Game Preview: Stockton Thunder Vs. Alaska Aces

Published on November 6, 2009 under ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


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MILESTONE TRACKER

o Kelly Czuy is 25 points away from 100 in his professional career

o Oren Eizenman is 7 points away from 100 in his professional career

2009-10 HEAD-TO-HEAD SERIES

Fri. Nov. 6 Alaska 7:30 p.m.

Sat. Nov. 7 Alaska 7:30 p.m.

Fri. Dec. 11 @ Alaska 8:15 p.m.

Sat. Dec. 12 @ Alaska 8:15 p.m.

Sun. Dec. 13 @ Alaska 6:05 p.m.

Fri. Jan. 22 Alaska 7:30 p.m.

Sat. Jan. 23 Alaska 7:30 p.m.

Sun. Jan. 31 Alaska 4:00 p.m.

Fri. Apr. 2 @ Alaska 8:15 p.m.

Sat. Apr. 3 @ Alaska 8:15 p.m.

TONIGHT'S MATCHUP

Riding a four-game winning streak and aiming to surpass the .500 mark for the first time this year, the Thunder hosts the Alaska Aces for a two-game series on Friday and Saturday for "Thunder Goes Pink 4." The annual event hosted by the Thunder to combine hockey and hope with a pink-colored twist designed to raise funds for breast cancer awareness. As a steadfast tradition, the Thunder will wear white jerseys with pink accented bolts while the ice surface of Stockton Arena will be painted pink. The Thunder is 5-1-0 in the lifetime history of "Thunder Goes Pink," sports an all-time record of 13-13-5 against the Aces while going unbeaten in regulation for the last seven games (6-0-1) against Alaska.

LAST 3 THUNDER GAMES

STK 3 - ONT 2 (11/4/09): Captain Craig Valette broke a 1-1 tie with a goal coming with 52.3 seconds left in regulation, lifting the Thunder to their fourth straight win and a 3-2 victory over the Ontario Reign before 4,503 fans at Citizens Business Bank Arena on Wednesday night. The Thunder, who finished a three-game road trip at a perfect 3-0-0 record, received additional goal-scoring support from Colton Yellow Horn (first in a Thunder uniform) and James Bates. Goaltender Bryan Pitton secured his first win of the year with 35 saves.

STK 5 - VIC 2 (11/1/09): Rookie center Chris D'Alvise collected the first hat trick of his professional career and four points (3g-1a) to help the Thunder score four power-play goals in the third period, en route to a 5-2 victory over the Victoria Salmon Kings before 3,489 fans at Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre on Sunday afternoon. D'Alvise's hat trick, the fifth in Thunder history and the first since Cory Urquhart achieved the feat against Phoenix in 2008-09, helped the Thunder cruise to a two-game sweep of Victoria by outshooting their counterparts, 46-30 and scoring at a 4-of-6 clip on the power-play.

STK 5 - VIC 1 (10/30/09): Rookie forward Colin Power snapped a 1-1 tie with the first goal of his pro career in the third period with 6:31 to play, igniting a four-goal rally to help the Thunder bury the Victoria Salmon Kings in a 5-1 victory, before 3,371 fans at Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre on Friday night. The win was Stockton's second straight and gave goaltender Andrew Perugini his second consecutive win after he stopped 22 shots for the first star of the game honors. James Bates led Stockton's offense with two goals and an assist, while Oren Eizenman chipped in with a pair of helpers. Perugini's counterpart, Glenn Fisher took the loss with 31 saves.

ALL OUT 4 AWARENESS - THUNDER GOES PINK 4

A fan favorite series that has drawn rave reviews for a notable cause, Thunder Goes Pink 4 is Friday and Saturday, Nov. 6-7 against Alaska at Stockton Arena (7:30 p.m.). The event is back to headline the Thunder community outreach efforts for raising breast cancer awareness and has raised over $113,000 in the last three seasons of the event's history. The Thunder have a 5-1-0 record in the lifetime "Thunder Goes Pink" series. Thunder Goes Pink 4 is presented by St. Joseph's Medical Center in association with Food-4-Less/Rancho San Miguel Markets and Antonini Freight Express will once again use two Thunder home games at Stockton Arena, to be played on a pink-tinted ice surface with the team wearing pink-accented jerseys that will be auctioned off during the weekend's games.

