Game Preview: Stockton Thunder Vs. Alaska Aces

Published on January 31, 2010 under ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


The Thunder squares off against the Alaska Aces to end the 11-game homestand today, the final meeting between both teams at Stockton Arena this season. This season, the Thunder is 4-0-3 against Alaska and three of four games between the teams have headed into overtime or a shootout at Stockton Arena. The Thunder all-time time record is 17-13-8 against the Aces while going unbeaten in regulation for the last 13 games (10-0-3) against Alaska, dating back to 2007-08. The last time both teams met, the Thunder defeated the Aces, 4-3 at Stockton Arena on Jan. 23. Stockton is currently 5-1-4 on the homestand, fourth place in the National Conference and second in the Pacific Division.

LAST 3 THUNDER GAMES

VIC 1 - STK 0 (SO) (1/30/10): Goaltender Bryan Pitton earned his first career shutout on 34 saves through overtime, but was outdueled by counterpart Glenn Fisher as the Victoria Salmon Kings escaped with a shootout win, 1-0 over the Thunder before a crowd of 9,158 at Stockton Arena on Saturday night. The Thunder, who collected thousands of teddy bears and other stuffed animals that were thrown onto the ice surface immediately following the game's conclusion as part of its annual "Teddy Bear Toss" game, staged a dramatic goaltending duel that went into 16 rounds of a shootout, a Thunder record that finished five rounds off the ECHL record (21, Birmingham at Hampton Roads, 1992-93).

STK 7 - VIC 1 (1/29/10): Veteran J.F. Caudron broke a team record with five assists and tied another with five points, while Igor Gongalsky enjoyed a career-high four-point effort (3g-1a) and the second hat trick of his career to help the Thunder crush the Victoria Salmon Kings in a 7-1 victory before 5,758 fans at Stockton Arena on Friday. The Thunder, who tied their season high seven-goal output for the second straight game, stayed in a fourth place tie with the Alaska Aces in the National Conference and improved to 5-1-1 in the last seven games. The line of Caudron, Gongalsky and Colin Hemingway combined for 12 points (5g-7a) while goaltender Bryan Pitton stopped 39 shots for the victory. Hemingway also scored a pair of goals and James Bates and Matt Robinson chipped in with a goal each.

STK 7 - VIC 3 (1/27/10): All-Star center Chris D'Alvise scored a pair of goals, Matt Robinson tied a season-high three point (1g-2a) effort and the Thunder scored a season-high seven goals, cruising to a 7-3 victory over the Victoria Salmon Kings at Stockton Arena on Wednesday. The Thunder, who beat Victoria in regulation at home for the first time in 15 games (dating back to 2005-06), climbed to fourth place in the National Conference with the victory and improved to 4-1-3 on a club record 11-game homestand. The Thunder were also helped out by a goal each from James Bates, J.F. Caudron, Bryan Young and Igor Gongalsky. Victoria, who never led in the game, were aided by the second hat trick of the year from Wes Goldie.

THUNDER CROWDS ROLLING IN

The Thunder ranks third in the ECHL in attendance with an average of 5,883 fans per game and is vying to tie a league record by leading the league in attendance for five straight seasons. Last night, the Thunder drew a 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).

THE COMFORTS OF HOME

Since Dec. 4, the Thunder have seized momentum with home-ice advantage, ripping off a record of 8-1-4 in a 13-game span which also included a nine-game unbeaten streak in regulation at Stockton Arena (6-0-3) that ended in a 5-2 defeat to Bakersfield on Jan. 24. On Wednesday, the Thunder defeated Victoria, 7-3 to achieve a season-high in goals scored (7) and tied the mark two nights later in a 7-1 victory over the Salmon Kings.

MARK IT DOWN

Numerous career-highs and Thunder single-game marks fell in a 7-1 win over Victoria on Friday:

J.F. Caudron (5 assists - career-high, Thunder record)

J.F. Caudron (5 points - tied career-high, tied Thunder record)

*Igor Gongalsky (4 points - career-high) Seven goals (Thunder tied season-high)

* Shared with James Bates (2009-10) and Brock Radunske (2006-07)

ALL-STAR IS SHINING

Rookie center Chris D'Alvise, who had an assist representing the Thunder at the 2010 ECHL All-Star Game, recently had a career-high eight-game scoring streak with eight points (4g-4a) in that span. After being shutout Sunday, D'Alvise responded with two goals vs. Victoria on Wednesday and added an assist on Friday. D'Alvise leads the Thunder with 17 goals and leads Thunder rookies with 30 points in 39 games this season.

HATS OFF TO YOU

On Jan. 29, Igor Gongalsky became the seventh player in Thunder history to record a hat trick (second in his career) in a 7-1 victory over Victoria. That feat followed James Bates' four-goal effort on Jan. 16 vs. Utah when he set a new single-game club record with four goals against the Utah Grizzlies in a 6-4 win at Stockton Arena.

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

James Bates 1/16/10 vs. Utah

Igor Gongalsky 1/29/10 vs. Victoria

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 7-1-3 with two overtime wins in his last 11 games. On Saturday, Jan. 2, Pitton suited up for Edmonton, who were in San Jose. Last night, Pitton stopped 34 shots through overtime to earn his first career shutout as a pro, in a 1-0 shootout loss to Victoria and stopped 14 of 16 shooters in the shootout. His.921 save percentage is tied for second in the ECHL.

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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