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Game Preview: Stockton Thunder At Victoria Salmon Kings

March 17, 2010 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


March 17, 2010 - Stockton Arena

FACEOFF: 7:00 p.m.

RADIO: None (92.5 FM inside Stockton Arena)

INTERNET: www.StocktonThunder.com (B2 Networks)

TICKETS: Click here

RECORDS

Stockton Thunder: 28-24-9, 65 points (3rd, Pacific/5th, National Conf.)

Victoria Salmon Kings: 31-26-6, 68 points (2nd, West/3rd, National Conf.)

MILESTONE TRACKER

o J.F. Caudron is 12 assists from 100 in his ECHL career

o Oren Eizenman is 10 assists away from 100 in his professional career

o Daryl Marcoux is 5 games away from 200 in his ECHL career

2009-10 HEAD-TO-HEAD SERIES

Fri. Oct. 30 Stockton 5 at Victoria 1

Sun. Nov. 1 Stockton 5 at Victoria 2

Wed. Dec. 16 Stockton 2 at Victoria 7

Fri. Dec. 18 Stockton 0 at Victoria 2

Sat. Dec. 19 Stockton 3 at Victoria 4

Wed. Jan. 27 Victoria 3 at Stockton 7

Fri. Jan. 29 Victoria 1 at Stockton 7

Sat. Jan. 30 Victoria 1 at Stockton 0 (SO)

Wed. Mar. 3 Victoria 1 at Stockton 4

Fri. Mar. 5 Victoria 5 at Stockton 3

Sat. Mar. 6 Victoria 3 at Stockton 7

Wed. Mar. 17 Victoria 7:00 p.m.

TONIGHT'S MATCHUP

The Thunder, 11-2-4 at home since Dec. 4, open a seven-game homestand on Wednesday against the Victoria Salmon Kings, with 12 games remaining in the regular season. The Thunder, trailing the Bakersfield Condors of the Pacific Division by four points for first place, meet Victoria for the 12th and final time this season. In the last head-to-head matchup, Stockton defeated Victoria, 7-3 on Mar. 6 Stockton Arena. The Thunder is 17-20-5 lifetime against Victoria and is 6-4-1 this year in the head-to-head series, already guaranteed a season series victory over the Salmon Kings.

LAST 3 THUNDER GAMES

UTA 4 - STK 3 (SO) (3/14/10): Two goals in the third period helped the Stockton Thunder (28-24-8, 65 points) claim a point for the second straight road game, ultimately won by the Utah Grizzlies, 4-3 in a shootout before 2,498 fans at The E-Center on Sunday. The Thunder were led by relief goaltender Aaron Sorochan's 32 stops. Kelly Czuy, Colin Hemingway and Chris D'Alvise scored for Stockton, while Utah was led by a pair of goals from Ryan Kinasewich. Mitch O'Keefe picked up the win in net with 36 saves.

STK 6 - UTA 5 (3/13/10) (OT): Winger Matt Robinson converted a backdoor power-play goal with 4:15 left in sudden death overtime to complete a come-from-behind rally by the Thunder in a thrilling 6-5 overtime win over the Utah Grizzlies before 4,910 fans at The E-Center on Saturday night. In breaking an eight-game winless streak in West Valley City (0-7-1) dating back to 2007-08, the Thunder twice rallied from one-goal deficits in the third period and were led by Robinson's career-high four point effort (2g-2a), spelled by a goal and two assists from Chris D'Alvise and a goal and assist from James Bates.

UTA 5 - STK 2 (3/12/10): Veteran forward Lance Galbraith scored twice, Tim Crowder had three assists and goaltender Beau Erickson made 28 saves to help the Utah Grizzlies send the Thunder to a 5-2 defeat before 5,111 fans at The E-Center on Friday night. The Thunder, who stayed seven points behind the first place Bakersfield Condors, received offensive support with two power-play goals from James Bates and Ryan Constant. Utah, who won its third straight over Stockton in The E-Center this season, secured the win with a four-goal effort in the third period.

