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Game Preview: Stockton Thunder Vs. Alaska Aces

January 29, 2012 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


DATE: Sunday, January 29, 2012

TIME: 4:00 p.m.

SITE: Stockton Arena

RADIO: 1280 AM KWSX/StocktonThunder.com (AmericaOne)/92.5 FM (in-house feed)

NHL AFFILIATES

Stockton Thunder: Edmonton Oilers, San Jose Sharks

Alaska Aces: St. Louis Blues

HOME GAME PROMOTIONAL NOTES

Tonight's Promotion: FAMILY DAY (presented by Sutter Gould Medical Foundation)

National Anthem Singer: One Up Smooth Jazz

Public Address Announcer: Mike McKnight

In-Arena Emcee: Jungle Jim

NEXT HOME GAME

Friday, Feb. 3 vs. Idaho Steelheads, 7:30 p.m.

HOCKEY WITH HEART (presented BloodSource, American Heart Association, Wells Fargo, Crystal Dairy, StoneCreek Village, KAT Country 103, KWIN and KHOP 95.1)

TONIGHT'S MATCHUP

The Thunder hosts the defending Kelly Cup champion Alaska Aces for a three game series to be played in three straight days, concluding today at Stockton Arena. The Thunder is 23-24-14 all time against the Aces and today's game marks the seventh game of ten this season between both teams. The Thunder defeated Alaska, 4-1 last evening at Stockton Arena. The series will feature two of the league's top three goal scorers in the last five years - Kevin Baker (Stockton) and Wes Goldie (Alaska). Today's game continues a string where the Thunder plays at home for five of six games. Stockton is 5-1-1 at home since Dec. 30.

SEASON SERIES (Thunder: 2-4-0)

Wed. Nov. 23 Alaska 4 at Stockton 1

Thur. Jan. 12 Stockton 0 at Alaska 3

Fri. Jan. 13 Stockton 1 at Alaska 3

Sat. Jan. 14 Stockton 2 at Alaska 4

Fri. Jan. 27 Alaska 3 at Stockton 6

Sat. Jan. 28 Alaska 1 at Stockton 4

Sun. Jan. 29 Alaska 4:00 p.m.

Fri. Mar. 2 Alaska 7:30 p.m.

Sat. Mar.3 Alaska 7:30 p.m.

Sun. Mar. 4 Alaska 4:00 p.m.

LAST THREE GAMES:

STK 4 - AK 1 (1/28/12): Goaltender Olivier Roy made 29 saves to headline a wire to wire effort by the Stockton Thunder (20-18-4, 44 points), who dispatched the Alaska Aces in a 4-1 victory before 7,613 fans at Stockton Arena on Saturday night. The Thunder improved to 5-1-1 in the last seven home games and outshot Alaska, 39-30. Behind a balanced attack that featured ten different players registering points on the scoresheet, the Thunder has combined to score ten goals in the last two games against Alaska, who came into the game leading the ECHL in fewest goals allowed per game (2.1). Milan Kytnar bagged the eventual game winning goal in the second period.

STK 6 - AK 3 (1/27/12): Veterans Kevin Baker (2g-1a) and Matt Foy (1g-2a) each scored three points while goaltender Alex Stalock made 24 saves to lift the Stockton Thunder (19-18-4, 42 points) to a 6-3 victory over the Alaska Aces before 5,829 fans at Stockton Arena on Friday night. The Thunder improved to 4-2-0 in the last six games and halted a six game losing skid to Alaska, dating back to last season. In his return to the lineup, Milan Kytnar earned two assists while Chris D'Alvise collected an assist in his season debut. Matt Reber scored a goal and Max Campbell collected two points (1g-1a) in their home debut with the Thunder.

STK 0 - IDH 1 (1/25/12): Jerry Kuhn turned away all 36 shots he faced for his third shutout of the season, outdueling Olivier Roy and helping the Idaho Steelheads send the Stockton Thunder (18-18-4, 40 points) to a 1-0 defeat at Century Link Arena on Wednesday. The Thunder, playing their fifth game in six days, settled for a two game series split in spite of Roy's 30 saves, including 16 in the third period. Kuhn kept the Thunder at bay with a series of close range saves including a dramatic game-saving stop on Kevin Baker at the right post with 15 seconds left in regulation. Matt Case's second period goal stood as the game winner.

