Game Preview: Stockton Thunder at Bakersfield Condors

February 1, 2012 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


GAME PREVIEW: STOCKTON THUNDER at BAKERSFIELD CONDORS

DATE: Wednesday, February 1, 2012

TIME: 7:00 p.m.

SITE: Rabobank Arena

RADIO: 1280 AM KWSX/StocktonThunder.com (AmericaOne)

NHL AFFILIATES

Stockton Thunder: Edmonton Oilers, San Jose Sharks

Bakersfield Condors: Independent

NEXT HOME GAME

Friday, Feb. 3 vs. Idaho Steelheads, 7:30 p.m.

HOCKEY WITH HEART ( presented by BloodSource in association with Wells Fargo Foundation, Foster Farms Dairy featuring the Crystal Brand and StoneCreek Village )

TONIGHT'S MATCHUP

The Stockton Thunder visits the Bakersfield Condors for the eighth of 13 meetings on Wednesday at Rabobank Arena. The Thunder last faced Bakersfield on Jan. 7 and defeated the Condors in a shootout 3-2 at Rabobank Arena. The Thunder is 5-2-0 against Bakersfield and is 4-1-0 at Rabobank Arena this season. Stockton currently sits at fifth place in the Western Conference, 21 points ahead of Bakersfield.

SEASON SERIES (Thunder: 5-2-0)

Tue. Nov. 15 Stockton 4 at Bakersfield 2

Fri. Dec. 9 Stockton 3 at Bakersfield 1

Sat. Dec. 10 Bakersfield 6 at Stockton 9

Sun. Dec. 11 Bakersfield 5 at Stockton 2

Mon. Dec. 26 Stockton 2 at Bakersfield 3

Fri. Jan. 6, 2012 Stockton 1 at Bakersfield 0

Sat. Jan. 7 Stockton 3 at Bakersfield 2 (SO)

Wed. Feb. 1 at Bakersfield 7:00 p.m.

Fri. Feb. 24 at Bakersfield 7:00 p.m.

Sat. Feb. 25 at Bakersfield 7:00 p.m.

Sun. Feb. 26 Bakersfield 4:00 p.m.

Fri. Mar. 23 Bakersfield 7:30 p.m.

Sat. Mar. 24 Bakersfield 7:30 p.m.

LAST TIME OUT:

STK 3 - BAK 2 (SO) (1/7/12): Goaltender Olivier Roy made 35 saves and stopped all four shootout attempts to lift the Stockton Thunder (15-13-4, 34 points) to a come from behind 3-2 shootout victory over the Bakersfield Condors before 4,830 fans at Rabobank Arena. The Thunder, who went 2-for-6 on the power play, earned its first three game winning streak of the season, paced offensively by goals from Nathan Deck and Jordan Fulton.

LAST THREE GAMES:

STK 2 - AK 1 (1/29/12): Goaltender Alex Stalock made a season high 38 saves and Jordan Fulton broke a 1-1 tie on a game winning goal with 16:07 remaining in regulation to lift the Stockton Thunder (21-18-4, 46 points) to a 2-1 victory over the Alaska Aces at Stockton Arena on Sunday. The win, which helped the Thunder improve to 6-1-1 at home since Dec. 30 and become the first team to hand the Aces a three game sweep this season, gave Stalock a 4-0-0 record since his return from injury. Milan Kytnar scored the first goal of the game and the Thunder captured sole possession of fifth place in the Western Conference.

STK 4 - AK 1 (1/28/12): Goaltender Olivier Roy made 29 saves to headline a wire to wire effort by the Stockton Thunder (20-18-4, 44 points), who dispatched the Alaska Aces in a 4-1 victory before 7,613 fans at Stockton Arena on Saturday night. The Thunder improved to 5-1-1 in the last seven home games and outshot Alaska, 39-30. Behind a balanced attack that featured ten different players registering points on the scoresheet, the Thunder has combined to score ten goals in the last two games against Alaska, who came into the game leading the ECHL in fewest goals allowed per game (2.1). Milan Kytnar bagged the eventual game winning goal in the second period.

