Game Preview: Stockton Thunder At Idaho Steelheads

January 29, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


FACEOFF: 6:10 p.m. PT

RADIO: 1420-AM KSTN

INTERNET: www.stocktonthunder.com (B2 Networks)

RECORDS:

Stockton Thunder (18-20-2, 38 points) - 3rd, Pacific

Idaho Steelheads (22-13-7, 51 points) - 2nd, West

2007-08 HEAD-TO-HEAD SERIES

11/2/07 Idaho 0 at Stockton 4

11/3/07 Idaho 2 at Stockton 3

01/29/08 Stockton at Idaho

01/30/08 Stockton at Idaho

03/07/08 Idaho at Stockton

03/19/08 Stockton at Idaho

03/21/08 Stockton at Idaho

03/22/08 Stockton at Idaho

03/28/08 Idaho at Stockton

UPCOMING MILESTONES

o Spencer Carbery is 9 games away from 100 in his professional career

o Andy Contois is 19 points away from 100 in his ECHL career

o Adam Huxley is 1 game away from 200 in his professional and ECHL career

TONIGHT'S MATCHUP

The Thunder returns to Qwest Arena for the first time since last season's National Conference quarterfinal round of the Kelly Cup Playoffs to face the Idaho Steelheads and leads the season series over Idaho at a 2-0-0 clip. The Thunder is 9-2-1 in the last two years for the head-to-head series and went 4-1-0 at Qwest Arena last year. The Thunder is looking to break a slide that includes a 2-4-0 clip in its last six games.

LAST GAME RECAP

Veteran Luke Curtin tallied three assists to lead the Fresno Falcons in a wire-to-wire finish, sending the Thunder to a 5-2 loss at Save Mart Center on Sunday. Five different Fresno players scored, while the Thunder received its offense on goals from rookies David Rohlfs and Pat Bateman. Thunder goaltender Glenn Fisher made 29 saves despite taking the loss.

CALLING ALL STARS ...

In the fifth-largest attended ECHL All-Star Game in league history (7,454), the Stockton Thunder hosted a show for the ages as the National Conference toppled the American Conference in a 10-7 win last Wednesday at Stockton Arena, capping the 2008 Chase Chevrolet ECHL All-Star Game and festivities. All-Star MVP Ash Goldie of Victoria broke two records with a new All-Star record six-point night (3g-3a) and scored his hat trick goal 22 seconds into the third period, breaking the fastest goal to start a period in All-Star history. Thunder left wing Andy Contois scored a goal and added an assist, while Ryan MacMurchy assisted on Contois' goal. Contois won the fastest skater event at Tuesday's Skills Competition (14.3 seconds).

BIG MAC'S BIG MONTH

Thunder right wing Ryan MacMurchy, making his first visit to Qwest Arena since helping guide the Alaska Aces to the National Conference Finals last season, has vaulted into a tie for the team's goal-scoring lead with 13 goals and has paced the Thunder in scoring for the month of January with 12 points (6g-6a) and a team-leading +6 rating in nine games. MacMurchy's month helped him out-pace his scoring totals from last season with Alaska.

STEEL-CAGED MATCH

Last year's National Conference quarterfinal (first round) of the Kelly Cup Playoffs matchup between the Thunder and Idaho Steelheads featured a grueling six-game series between both clubs, including two games that went into overtime that had Idaho winning the series 4-2. The Thunder took the first game on an epic, three-goal comeback in the third period for a 4-2 win at Qwest Arena, while Idaho won both overtime games at Stockton Arena on goals from John Lammers in game three and Lance Galbraith in game five. Idaho took the momentum from the series and captured its second Kelly Cup title.

THE VETERAN EXPERIENCE

Two returning veterans on the Thunder posted significant numbers in last year's season series against Idaho: defenseman Tim O'Connell tied for the team's lead in scoring with nine points (4g-5a) last season and added a team-high +6 rating while Tim Verbeek chipped in with seven points (4g-3a) in nine games and a +5 rating.

ABOUT THE STEELHEADS

The Idaho Steelheads are the ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Dallas Stars and AHL's Iowa Stars and captured their second Kelly Cup championship in four seasons last year. Head Coach Derek Laxdal is back for his third season behind the Idaho bench, carrying a 174-104-25 lifetime coaching record with the Steelheads and Central Hockey League's Wichita Thunder. Laxdal has 67 games of NHL playing experience with the New York Islanders and Toronto Maple Leafs. Idaho returned 11 players from last year's Kelly Cup champion squad to the team's original roster this year and sent center Greg Rallo, veteran defenseman Darrell Hay and goaltender Kellen Briggs to Stockton for the 2008 ECHL All-Star Game.



ECHL Stories from January 29, 2008


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