Game Preview: Stockton Thunder At Utah Grizzlies

Published on November 30, 2007 under ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


FACEOFF: 6:05 p.m. PT

RADIO: 1420-AM KSTN (joined in progress)

INTERNET: www.stocktonthunder.com (B2 Networks)

2007-08 HEAD-TO-HEAD SERIES

11/24/07 Utah 8 at Stockton 3

11/28/07 Stockton 4 at Utah 3 (SO)

11/30/07 Stockton at Utah

12/01/07 Stockton at Utah

02/06/08 Utah at Stockton

02/29/08 Utah at Stockton

04/03/08 Stockton at Utah

04/04/08 Stockton at Utah

04/05/08 Stockton at Utah

UPCOMING MILESTONES

¡ñ Chris Cichocki is 9 wins shy of 200 in his ECHL coaching career

¡ñ Mark Adamek is 8 games shy of 100 in his professional career

¡ñ Phil Cole is 9 games shy of 300 in his professional career

¡ñ Andy Contois is 5 games shy of 100 in his professional career

¡ñ Brian Lee is 9 games shy of 100 in his professional career

TONIGHT¡¯S MATCHUP

The Thunder and the Utah Grizzlies continue a four-game series with a Friday night matchup at The E-Center, where the Thunder is 4-0-0 in the last four games on Utah¡¯s home ice. The Thunder has an 8-6-0 all-time record against Utah and went 6-1-0 against the Grizzlies last year. Utah is 4-3-0 at home this season, led by the recent hot streak of rookie forward Keith Johnson, who is on a six-game point-scoring streak, tallying 12 points (8g-4a) in that span.

LAST GAME RECAP

Goaltender Tim Boron made 32 saves in his Stockton Thunder debut and the Thunder rallied from a two-goal deficit in the third period, courtesy of goals from Mark Adamek and Andy Contois just 1:14 apart, to force overtime and sink the Utah Grizzlies in a 4-3 shootout win before 3,316 at The E-Center on Wednesday. Jonas Almtorp scored the first goal of the game, followed by three unanswered goals from Utah¡¯s Scott Burt (two goals) and Keith Johnson and the Thunder rally late in the game.

CAPTAIN CLOCKING IN

Defenseman Brad Farynuk made his first appearance in a Thunder uniform on Wednesday since 11/20. Farynuk was named the second captain in Thunder history on November 21, 2007. Serving as assistant captains are Schwartz and defenseman Beau Geisler. Dean Stork was the team¡¯s first captain in 2005-06 and the Thunder did not name a captain in 2006-07.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

Goaltender Tim Boron picked up his third consecutive win in his Thunder debut on Wednesday after a 17-day absence which included stops on three teams (Las Vegas, Charlotte, Stockton). In his 3-0-0 stretch, Boron has allowed just five goals and carries a save percentage of .949.

FEATURE FLIK

Rookie forward Jacob Micflikier has emerged with 12 points (6g-6a) in his last 9 games, jumping into a tie for fourth in ECHL scoring with 20 points (6g-14a) ¨C pacing four points back of Cincinnati¡¯s David Desharnais. Micflikier, out of the University of New Hampshire (NCAA), has posted six multi-point games this season.

RE-UNITED, CAUSE IT FEELS SO GOOD ¡-

There are a handful of players on both the Thunder and Grizzlies this week facing each other after playing together at a different stage of their careers. Among the featured reunions are Stockton¡¯s Ryan O¡¯Marra and Utah¡¯s Tyler Haskins, who were teammates in Saginaw (OHL) last season. Utah¡¯s Trevor Smith was a teammate of the Thunder¡¯s Jacob Micflikier at U. New Hampshire (NCAA). Stockton¡¯s Ryan MacMurchy and Utah¡¯s Justin Bourne helped guide the Alaska Aces to the National Conference round in last year¡¯s Kelly Cup Playoffs as rookies.

ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES

The Utah Grizzlies are the ECHL affiliate of the NHL¡¯s New York Islanders and the AHL¡¯s Bridgeport Sound Tigers and are in their third season of ECHL play. Jason Christie is in his third season as head coach for the Grizzlies and has been with the team since their inception into ECHL. Prior to joining the Grizzlies, Christie played ten years professionally and coached Peoria Rivermen to the Kelly Cup Championship in the 1999-2000 campaign. Christie is the all time franchise leader for wins with Peoria. Utah did not qualify for the Kelly Cup Playoffs last season, tallying a 22-42-8 record (52 points).

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