Game Preview: Stockton Thunder Vs. Bakersfield Condors

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


March 6, 2009 - Stockton Arena

FACEOFF: 7:30 p.m.

RADIO: None

INTERNET: www.StocktonThunder.com (B2 Networks)

2008-09 HEAD-TO-HEAD MATCHUP

10/22/08 Stockton 4 at Bakersfield 7

11/1/08 Stockton 8 at Bakersfield 3

11/16/08 Bakersfield 6 at Stockton 5

12/26/08 Stockton 3 at Bakersfield 7

2/14/09 Bakersfield 5 at Stockton 4

3/6/09 Bakersfield 7:30 p.m.

3/21/09 Bakersfield 7:30 p.m.

TONIGHT'S MATCHUP

The Thunder continues a stretch of playing nine games in 11 days with a Friday contest against the Bakersfield Condors, starting a three-game homestand. It will be the third meeting at Stockton Arena between both teams this season. It is the sixth of seven games against the Condors for the 2008-09 season and in the last meeting, the Condors defeated the Thunder 5-4 on Feb. 14 at Rabobank Arena. Stockton carries at lifetime record of 11-12-7 against Bakersfield and is 1-4-0 against the Condors this year. Friday's game starts the Thunder's "Easy Being Green" campaign, presented by Port of Stockton California which includes a host of eco-friendly events and promotions surrounding home games on Friday and Saturday.

IT'S EASY BEING GREEN

Tonight's edition of Stockton Thunder game notes are printed on recycled paper, part of a host of events helping cuminate "Easy Being Green" presented by Port of Stockton California The entire two-day event, culminates the season-long eco-friendly awareness campaign with a hockey twist which aims to educate hockey fans on how they can do their part to preserve the environment. Before both games, the Thunder will host a "Green Fair" in Stockton Arena's North Conference Center starting at 5:30 p.m. while all fans are asked to exchanged used cell phones for a free gift.

Each family will also receive a free plant or tree sapling (courtesy of San Joaquin Delta College - Horticulture Program)- and water conservation garden nozzles and shower heads (courtesy of California Water Service Company) as they exit the Arena following the gamedollars of each group and individual ticket sold for the two games and a portion of proceeds from the pre-game "Green Fair" will be awarded to an eco-friendly local business for donation to the charity of their choice.

LAST THREE THUNDER GAMES

3/4/09 - STK 5 at PHX 3: Rookie Ryan Huddy became the first player in Stockton Thunder (27-26-5, 61 points) history to hit the 30-goal plateau by scoring a pair of goals while veteran Cory Urquhart scored a goal and added two assists to help the Thunder rally with three goals in the third period and sink the Phoenix RoadRunners in a 5-3 victory, before 2,186 fans at U.S. Airways Center on Wednesday. The Thunder surpassed the idle Las Vegas Wranglers for second place in the Pacific Division and were aided by Andrew Perugini's 21 saves in net, improving to 13-2-0 in his last 15 appearances. The first line of Urquhart, Huddy and James Bates combined for a whopping seven points (3g-4a) and a +11 rating. Huddy's 30th goal broke the Thunder single season goal-scoring record, previously set by teammate Mike Lalonde (29) in 2005-06.

3/3/09 - STK 3 at PHX 5: Rookie Mark O'Leary totaled a career-high two goals and an assist while Kyle Jones made 35 saves to help the Phoenix RoadRunners send the Stockton Thunder (27-27-5, 59 points) to their third consecutive road defeat, 5-3 before 2,010 fans at U.S. Airways Center at Tuesday night. O'Leary helped Phoenix defeat the Thunder for the first time this season at U.S. Airways Center, which was only the second defeat for the Thunder in the last 10 games in Arizona. James McEwan, John McNabb and Matt Burke also scored for Phoenix. The Thunder received a pair of goals by Ryan MacMurchy and a power-play goal by Mike Lalonde.

3/1/09 - IDA 1 at STK 2 (so): Goaltender Andrew Perugini won his 12th game in the last 14 appearances with a 39-save effort to guide the Stockton Thunder (27-26-5, 59 points) to a 2-1 comeback victory in a shootout over the Idaho Steelheads before 4,794 fans at Stockton Arena on Sunday. The Thunder went 3-1-0 on its four-game homestand and match last year's total of 59 points, who were aided by Ryan Huddy's power-play goal in the third period. Garrett Bembridge scored Idaho's only goal in regulation and netminder Rejean Beauchemin was held winless despite making 22 saves.

HUDDY, URQUHART GOAL-ORIENTED

Ryan Huddy's 30 goals lead the Thunder this season and ranks third in ECHL rookie goal-scoring. Huddy broke the Thunder single-season goal-scoring record on Mar. 4 at Phoenix (Mike Lalonde had 29 set in 2005-06). Veteran Cory Urquhart had a goal and two assists in the game which marked the 200th point of his professional career.

CROWDING OUT THE ECHL

The Thunder leads the ECHL in attendance with an average of 6,202 through 27 home games, has 13 sellouts in the team's franchise history and finished last year as the ECHL's attendance leader for the third consecutive season. It was the second straight year the Thunder surpassed the mark of 230,000 fans for one season. The Thunder's yearly attendance total finished at 239,337, an average of 6,648 fans per game. The Thunder became the first team since 2004-05 to lead the ECHL in attendance for three straight seasons (Florida led the ECHL in attendance for five straight seasons). Stockton's crowd of 9,737 on Nov. 8 against Victoria was the team's first sellout of the year.

STEP UP TO THE MIKE

Returning to the lineup this season is left wing Mike Lalonde, who is the Thunder all-time leading goal scorer with 71 goals and ascended to the top perch as the Thunder all-time leading scorer with 147 points, scoring the milestone point on a goal on Dec. 21 at Ontario. Selected as the first player in Thunder history to the ECHL All-Star Game (2006), Lalonde led the ECHL with 308 shots and paced the Thunder with 29 goals as a rookie in 2005-06. Lalonde spent last season with Tilburg of the Netherlands League, guiding his team to the Dutch Cup and scoring 92 points (43g-49a) in just 34 games.

Below is a look at Lalonde's placing on the Thunder career scoring charts:

GOALS:

1. Mike Lalonde 71

2. Ryan MacMurchy 31

3. Nathan Martz 29

Steve Slonina 29

5. Tim Verbeek 28

POINTS

1. Mike Lalonde 147

2. Nathan Martz 122

3. Ryan MacMurchy 69

4. Joel Irwin 68

5. Stephane Goulet 63

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