UPCOMING MILESTONES

- Matt Thomas is 9 wins away from 300 in his professional coaching career

- Kevin Baker is 19 goals away from 200 in his professional career

- Matt Foy is 10 points away from 200 in his professional career

- Chris D'Alvise is 14 points away from 100 in his Thunder career

NOTE OF THE NIGHT

This season, the Thunder has boasted a record of 12-6-2 when playing in the second game of a "back to back" or in a "three game in three day" scenario. The last Thunder win in that situation came last night, when they defeated Alaska, 4-1 at Stockton Arena.

THUNDER BOOMING AGAIN

In the last seven games, the Thunder have blasted through with 29 goals, including seven in a 7-5 victory over Las Vegas on Jan. 21 where they poured on a season high 43 shots on goal. In the game, the Thunder came within two goals of tying a Thunder record of nine goals set in one game (Dec. 10 vs. Bakersfield). Last night, they put together a 39 shot effort on the Aces and have scored 10 goals in the last two games against Alaska.

GOAL ORIENTED

Thunder right winger Kevin Baker was signed as a free agent on Aug. 24 and brings a wealth of offensive accomplishments to the Thunder roster. He was named ECHL Most Valuable Player in 2008-09 and his 57 goals that season were most in the league since 2000-01. He ranks third in ECHL all-time goal scoring (since 2006-07) with 169 goals. On Dec. 10 vs. Bakersfield, he collected his first hat trick of the season.

MOST GOALS, ECHL (SINCE 2006-07)

Rank Player Team GP PTS G A +/-

1 Wes Goldie AK 446 441 266 175 5

2 Mark Derlago IDH 281 340 174 166 41

3 Kevin Baker STK 308 342 169 173 14

4 Marty Flichel IDH 382 358 131 227 -8

5 Chad Painchaud CHI 334 315 131 184 -17

** Statistics include regular season and playoffs

CHRIS CONTROL

Chris D'Alvise enters the game ranking fourth on the Thunder's all time scoring chart with 86 points. He was named Thunder Rookie of the Year in 2009-10 and has collected four hat tricks in less than two full seasons in the ECHL. Below is where D'Alvise ranks on the Thunder all time scoring list:

ALL TIME THUNDER SCORING

Player PTS

1. Mike Lalonde 156

2. Nathan Martz 122

3. James Bates 121

4. Chris D'Alvise 86

5. Ryan Huddy 73

HUNTING DOWN A MILESTONE

Thunder left winger Garet Hunt has surpassed Mark Adamek as the club's career leader in games played. Hunt is in his fourth season as a member of the Thunder and last season, was named the team's "Unsung Hero" and "Fan Favorite." This season, he was named alternate captain on Oct. 13. He played in his 200th career game with the Thunder on Dec. 16 vs. Idaho.

ALL-TIME THUNDER GAMES PLAYED

Player GP

1. Garet Hunt 213

2. Mark Adamek 186

3. Adam Huxley 183

4. Mike Lalonde 182

5. Daryl Marcoux 166

THUNDER CROWDS ROLL IN

An exclusive club, the Thunder averaged over 6,000 fans per game and drew over 200,000 fans for the sixth straight year in 2010-11, ranking second in ECHL in attendance with 6,382 fans per game. A whopping crowd of 9,482 piled into Stockton Arena on Jan. 22 for the "Teddy Bear Toss" game, the largest crowd at Stockton Arena for the season and the fourth crowd over 9,000 in the event's history. Stockton has 17 sellouts in the team's franchise history. They welcomed 12 crowds of 7,000 or more at Stockton Arena last season and had its highest attendance since 2007-08, a six percent increase from 2009-10.

The Thunder is second in ECHL attendance with an average of 5,804 fans per game.

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