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Game Preview: Stockton Thunder At Idaho Steelheads

January 1, 2010 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


The Thunder visits the Idaho Steelheads beginning Thursday on New Year's Day to continue three games in three days against Idaho. The Thunder is 8-3-0 in the last 11 games and through 43 games in the lifetime series, is 17-23-3 against Idaho. The Thunder snapped a nine-game winless skid in the head-to-head series last night when the last time both teams met, a 5-1 Thunder victory at Qwest Arena. Both teams are facing each other 12 times in the first 32 games and Saturday's game is the finale of the season series.

LAST 3 THUNDER GAMES

STK 5 - IDH 1 (12/31/09): Rookie center Chris D'Alvise scored a pair of goals and Bryan Pitton made 40 saves for his third consecutive win in net, boosting the Thunder to their third straight victory in a 5-1 rout of the Idaho Steelheads, before a crowd of 3,383 at Qwest Arena on Thursday night. The Thunder, who earned their first victory over the National Conference-leading Steelheads in ten tries, received additional goal-scoring support from Judd Blackwater, Jason Pitton and J.F. Caudron. Michael Neal scored the only Idaho goal as the Steelheads suffered only their fifth loss at home this year.

STK 5 - BAK 1 (12/29/09): Goaltender Bryan Pitton made 24 saves and a balanced offensive attack behind five different goal-scorers helped the Thunder rout the Bakersfield Condors in a 5-1 victory before 7,586 fans at Stockton Arena on Tuesday night. The Thunder, who improved to 7-3-0 in the last ten games and won their fourth straight game over their Pacific Division leading counterparts, drew to within two points of the Ontario Reign for fifth in the National Conference and were aided by five different goal scorers from Judd Blackwater, Chris D'Alvise, Anthony Aiello, Brett Hemingway and J.F. Caudron.

STK 3 - BAK 1 (12/26/09): Goaltender Bryan Pitton made 41 saves, one off his career-high, to help the Thunder sink the Bakersfield Condors in a 3-1 victory before a crowd of 6,570 at Rabobank Arena on Saturday night. The win, which capped a seven-game road trip for the Thunder 4-3-0, gave Bakersfield their first loss at home since October 30, snapping a 10-game win streak. The Thunder received goal scoring support from Chris D'Alvise, Kelly Czuy, and an empty net goal from Igor Gongalsky. Stephane Goulet scored the only goal for Bakersfield.

STAR-STUDDED BLACKWATER

On Wednesday, Judd Blackwater was named to the National Conference roster for the 2010 ECHL All-Star Game, representing the Thunder in Ontario for the two-day event on Jan. 19-20 at Citizens Business Bank Arena. Blackwater, 22, is in his second season and makes his first All-Star appearance while scoring a Thunder-leading 13 goals and team-high tying 27 points (13g-14a). His seven power-play goals are tied for the ECHL lead.

THUNDER IN ECHL ALL-STAR GAME

Year Venue Representative

2005-06 Fresno Moreland, Lalonde

2006-07 Idaho Geisler, Dubnyk, Martz, Bodie

2007-08 Stockton Farynuk, Contois, MacMurchy

2008-09 Reading Huddy, Urquhart

2009-10 Ontario Blackwater

ONE IN A MILLION

The Thunder named Kim Cuevas of Stockton the winner of its "One Millionth Fan" award on Dec. 4 against Bakersfield. The contest began on Oct. 23 in the official countdown to search for one millionth fan to cross the turnstiles of Stockton Arena in the Thunder's five year history. Cuevas was selected as fans entered Stockton Arena before last night's game and was awarded an array of prizes, including a vacation stay at Yosemite Lodge (Yosemite National Park), 2010-11 season tickets and an Amtrak train trip to Salt Lake City to see the Thunder face the Utah Grizzlies.

PITTON IT IN GEAR

Thunder goaltender Bryan Pitton, recalled today to the Edmonton Oilers of the NHL, became the third goaltender in Thunder history to be named Reebok Hockey ECHL Goaltender of the Week (Jan. 21-27) on Tuesday. Selected in the fifth round (133rd overall) by Edmonton in the 2006 National Hockey League Entry Draft by Edmonton and under NHL contract to the Oilers, Pitton is 4-1-0 with two overtime wins in his last five starts and 5-8-1 with a goals-against average of 3.47 and a save percentage of.904 in 15 games for the Thunder. The 6-foot-2, 176-pound netminder was recalled to the NHL on Dec. 12 and spent three days with the Oilers before being reassigned to Stockton. He made 41 saves, one off his career high, on Dec. 26 at Bakersfield (3-1 win).

THUNDER ALL-TIME ECHL GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK SELECTIONS

Date Awarded

1. Jake Moreland January 31, 2006

2. Andrew Perugini March 3, 2009

3. Bryan Pitton December 29, 2009

THUNDER CROWDS ROLLING IN

The Thunder is second in ECHL 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. 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).

POWER TRIP

The Thunder power-play ranks second the ECHL at 22.1 percent (38-for-167) and is the top unit on the road this season, converting at 25.7 percent (19-for-74). Last Saturday, the Thunder went 1-for-3 on the power-play against Bakersfield. Judd Blackwater has seven power-play goals, leading the Thunder and currently tied for first in the ECHL.

MILESTONE MARKS FOR BLACKWATER, HEMINGWAY

Brett Hemingway, picked up by the Thunder as a free agent on Dec. 1 and scoring nine points (3g-6a) in nine games since that date, has hit two milestones recently in a Thunder uniform. His three point (1g-2a) effort against the Alaska Aces on Dec. 11 at Sullivan Arena helped him eclipse the 100 point mark in his pro career and an assist on Dec. 16 at Victoria helped him surpass 100 points in his entire pro career.

Judd Blackwater, leading the Thunder with 14 goals and 28 points (14g-14a), played in his 100th pro game last night at Idaho.

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