BAY(RACK) WATCH

The Thunder welcomes star forward Mike Bayrack to the lineup after agreeing to contract terms with the club. Bayrack, wearing #19, has spent seven ECHL seasons (1999-00, 2002-04, 2005-09) with Charlotte, Texas, Greensboro, Toledo and Jackson, scoring 368 points (166g-202a) in 419 career games with 358 penalty minutes. He has also suited up in 30 career Kelly Cup Playoff games, scoring 24 points (8g-16a). The 31-year old has led his teams in scoring in two of the last three seasons and paced the Charlotte Checkers with 60 points (21g-39a) in 60 games last year and ranked second on the Checkers in playoff scoring with seven points (2g-5a) in six games.

'GINI IN A BOTTLE

A 3-0 win on Oct. 24 over Ontario gave Thunder goaltender Andrew Perugini the third shutout of his career and in a Thunder uniform, tying the all-time career shutout lead with Tim Boron. Perugini is 3-0-0 in his last three games and sported a 1.50 goals-against-average and .943 save percentage last week in a two-game sweep over Victoria.

CHRIS CROSSING UP GOALTENDERS

Center Chris D'Alvise enjoyed the first hat trick of his pro career in last Sunday's win at Victoria (5-2), which was the fifth in Thunder history and part of his career-high four point-effort. D'Alvise leads the Thunder in scoring with nine points (5g-4a) in seven games and is tied for second in ECHL rookie goal scoring (5).

THUNDER ALL-TIME HAT TRICKS (5)

Season Player Date/Opponent

2005-06 1. Lance Monych 3/11/06 at Bakersfield

2006-07 1. Tim Verbeek 1/13/07 vs. Bakersfield

2007-08 1. Ryan MacMurchy 1/6/08 vs. Bakersfield

2008-09 1. Cory Urquhart 1/8/09 at Phoenix

2009-10 1. Chris D'Alvise 11/1/09 at Victoria

YELLOW HORN HOOKS SALMON KINGS

Left winger Colton Yellow Horn, acquired in a trade with the Elmira Jackals last Wednesday in exchange for the rights to defenseman Neil Petruic, made his Thunder debut last Friday and has three points (1g-2a) since joining the team. Yellow Horn, a participant in AHL training camp this year with the Binghamton Senators, scored 11 points (5g-6a) in 24 ECHL games last season. The 5-foot-9, 190-pound forward produced over a point-per-game average throughout his five-year (2003-08) junior career in the Western Hockey League with Lethbridge and Tri-City, scoring 349 points (153g-196a) in 330 games while compiling 248 penalty minutes. He led the WHL with 48 goals in 2007-08, skating for Tri-City.

ONE IN A MILLION

The Thunder has launched a special landmark "One Millionth Fan" contest which began Oct. 23. The contest begins the official countdown to search for one millionth fan to cross the turnstiles of Stockton Arena in the Thunder's five year history. As the reigning four-time ECHL attendance leader, the Thunder needs just 52,346 fans to reach the one million mark. The lucky fan will be selected as fans enter Stockton Arena, on the day the Thunder is scheduled to reach the one millionth fan mark. Upon selection, the lucky fan to cross the turnstiles will be awarded an array of prizes, including a vacation stay at Yosemite Lodge (Yosemite National Park), 2009-10 season tickets and an Amtrak train trip to Salt Lake City to see the Thunder face the Utah Grizzlies.

OILING UP THE SHIP

For the fourth consecutive season, Stockton will serve as the AA minor-league affiliate for Oilers prospects. Since the Thunder and Oilers began their partnership in 2006-07, the Thunder has advanced to the Kelly Cup Playoffs three consecutive years and four former Thunder players - right wing Troy Bodie, center Tim Sestito, left wing Liam Reddox and defenseman Bryan Young - have gone on to play in the NHL.

Players with the Thunder that have been assigned through the Oilers AHL affiliate, the Springfield Falcons:

Andrew Perugini (G)

Bryan Pitton (G)

Jordan Bendfeld (D)

James Bates (RW)

Kelly Czuy (RW)

Riley Emmerson (RW)

Bryan Young (D)

LETTER JACKET

Center Craig Valette was named the fourth captain in Thunder history on Oct. 15 (Dean Stork, Brad Farynuk and Matt O'Dette). He served as acting captain during nine games of the Kelly Cup Playoffs last year after an injury to O'Dette, the captain for 08-09. Kenny MacAulay and Bryan Young will serve as alternate captains.

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