20 goals in one season adorn the roster, tying 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 leads the Thunder with 31 goals (T-2, ECHL rookies), Colin Hemingway has 24goals (one off his career-high) to rank fourth and Matt Robinson has 29 goals (new career-high) to rank second. James Bates' 26 goals are also a career-high. The Thunder are looking for their first pair of 30-goal scorers in club 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 31

Matt Robinson 29

James Bates 26

Colin Hemingway 24

Oren Eizenman 20

* Denotes Thunder record

'GINI IN A BOTTLE

Goaltender Andrew Perugini, who is tied for second inECHL save percentage (.910) and is ninth in the ECHL in goals-against-average (2.89), became the Thunder career shutout leader (4) on Feb. 12. He posted his most recent blanking on a week later at Bakersfield, a career-high 45-save effort in a 2-0 Thunder win. Perugini was named Reebok Hockey ECHL Goaltender of the Week in February for the second time in his career.

ALL-TIME THUNDER SHUTOUT LEADERBOARD

GOALTENDER SHUTOUTS

1. Andrew Perugini (2008-present) 5

2. Tim Boron (2007-08) 3

3. Devan Dubnyk (2006-07) 2

Glenn Fisher (2007-08) 2

Jake Moreland (2005-06) 2

PLAYOFF NOTES

ECHL NATIONAL CONFERENCE PLAYOFF STANDINGS

(Top-7 in the conference qualify for Kelly Cup playoffs)

2010 Playoff March Notes -

- The Thunder has 4 regular season games remaining.

- Stockton has regular season games remaining against the following teams:

Bakersfield (2)

Alaska (2)

- The top seven teams in the National Conference will qualify for the 2010 Kelly Cup Playoffs and will be seeded by conference ranking in the first and second round of the playoffs. The #1 seed will receive a bye through the first round and the #2 seed will play #7, the #3 seed will play #6, and the #4 seed will play #5. Home ice advantage will be determined by points.

- If the Kelly Cup Playoffs began today, the Thunder would face the Utah Grizzlies in the National Conference Quarterfinal.

- Currently, 76 points guarantees a playoff spot as the 8th place Ontario Reign can only amass 76 points this season. The Thunder wins the tie-breaker with Ontario for the final playoff spot.

- The Thunder has surpassed the 30-win plateau for the third time in club history (2006-07 and 2008-09) and last year's point total (71).

- TIE-BREAKER: The tiebreaker for the National Conference if two teams tie will be: 1. Wins, regular season; 2. Points, head-to-head; 3. Wins, head-to-head; 4. Goal differential, head-to-head; 5. Winning percentage, division (if tied teams are from same division; if not, skip to 6); 6. Winning percentage, conference; 7. Goals for, regular season; 8. Goals against, regular season; 9. Coin toss

The tiebreaker for the National Conference if three teams are tied will be: 1. Wins, regular season; 2. Winning percentage, games between the teams; 3. Goal differential, games between the teams; 4. Winning percentage, division; 5. Winning percentage, conference; 6. Goals for, regular season; 7. Goals against, regular season; 8. Coin toss. When two teams remain after the third or other teams are eliminated during any step above, the tiebreaker reverts to Step 1 of the two-team format.

- Last season, the Thunder clinched its third straight Kelly Cup Playoff berth with the 4th seed in the Pacific Division and a 32-33-7 record (71 points)

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