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Game Preview: Stockton Thunder Vs. Bakersfield Condors

March 21, 2009 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


March 21, 2009 - Stockton Arena

FACEOFF: 7:30 p.m.

RADIO: 1420 KSTN

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 6 at Stockton 3

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

TONIGHT'S MATCHUP

The Thunder continues a six-game homestand on Saturday against the Bakersfield Condors, finishing a stretch of three games in four nights for Stockton. It is the debut of new Thunder defenseman Tyler Kindle, who was signed as a free agent yesterday. It will be fourth and final meeting at Stockton Arena between both teams this season. It is also the finale of seven games against the Condors and in the last meeting, the Condors defeated the Thunder 6-3 on Feb. 13 at Stockton Arena. Stockton carries at lifetime record of 11-13-7 against Bakersfield and is 1-5-0 against the Condors this year.

GARET HUNT BOBBLEHEAD NIGHT

Tonight the first 1,000 kids (ages 12 and under) in attendance are receiving a commemorative bobblehead of rookie left wing Garet Hunt. A player in a set of three bobbleheads given out separately this season (Thunder mascot "Thor" and veteran center Cory Urquhart were the others), Hunt is signed to an AHL contract with the Springfield Falcons and leads ECHL rookies with 230 penalty minutes in 56 games this season.

LAST THREE THUNDER GAMES

3/19/09 - UTA 5 at STK 1: Rookie and 2009 ECHL All-Star Tom May scored a career-high four goals, including a natural hat trick in the first period to help the Utah Grizzlies defeat the Stockton Thunder (30-30-5, 65 points), 5-1, before 4,164 fans at Stockton Arena on Thursday night. May scored the first three goals of the game in a span of 7:32, including one just seven seconds in which was a Thunder record for quickest goal scored by an opponent to begin a game. Veteran Damian Surma scored the only Thunder goal and Andy Sertich also scored for Utah in the third period.

3/18/09 - STK 3 at ONT 0: Goaltender Andrew Perugini turned aside all 34 shots he faced for the second shutout of his career, helping the Stockton Thunder (30-29-5, 65 points) blank the Ontario Reign in a 2-0 victory before 8,115 fans at Citizens Business Bank Arena on Wednesday. The Thunder, who scored twice on the power-play, received goal-scoring support from Craig Valette, Cleve Kinley and James Bates, who moved closer to clinching their third straight Kelly Cup Playoff berth. Ryan Huddy notched a career-high tying three assists.

3/8/08 - ONT 2 at STK 1: Rookie Bud Holloway broke a 1-1 tie with a game-winning goal at 9:33 of the third period and goaltender Jeff Zatkoff made 36 saves, helping the Pacific Division-leading Ontario Reign send the Stockton Thunder (29-29-5, 63 points) to a 2-1 defeat before 5,004 fans at Stockton Arena on Sunday. The Thunder, who now enter a nine-day layoff and finished 5-4-0 in a stretch of playing nine games in 12 days, received its only goal from Mark Adamek. Dale Reinhardt was also credited with a goal for Ontario, who beat the Thunder for the fourth time in as many games at Stockton Arena. Thunder rookie goaltender Andrew Perugini made 20 saves in the defeat.

HUDDY'S BROKEN RECORD

Ryan Huddy's 31 goals is a Thunder record - currently ranking tied for third among ECHL rookies - and he needs three more points to break the Thunder single-season scoring record. Joel Irwin set the standard with 68 points (25g-43a) in 68 games in 2005-06.

CROWDING OUT THE ECHL

Vying to lead the league in attendance for the fourth straight year, The Thunder leads the ECHL in attendance with an average of 6,155 through 31 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. The 2007-08 season 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.

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING

"Obviously, you hope all the teams you aren't competing directly with for a spot win, and you hope you get some favors. But we can't control that," Thomas said. "All we can control is to use the time to reorganize and restructure for the stretch run, and to work to get better."

- Head Coach Matt Thomas on the nine-day layoff, The Record, 3/10/09

"I think the break helped a bit. It was definitely good for my legs," Perugini said. "I think it helped everybody. We were very focused. We really had them stymied."

- Goaltender Andrew Perugini after a 3-0 shutout win at Ontario, following a 9-day layoff, The Record, 3/19/09

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 149 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 32

3. Ryan Huddy 31

4. Nathan Martz 29

Steve Slonina 29

POINTS

1. Mike Lalonde 149

2. Nathan Martz 122

3. Ryan MacMurchy 71

4. Joel Irwin 68

5. Ryan Huddy 66



ECHL Stories from March 21, 2009


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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