Game Preview: Stockton Thunder at Victoria Salmon Kings

January 7, 2011 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


The Thunder continues a three-game road trip tonight at Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre against the Victoria Salmon Kings at 7:05 p.m. The Thunder is 4-0-0 this season in Victoria and is searching for its first consecutive series of wins since Dec. 3-4. The Thunder is 22-21-5 lifetime against Victoria and the last time both teams met, the Thunder defeated Victoria, 3-2 on Jan. 5 at Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre. This season, the Thunder is 4-1-0 against the Salmon Kings. Victoria is 1-3-0 in the last three games.

LAST THREE GAMES:

STK 3 ‚¬" VIC 2 (1/6/10): Rookie winger Bretton Cameron capped off the first multi-goal game of his career with a game-winner on a breakaway late in the third period, boosting the Thunder to a 3-2 victory over the Victoria Salmon Kings before a crowd of 3,186 at Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre on Wednesday. Cameron scored with 4:35 left in the game, beating David Shantz with a forehand snapshot that helped Stockton erase a 0-5-2 skid and win their fourth in a row in Victoria. Jarrett Konkle also scored in his Thunder debut and goaltender Bryan Pitton made 33 saves, picking up the win in his first game back from the American Hockey League.

LV 4 ‚¬" STK 3 (OT) (12/30/10): Goaltender Joe Fallon made 39 saves, including all five in a shootout to help the Las Vegas Wranglers escape in a shootout victory, 4-3 over the Thunder, before 6,480 fans at Stockton Arena on Thursday night. Goaltender Garrett Zemlak made 15 saves. The only shot that got by him in the shootout was a James Bates tally in the fourth round, who completed a ‚¬Å“Gordie Howe Hat Trick ‚¬Â with a goal, assist and fight. Garet Hunt, Jesse Gimblett and Chase Ryan, who scored the first goal of his pro career, all buried goals for the Thunder, who outshot Las Vegas by a 42-19 mark.

LV 4 ‚¬" STK 2 (12/29/10): James Bates returned to his former home ice to record a goal, including the game winner, and two assists to help the Las Vegas Wranglers hand the Thunder a 4-2 defeat before 7,050 fans at Stockton Arena on Wednesday night. The Thunder, who slipped to 0-5-1 in the last six games and maintained a tie for second place in the Pacific Division, were helped with goals from Bretton Cameron and Jason Pitton, while Las Vegas' additional scoring came from Sean McMonagle, Aaron Power and an empty netter from former Thunder winger Ryan Huddy.

SEASON SERIES (Thunder is 4-1-0)

Sun. Nov. 21 Victoria 4 at Stockton 1

Wed. Dec. 1 Stockton 3 at Victoria 2 (SO)

Fri. Dec. 3 Stockton 5 at Victoria 3

Sat. Dec. 4 Stockton 5 at Victoria 4 (OT)

Wed. Jan. 5 Stockton 3 at Victoria 2

Fri. Jan. 7 at Victoria 7:05 p.m.

Sat. Jan. 8 at Victoria 7:05 p.m.

Fri. Feb. 18 Victoria 7:30 p.m.

Sat. Feb. 19 Victoria 7:30 p.m.

Sun. Feb. 20 Victoria 4:00 p.m.

Fri. Mar. 25 Victoria 7:30 p.m.

Sat. Mar. 26 Victoria 7:30 p.m.

Sun. Mar. 27 Victoria 4:00 p.m.

UPCOMING MILESTONES:

· Ryan Constant is 6 points away from 200 in his professional career

· Ryan Constant is 17 games away from 300 in his professional career

· Jim McKenzie is 17 games away from 200 in his professional career

LIKE A BROKEN RECORD

The Thunder broke a club record on Saturday, Nov. 20 in a 2-1 shootout loss to Idaho for a 12-game unbeaten streak in regulation (8-0-4). The previous standard was set with an 11-0-0 run in 2006-07. The Thunder began the streak with a 5-4 overtime loss to Ontario on Oct. 16 at Stockton Arena and tied the mark on Nov. 18, in a 3-2 shootout win over the Idaho Steelheads.

THUNDER ANSWERS ROAD RULES CHALLENGE

The Thunder owned a 6-0-2 streak on the road to begin the season, finishing as the last remaining team in the ECHL yet to lose a game in regulation on the road. Additionally, the streak to start the season broke the mark of five straight games without a loss in regulation (5-0-0), set back in 2006-07 (Mar. 17-31).

HAIL TO THE CHIEF

Thunder head coach Matt Thomas ranks third in wins in the last decade in the ECHL (among active coaches), entering the year with a lifetime .606 win percentage (234-143-54 record) in six seasons as a head coach for Stockton, Fresno and Atlantic City. Thomas also has never missed the playoffs, won a Kelly Cup championship in 2002-03 as an assistant coach with Atlantic City, has been named coach for the ECHL All-Star Game twice (2005, 2009) and has been behind the bench in a coaching role for teams that advanced to the Conference Finals three times.

ALL-TIME WINS, REGULAR SEASON (2000-2010)

COACH WINS

1. Jeff Pyle (Gwinnett, Mobile) * 358

2. Malcolm Cameron (four teams) * 310

3. Davis Payne (Alaska, Pee-Dee) 289

4. Glen Gulutzan (Las Vegas) 254

5. Matt Thomas (Stockton, Fre, A.C.) * 246

* Currently ECHL active

ALL-STAR ARCOBELLO

The Thunder, on Thursday, announced in conjunction with the ECHL that rookie center Mark Arcobello has been named to the ECHL All-Star roster for the 2011 ECHL All-Star Classic in Bakersfield, Calif. Arcobello leads Thunder rookies with 15 points (6g-9a) in 28 games and is tied for the team's rookie lead with six goals, collecting eight penalty minutes.

He was signed to an AHL contract with the Oklahoma City Barons before the season. The 2011 ECHL All-Star Classic presented by CCM will be hosted by the Bakersfield Condors at Rabobank Arena and played on Jan. 26, 2011. This year ‚¬â„¢s format features the host team taking on a team of ECHL All-Stars.

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, D'Alvise

2010-11 Bakersfield Arcobello

THUNDER CROWDS ROLL IN

An exclusive club, the Thunder averaged over 6,000 fans per game and drew over 200,000 fans at the gate for the fifth straight year in 2009-10 after leading the ECHL in attendance for four straight seasons. This year, the Thunder leads the ECHL with 86,120 fans through 14 games (6,151 average). The Thunder has drawn 14 sellouts in the team's franchise history, welcomed its one millionth fan last season along.

TOP FIVE HOME CROWDS IN 2009-10

OPPONENT DATE ATTENDANCE

1. Bakersfield 11/6 9,015

2. Utah 12/11 8,330

3. Idaho 11/20 8,126

4. Las Vegas 12/29 7,050

5. Bakersfield 11/5 6,707

* Denotes sellout

PITT STOP

Bryan Pitton made 33 saves on Friday for a win to extend his record to 8-3-2 in 13 games. Since Dec. 31, 2009, Pitton ranks fifth in the ECHL in goals against average (2.44), for goaltenders who have played more than 1,000 minutes in the ECHL. Since that date, Pitton has a record of 12-5-3, a .921 save percentage and three shutouts.



ECHL Stories from January 7, 2011


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