Game Preview: Stockton Thunder at San Francisco Bulls

November 24, 2012 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


GAME PREVIEW: STOCKTON THUNDER at SAN FRANCISCO BULLS

DATE: Saturday, November 24, 2012

TIME: 7:15 p.m.

SITE: Cow Palace

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

NHL AFFILIATES

Stockton Thunder: Edmonton Oilers

San Francisco Bulls: San Jose Sharks

NEXT HOME GAME

Wednesday, Nov. 28 vs. Alaska Aces, 7:00 p.m.

FAMILY DAY (presented by Sutter Gould Medical Foundation with 99.3 KJOY)

TONIGHT'S MATCHUP

The Stockton Thunder returns to the road against the San Francisco Bulls, an expansion team to the ECHL's Pacific Division. Tonight's game will be the second of 13 meetings between the two teams this season and in the last matchup, San Francisco defeated the Thunder 4-1 on Nov. 9. The Bulls play at the 71-year old Cow Palace and are an affiliate of the San Jose Sharks. The Thunder is 11-2-0 in the last 13 games and is in first place in the Pacific Division.

2012-2013 Head to Head Schedule: (0-1-0)

Fri. Nov. 9 Stockton 1 at San Francisco 4

Sat. Nov. 24 at San Francisco 7:15 p.m.

Thur. Dec. 13 at San Francisco 7:15 p.m.

Wed. Jan. 16 at San Francisco 7:15 p.m.

Fri. Jan. 18 San Francisco 7:30 p.m.

Sat. Jan. 19 at San Francisco 7:15 p.m.

Sun. Jan. 20 San Francisco 4:00 p.m.

Wed. Jan. 30 San Francisco 7:00 p.m.

Sat. Feb. 16 San Francisco 7:30 p.m.

Sun. Feb. 17 at San Francisco 2:15 p.m.

Wed. Mar. 13 San Francisco 7:00 p.m.

Fri. Mar. 22 at San Francisco 7:15 p.m.

Sat. Mar. 23 at San Francisco 7:15 p.m.

NOTE OF THE NIGHT

The Thunder leads the ECHL in goal differential at +23 (65 goals scored and 42 goals against).

LAST THREE GAMES:

STK 6 - BAK 3 (11/23/12): The Stockton Thunder (11-3-1, 23 points) did not miss a beat, rolling over the Bakersfield Condors 6-3 in front of 5,616 fans at Stockton Arena on Friday. Center Gabriel Levesque stepped up for the Thunder, recording three points (one goal, two assists). Six different players scored for the Thunder, providing goaltender Cody Reichard (3-1-0) with plenty of offensive support. Reichard recorded 22 saves, while Bakersfield's Brian Stewart stopped 44 shots. The Thunder improved to 4-0-0 against the Condors and seized first place in the Pacific Division.

STK 4 - IDH 3 (11/18/12): The Stockton Thunder (10-3-1, 21 points) held off a late rally by the Idaho Steelheads to avenge Wednesday's loss in a back-and-forth 4-3 victory in front of 4,601 fans at Stockton Arena on Sunday. Forward Toni Rajala led the Thunder with two goals, bringing his season total up to 11, good enough to be tied for the ECHL lead. Center Justin Maylan chipped in with two assists.

STK 6 - UTA 2 (11/16/12): The Stockton Thunder (9-3-1, 20 points) brought the offense back home to Stockton Arena, as the Thunder connected for four straight goals in a 6-2 win over the Grizzlies in front of 5,373 fans on Friday. Forwards Philippe Cornet (2 goals, 1 assist) and Toni Rajala (1 goal, 2 assists) paced the Thunder with three points apiece. Rajala's effort made it the tenth-consecutive game in which he has registered a point. In goal, Tyler Bunz (7-2-1) recorded 25 saves for the win, while Utah's Grant Rollheiser stopped 36 shots.

JUSTIN TIME

Center Justin Maylan leads all Thunder rookies with 14 points in 13 games this season (T-3, ECHL rookies) and has collected five points in the last five games. Maylan collected a goal in last night's win over Bakersfield.

AN OFFENSE DRESSED TO THE NINES

The Thunder tied a club record for most goals in a game (9) last Monday in a 9-6 victory at Utah, matching the record previously set on Dec. 10, 2011 against Bakersfield. The Thunder also notched a season high for most goals (5) in a period, accomplishing the feat in the second period at Maverik Center. The Thunder is averaging 4.3 goals per game this season, ranking third in the ECHL.

BOLTING OUT OF THE GATE

The Thunder's 7-1-1 record was its best nine game stretch to begin the season since 2006-07, when the Thunder and Edmonton Oilers were in the first season of their affiliation agreement. During that stretch, the Thunder offense earned six occasions where they produced four goals or more in a game.

TONI AWARD WINNER

On the same day he was recalled to the AHL with the Oklahoma City Barons, RW Toni Rajala was named the first Thunder recipient of ECHL Player of the Week honors (Nov. 12-18) on Tuesday. He scored five goals and totaled 11 points in four games to help the Thunder improve to 10-3-1 and earn the top win percentage (.750) in the ECHL by the end of the week.

THE DECK IS STACKED

Defenseman Nathan Deck has points in ten of his last 12 games and leads all Thunder defensemen with 15 points in 15 games (T-4, ECHL defensemen). Deck is in his second year with the Thunder and was named the team's "Unsung Hero" at the end of last season.

UPCOMING MILESTONES

- Ryan Constant is 5 games away from 300 in his ECHL career

- Ryan Constant is 7 assists away from 100 in his professional career

- Harrison Reed is 1 game away from 300 in his professional career

COVERED WITH OIL

The Edmonton Oilers return as the NHL affiliate of the Thunder for the seventh straight season, helping advance eight players from the Thunder onto playing in the National Hockey League. The Thunder has also never missed the playoffs since first connecting with the Oilers in 2006-07. Edmonton has won five Stanley Cup championships and sent seven players onto induction in the Hockey Hall of Fame. Among the players assigned to Stockton, beginning this season, was LW Philippe Cornet, who made his NHL debut with Edmonton and led the AHL affiliate Oklahoma City Barons with 24 goals last season.

OH CAPTAIN MY CAPTAIN

Garet Hunt was named the sixth captain in Thunder history on Oct. 12, taking the "C" for the first time in his career for full-time duty. Hunt served as an alternate captain for the Thunder last season and has helped guide the team to the playoffs for four straight seasons since his 2008-09 rookie campaign. Hunt is the Thunder all time leader with 259 games played.



ECHL Stories from November 24, 2012


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