SERIES NOTES

The Thunder is 6-4-1 vs. Victoria this season and 4-1-1 vs. the Salmon Kings at Stockton Arena ... in the six games in Stockton, the Thunder have scored a combined 32 goals and in a 7-1 victory on Jan. 29, tied the franchise record for largest margin of victory ... Igor Gongalsky became the seventh player in Thunder history to record a hat trick in the game and J.F. Caudron had a career-high and Thunder record five assists ... the following night, before a crowd of more than 9,100, the Thunder dropped a 1-0 shootout defeat to Victoria which went 16 rounds - the longest game in Thunder history ... in a 4-1 win at Stockton Arena on Mar. 3, Colin Hemingway and J.F. Caudron each scored a goal and added two assists ... Victoria built a 4-1 lead after two periods, ultimately escaping with a 5-3 win after Oren Eizenman and Kelly Czuy scored in the third to narrow the gap to 4-3 ... the Thunder roared back with a 7-3 win the next night behind Chris D'Alvise's four assists.

ALL-STAR IS SHINING

Rookie center Chris D'Alvise, who had an assist representing the Thunder at the 2010 ECHL All-Star Game in Ontario on Jan. 20, recently had a career-high eight-game scoring streak with eight points (4g-4a) in that span. In February, he erupted with 13 points (6g-7a) in 10 games. D'Alvise leads the Thunder with 26goals (T-3, ECHL rookies) and leads Thunder rookies with 53 points (6th, ECHL rookies) in 58 games this season. D'Alvise has two hat tricks this season and posted a career-high four assists on Mar. 6 vs. Victoria (7-3 win).

THUNDER CROWDS ROLLING IN

The Thunder ranks third in the ECHL in attendance with an average of 5,933 fans per game and is vying to tie a league record by leading the league in attendance for five straight seasons. On Jan. 30, the Thunder drew 9,158 fans to Stockton Arena against Victoria, the second largest home crowd this year. 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).

BATES AND SWITCH

Since returning from an AHL call-up with the Springfield Falcons, James Bates has embarked on a tear spanning over two months with 38 points (14g-24a) in 27games and has a +10 rating. Bates currently leads the Thunder with 59 points (22g-37a), 35 assists and has set a new career-high with 22 goals.

ECHL LEADERS - SCORING (since Jan. 15)

Player Team GP PTS G A +/-

1. Tyler Donati Elmira Jackals 25 51 22 29 19

2. Mark Derlago Idaho Steelheads 23 49 24 25 20

3. Adam Miller Las Vegas Wranglers 27 42 19 23 3

4. James Bates Stockton Thunder 27 38 14 24 10

5. Four players tied 35

20 AND OVER ADMITTED

A growing club this season that is nearly tying a franchise high, four different players with 20 goals in one season adorn the roster, tying a club record when four separate 20-goal scorers dotted the roster in 2005-06 (Joel Irwin, Mike Lalonde, Ned Havern and Aaron Foster). Chris D'Alvise leads the Thunder with 26 goals (T-3, ECHL rookies), Colin Hemingway has 22goals (three off his career-high) to rank tied for third and Matt Robinson has 24 goals (new career-high) to rank second. James Bates' 22 goals are also a career-high. The Thunder are looking for their first pair of 30-goal scorers in club history.

THUNDER 20 GOAL CLUB

YR PLAYERS GOALS

05-06 4. Mike Lalonde 29

Joel Irwin 25

Ned Havern 23

Aaron Foster 20

06-07 2. Mike Lalonde 23

Troy Bodie 21

07-08 2. Lance Monych 32

Ryan MacMurchy 23

08-09 2. Ryan Huddy 35*

Cory Urquhart 28

09-10 3. Chris D'Alvise 26

Matt Robinson 24

James Bates 22

Colin Hemingway 22

* Denotes Thunder record

'GINI IN A BOTTLE

Goaltender Andrew Perugini, who is tied for second in ECHL save percentage (.915) and is tied for fourth in the ECHL in goals-against-average (2.79), became the Thunder career shutout leader (4) on Feb. 12 and posted his most recent blanking on a week later at Bakersfield, a career-high 45-save effort in a 2-0 Thunder win. Perugini was named Reebok Hockey ECHL Goaltender of the Week in February for the second time in his career.

ALL-TIME THUNDER SHUTOUT LEADERBOARD

GOALTENDER SHUTOUTS

1. Andrew Perugini (2008-present) 5

2. Tim Boron (2007-08) 3

3. Devan Dubnyk (2006-07) 2

Glenn Fisher (2007-08) 2

Jake Moreland (2005-06) 2



ECHL Stories from March 17, 2010


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