Game Preview: Stockton Thunder At Idaho Steelheads

Published on October 17, 2009 under ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


October 17, 2009 - Qwest Arena

FACEOFF: 6:10 p.m.

RADIO: 1420 KSTN

INTERNET: www.StocktonThunder.com (B2 Networks)

MILESTONE TRACKER

o Ryan Constant is 9 games away from 200 in his professional career

o Kelly Czuy is 26 points away from 100 in his professional career

o Oren Eizenman is 12 points away from 100 in his professional career

o Riley Emmerson is 5 games away from 100 in his ECHL career

o Luis Tremblay is 1 game away from 200 in his ECHL career

o Craig Valette is 7 games away from 400 in his professional career

2009-10 HEAD-TO-HEAD SERIES

Fri. Oct. 16 Stockton 1 at Idaho 3

Sat. Oct. 17 @ Idaho 6:10 p.m.

Sun. Oct. 18 @ Idaho 6:10 p.m.

Fri. Nov. 13 Idaho 7:30 p.m.

Sat. Nov. 14 Idaho 7:30 p.m.

Sun. Nov. 15 Idaho 4:00 p.m.

Wed. Nov. 25 Idaho 7:00 p.m.

Fri. Nov. 27 Idaho 7:30 p.m.

Sat. Nov. 28 Idaho 7:30 p.m.

Thur. Dec. 31 @ Idaho 6:10 p.m.

Fri, Jan. 1, 2010 @ Idaho 6:10 p.m.

Sat. Jan. 2 @ Idaho 6:10 p.m.

TONIGHT'S MATCHUP

The Thunder visits the Idaho Steelheads for three games in three days to open the regular season, the Fifth Anniversary year for the club which began play in 2005-06 after moving from Atlantic City. Tonight's game is the second of the series. Through 34 games in the lifetime series, the Thunder is 16-16-2 against Idaho and went 1-1-1 at Qwest Arena last year. The Thunder is visiting Idaho for the first time in nearly a calendar year - their last visit was a three-game series that ended Nov. 22, 2008. Both teams will face each other 12 times in the first 32 games.

LAST GAME

STK 1 - IDA 3 (10/16/09): Mark Derlago snapped a tightly-played 1-1 game with a power-play goal at the 5:57 mark of the third period, helping the Idaho Steelheads send the Stockton Thunder to a season-opening 3-1 defeat before 4,367 fans at Qwest Arena on Friday night. Goaltender Andrew Perugini withstood a barrage loose puck scrambles and rebounds to post 41 saves in his season debut and counterpart Rejean Beauchemin stopped 20 shots for the Idaho win. Judd Blackwater scored the first goal of the Thunder season while Idaho countered with additional tallies from Mark McCutcheon and Evan Barlow.

THE THOMAS TURNAROUND

Last year, the Thunder finished 32-33-7 (71 points), fourth place in the Pacific Division but ended the year at a 22-16-3 run that coincided with the arrival of head coach Matt Thomas, who was named to the Thunder position on Dec. 29. Under his guidance, the Thunder won its first playoff series in club history in seven games over Ontario in the Pacific Division Semifinal and reached Game 7 of the second round (Pacific Division Final) against the Las Vegas Wranglers. Thomas signed a two-year contract extension with the Thunder on June 11.

HIGH-FIVE

The Thunder has launched its Fifth Anniversary season after the team began play in the ECHL in 2005-06. Since then, the Thunder have led the league in attendance for four consecutive years and have advanced to the Kelly Cup Playoffs in the last three consecutive years. In 2008, the city of Stockton and the Thunder hosted the ECHL All-Star Game.

BACK FOR MORE

An astounding total of 13 players have returned to this year's Thunder roster from the 2008-09 club, when they advanced to the second round of the Kelly Cup Playoffs: James Bates, Judd Blackwater, Ryan Constant, Oren Eizenman, Igor Gongalsky, Garet Hunt, Kenny MacAulay, Daryl Marcoux, Matt O'Dette, Andrew Perugini, Bryan Pitton and Craig Valette.

STILL CROWDING OUT THE ECHL

For the fourth straight season, the Thunder led the ECHL in attendance last year with an average of 6,218 fans through 36 home games. Stockton has 13 sellouts in the team's franchise history and finished last year as the ECHL's attendance leader for the third consecutive season. 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).

LETTER JACKET

Center Craig Valette was named the fourth captain in Thunder history on Oct. 15 (Dean Stork, Brad Farynuk and Matt O'Dette). He served as acting captain during nine games of the Kelly Cup Playoffs last year after an injury to O'Dette, the captain for 08-09. Kenny MacAulay and Bryan Young will serve as alternate captains.

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING

"The main thing when developing team chemistry is that guys care for each other and want to win for each other, and are willing to put individual things aside to make it happen," Thomas said. "That's what you want in a team."

- Head Coach Matt Thomas on the construction of the 2009-10 season opening roster, The Record, 10/16/09

"It's a big honor," Valette said. "You look in the mirror and see that 'C' on your shoulder, and it's a motivating factor and you have to bring it every night. You can't let your friends down, or your buddies down, or your teammates down or your coach."

- Center Craig Valette, on being named Thunder captain for 2009-10, The Record, 10/16/09

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