Game Preview: Stockton Thunder Vs. Alaska Aces

Published on January 23, 2010 under ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


The Thunder continues a club record 11-game homestand tonight, currently 2-0-3 on the stretch, against the Alaska Aces in back-to-back games on Friday and Saturday. The Thunder is tied for second place in the Pacific Division and sixth in the National Conference, just three points behind Alaska with two games in-hand. The Thunder all-time time record is 16-13-8 against the Aces while going unbeaten in regulation for the last 12 games (9-0-3) against Alaska. The last time both teams met, the Aces defeated the Thunder in a shootout, 2-1 on Jan. 22 at Stockton Arena.

LAST 3 THUNDER GAMES

AK 2 - STK 1 (SO) (1/22/10): Goaltender Frank Doyle made 42 saves for his sixth straight win and made all four saves in a shootout, helping the Alaska Aces send the Thunder to a 2-1 shootout loss before 5,160 fans at Stockton Arena on Friday. The Thunder, who improved their run to 5-0-3 in the last eight home games, remain tied for sixth in the National Conference with the Las Vegas Wranglers and gained a point with the help of goaltender Andrew Perugini's 26 saves. Chris D'Alvise scored a power-play goal for the Thunder and Alaska received a first period marker from T.J. Fast.

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.

ALL IN THE SUIT THAT YOU WEAR

Tonight marks the finale of 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 tonight'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 last night - 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. He guided the Aces to the Kelly Cup Finals last season. Pavli, acquired for future considerations, had previously 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 is second in the ECHL in attendance with an average of 5,896 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).

ALL-STAR IS SHINING

Rookie center Chris D'Alvise, who had an assist representing the Thunder at the 2010 ECHL All-Star Game, is on a seven-game scoring streak with seven points (4g-3a) in that span. D'Alvise leads Thunder rookies with 14 goals (tied for the team lead) and 26 points in 35 games this season.

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

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ECHL Stories from January 23, 2010


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