STK 6 - AK 3 (1/27/12): Veterans Kevin Baker (2g-1a) and Matt Foy (1g-2a) each scored three points while goaltender Alex Stalock made 24 saves to lift the Stockton Thunder (19-18-4, 42 points) to a 6-3 victory over the Alaska Aces before 5,829 fans at Stockton Arena on Friday night. The Thunder improved to 4-2-0 in the last six games and halted a six game losing skid to Alaska, dating back to last season. In his return to the lineup, Milan Kytnar earned two assists while Chris D'Alvise collected an assist in his season debut. Matt Reber scored a goal and Max Campbell collected two points (1g-1a) in their home debut with the Thunder.

UPCOMING MILESTONES

- Matt Thomas is 8 wins away from 300 in his professional coaching career

- Kevin Baker is 19 goals away from 200 in his professional career

- Matt Foy is 10 points away from 200 in his professional career

- Chris D'Alvise is 14 points away from 100 in his Thunder career

NOTE OF THE NIGHT

This season, the Thunder has a record of 6-2-2 in one-goal games on the road. During their last visit to Bakersfield on Jan. 6-7, the Thunder won back to back one-goal games and won 3-2 in a shootout in their last game at Rabobank Arena.

THUNDER BOOMING AGAIN

In the last eight games, the Thunder have blasted through with 31 goals, including seven in a 7-5 victory over Las Vegas on Jan. 21 where they poured on a season high 43 shots on goal. In the game, the Thunder came within two goals of tying a Thunder record of nine goals set in one game (Dec. 10 vs. Bakersfield). Last weekend during a three game series, the Thunder combined for 12 goals in a sweep of Alaska, who led the ECHL in least amount of goals allowed per game (2.1) after Sunday.

GOAL ORIENTED

Thunder right winger Kevin Baker was signed as a free agent on Aug. 24 and brings a wealth of offensive accomplishments to the Thunder roster. He was named ECHL Most Valuable Player in 2008-09 and his 57 goals that season were most in the league since 2000-01. He ranks third in ECHL all-time goal scoring (since 2006-07) with 169 goals. On Dec. 10 vs. Bakersfield, he collected his first hat trick of the season.

MOST GOALS, ECHL (SINCE 2006-07)

Rank Player Team GP PTS G A +/-

1 Wes Goldie AK 448 441 266 175 3

2 Mark Derlago IDH 281 340 174 166 41

3 Kevin Baker STK 309 342 169 173 13

4 Ryan Kinasewich UTA 205 292 131 161 -4

5 Marty Flichel IDH 382 358 131 227 -8

** Statistics include regular season and playoffs

CHRIS CONTROL

Chris D'Alvise enters the game ranking fourth on the Thunder's all time scoring chart with 86 points. He was named Thunder Rookie of the Year in 2009-10 and has collected four hat tricks in less than two full seasons in the ECHL. Below is where D'Alvise ranks on the Thunder all time scoring list:

ALL TIME THUNDER SCORING

Player PTS

1. Mike Lalonde 156

2. Nathan Martz 122

3. James Bates 121

4. Chris D'Alvise 86

5. Ryan Huddy 73

HUNTING DOWN A MILESTONE

Thunder left winger Garet Hunt has surpassed Mark Adamek as the club's career leader in games played. Hunt is in his fourth season as a member of the Thunder and last season, was named the team's "Unsung Hero" and "Fan Favorite." This season, he was named alternate captain on Oct. 13. He played in his 200th career game with the Thunder on Dec. 16 vs. Idaho.

ALL-TIME THUNDER GAMES PLAYED

Player GP

1. Garet Hunt 214

2. Mark Adamek 186

3. Adam Huxley 183

4. Mike Lalonde 182

5. Daryl Marcoux 166



ECHL Stories from February 1, 2012


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