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Game Preview: Stockton Thunder Vs. Alaska Aces

January 22, 2010 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


The Thunder returns after the All-Star break to continue a club record 11-game homestand, currently 2-0-2 on the stretch, against the Alaska Aces in back-to-back games on Friday and Saturday. The Thunder enters the weekend in second place in the Pacific Division and sixth in the National Conference, just two points behind Alaska with two games in-hand. The Thunder all-time time record is 16-13-7 against the Aces while going unbeaten in regulation for the last 12 games (9-0-2) against Alaska. The last time both teams met, the Thunder defeated the Aces, 4-3 at Sullivan Arena on Dec. 13.

LAST 3 THUNDER GAMES

STK 4 - ONT 2 (1/17/10): Defenseman Justin DaCosta's third period power-play goal snapped a 2-2 tie with 12:12 remaining, helping lift the Thunder to a 4-2 victory over the Pacific Division rival Ontario Reign before a crowd of 4,932 at Stockton Arena on Sunday. The Thunder, who reached the.500 mark for the first time since Nov. 7 and have ripped off a 5-0-2 run in the last seven home games, moved ahead of the idle Las Vegas Wranglers into sixth place in the National Conference and second in the Pacific Division heading into the All-Star break. Garet Hunt, Jason Pitton and Igor Gongalsky (empty net goal) added to the Thunder scoring, while goaltender Andrew Perugini made 30 saves to earn the win.

STK 6 - UTA 4 (1/16/10): James Bates set a new team record with four goals and tied another with a five-point (4g-1a) game, helping lift the Thunder to a 6-4 victory over the Utah Grizzlies before 5,907 fans at Stockton Arena on Saturday night. Bates, who became the sixth player in Thunder history to record a hat trick, became the second player in Thunder history to notch a five-point game (Brock Radunske vs. Utah, Mar. 22, 2007) and scored the eventual game-winner with just 41 seconds elapsed into the third period. J.F. Caudron snapped a five-game goal-scoring drought with a first period goal, and Matt Robinson hit the double-digit goal plateau in the second period.

UTA 2 - STK 1 (SO) (1/15/10): Goaltender Mitch O'Keefe made a season-high 43 saves and stopped four of five shots from the Thunder in a shootout, helping the Utah Grizzlies steal a 2-1 shootout win over the Thunder before 4,828 fans at Stockton Arena on Friday. The Thunder, who outshot the Grizzlies 44-31 and claimed a point in their second straight game while engulfed in a franchise record 11-game homestand, helped force overtime with a second period goal from all-star center Chris D'Alvise. A shorthanded goal from James Sixsmith, playing in his first game following an AHL call-up, marked the only Utah goal in regulation stages. Bryan Pitton made 29 saves.

ALL IN THE SUIT THAT YOU WEAR

Today and tomorrow marks a special "throwback" jersey promotion involving the Thunder, who will take the ice in retro-style jerseys that are a salute to "old time hockey." A knit fabric design, it features a black-colored base with gold striping, a tribute to similar striping design used by the California Golden Seals of the National Hockey League from 1967-76. Tie-down laces at the base of the neck, once a staple in a myriad of hockey jersey designs, are featured in the special Thunder jersey which diagonally displays the word mark, "STOCKTON" across the front of the jersey. The back of the jersey features simple block-style lettering, and the game-worn threads will be available to all fans in attendance via a live auction following Saturday's game (7:30 p.m.).

WELCOME ABOARD

A series of roster moves paved the way for two new members of the Thunder to make their debut tonight - former Alaska Aces forward Colin Hemingway and ex-Utah Grizzly Mark Pavli. Hemingway was obtained in a trade for left winger Judd Blackwater on Friday and left Alaska tied for third in scoring with 30 points (13g-17a) and tied for third with 13 goals this season. Pavli, acquired for future considerations, has skated in 72 career ECHL games over the last two seasons (2008-10) with Utah and Cincinnati, totaling 21 points (10g-11a) and 115 penalty minutes.

THUNDER CROWDS ROLLING IN

The Thunder leads the ECHL in attendance with an average of 5,939 fans per game and is vying to tie a league record by leading the league in attendance for five straight seasons. 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).

HATS OFF TO YOU

On Jan. 16, James Bates became the sixth player in Thunder history to record a hat trick and set a new single-game club record with four goals against the Utah Grizzlies in a 6-4 win at Stockton Arena. Additionally, Bates' hat trick was another Thunder first - with multiple hat trick efforts in one season.

THUNDER ALL-TIME HAT TRICKS

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 2. Chris D'Alvise 11/1/09 at Victoria

James Bates 1/16/10 vs. Utah

PITTON' IT IN GEAR

Thunder goaltender Bryan Pitton, who returned this week from his third recall of the season to the Edmonton Oilers of the NHL, became the third goaltender in Thunder history to be named Reebok Hockey ECHL Goaltender of the Week (Jan. 21-27) on Dec. 29 and followed up last week by finishing runner-up for the weekly award. Pitton is 7-1-2 with two overtime wins in his last ten games. On Saturday, Jan. 2, Pitton suited up for Edmonton, who were in San Jose.

THUNDER ALL-TIME ECHL GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK SELECTIONS

Date Awarded

1. Jake Moreland January 31, 2006

2. Andrew Perugini March 3, 2009

3. Bryan Pitton December 29, 2009

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