
Game Preview: Stockton Thunder Vs. Cincinnati Cyclones
March 1, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release
FACEOFF: 7:30 p.m. PT
RADIO: None
INTERNET: www.stocktonthunder.com (B2 Networks)
RECORDS:
Stockton Thunder (22-31-3, 47 points) - 3rd, Pacific/7th National Conf.
Cincinnati Cyclones (42-8-3, 87 points) - 1st, North/2nd American Conf.
HEAD-TO-HEAD SERIES
2006-07 Results: (0-2-0)
03/02/07 Cincinnati 6 at Stockton 2
03/03/07 Cincinnati 4 at Stockton 2
2007-08 Head-to-Head:
02/28/08 Cincinnati 5 at Stockton 0
03/01/08 Cincinnati at Stockton
MILESTONE TRACKER
o Jason Beeman is 22 games away from 100 in his ECHL career
o Brian Lee is 11 games away from 200 in his professional career
o Lance Monych is 4 points away from 100 in his professional career
o Brandon Schwartz is 9 points away from 100 in his ECHL career
o Tim Verbeek is 18 games away from 400 in his professional career
TONIGHT'S MATCHUP
One of the top teams in the American Conference makes a west coast visit as the Thunder and Cincinnati Cyclones face each other for the finale of a two-game regular season series tonight. Cincinnati carries an ECHL-record 17-game winning streak. The Thunder dropped a two-game series to Cincinnati last year at Stockton Arena and is facing the only American Conference opponent on its regular season schedule this season. The Thunder is 6-6-1 all-time versus American Conference teams.
LAST GAME RECAP
Goaltender Nathan Lawson made 30 saves as the Utah Grizzlies sent the Thunder to a 3-1 loss before a crowd of 8,822 at the Stockton Arena Friday night. Keith Johnson, Ryan Kinasewich and James Sanford scored first period goals for the Grizzlies, while rookie David Rohlfs netted his 14th goal of the season in the third period to break Lawson's shutout bid.
FIRST THING'S FIRST
Of the 22 wins the Thunder has accumulated this season, 21 have come when the Thunder scores the first goal of the game. The Thunder is 22-12-1 when scoring the first goal of the game. Lance Monych leads the Thunder with six "first goals."
SCHWARTZ'S FINE FEBRUARY
Center Brandon Schwartz led the Thunder with 13 points (5g-8a) in 14 games for the month of February. Schwartz's output mirrors the offensive output he produced in February last season for the Long Beach Ice Dogs, the best month of his 06-07 rookie campaign.
SCHWARTZ GP G A PTS
06-07 13 5 7 12
07-08 14 5 8 13
CROWING OUT THE ECHL
The Thunder drew 8,822 in last night's game against Utah to remain the league's leader in attendance with an average of 6,448 fans in 29 dates (186,983 total), drawing three sellouts (9,737) this season, the most recent coming a Saturday, February 16 game against Alaska. The Thunder is vying to become 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). The Thunder drew 244,085 fans to Stockton Arena in 2006-07 and drew the fifth largest crowd in ECHL All-Star Game history on January 23 with a total of 7,455 fans.
WHEELING AND DEALING
The Thunder brought back a familiar face with the acquisition of right wing Lance Monych from the Mississippi Sea Wolves in exchange for left wing Andy Contois last Wednesday. Last Friday, veteran center Joel Stepp was acquired from the Pensacola Ice Pilots in exchange for future considerations. Monych, who scored 21 points (11g-10a) with the Thunder as an assigned prospect from the NHL's Phoenix Coyotes in 2005-06, returned to the Thunder tied for eighth in the ECHL with 25 goals this season, standing as a career-high. Stepp, who helped guide the Gwinnett Gladiators to the Kelly Cup Finals in 2006, had career-high tying 54-point seasons in 2006-07 with Gwinnett and in 2005-06 with Gwinnett and Augusta.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING
"If you are getting traded, it's far better to go somewhere where you know what is expected of you. I know it's a good situation there, and I know Chris (Cichocki). It should be fun."
- Thunder right wing Lance Monych, The Record, 2/16/08
SIR LANCE-A-LOT SETS THE PACE
Lance Monych's arrival to the Thunder roster already puts him atop the team's scoring lead with 42 points (26g-16a) and first in goal-scoring with 26 goals, entering today's game tied for ninth in the ECHL for goals. Monych points in seven of his last nine games, scoring nine points (5g-4a) in that span.
IN THE NICK OF TIM
Goaltender Tim Boron has provided some of the most prolific goaltending in the Thunder's three-year history, recently breaking the single-season club record with three shutouts and made a career-high 50 saves against Las Vegas in a 1-0 win at Stockton Arena on January 20. Boron is tied for second in the ECHL with three shutouts.
IT AIN'T OVER TILL IT'S OVER ...
The Thunder has three wins this season when trailing after two periods, including two on home ice at Stockton Arena. Below is a look at the Thunder comeback wins when trailing through 40 minutes:
DATE OPPONENT W/L/T SCORE AFTER 2 GWG
11/28 @Utah W, 4-3 (so) Trailed 1-3 (team - shootout)
11/23 Alaska W, 4-3 Trailed 2-3 Micflikier
11/3 Idaho W, 3-2 Trailed 1-2 Schwartz
INSIDE THE NUMBERS - PENALTY SHOTS
Entering the 2007-08 season, the Thunder has made 1 penalty shot and missed 6 penalty shots, while opponents had made 0 penalty shots and missed 4 penalty shots. Below is a look at Thunder and opposing penalty shots for this season:
PENALTY SHOTS BY THUNDER - REGULAR SEASON 0 MADE, 1 MISSED
1. MISSED - Tom Zanoski vs. Michael Mole vs. Utah 2/6/08
PENALTY SHOTS VS. THUNDER - REGULAR SEASON
1 MADE, 1 MISSED
1. MADE - Bo Cheesman vs. Glenn Fisher vs. Alaska 11/21/07
2. MISSED - Gino Guyer vs. Tim Boron vs. Phoenix 1/26/08
ABOUT THE CYCLONES
The Cincinnati Cyclones returned from a two-year hiatus last season and are affiliated with the NHL's Montreal Canadiens and Nashville Predators, led by Head Coach Chuck Weber, who served behind the bench for the American Conference at the 2008 Chase Chevrolet ECHL All-Star Game in Stockton. Assistant Coach Dean Stork served as the inaugural captain in Thunder history during the 2005-06 season, retiring following the conclusion of the regular season. Cincinnati has already clinched a playoff spot with the league's second-best record and is led offensively by all-star center David Desharnais, who recently broke an ECHL record with a 20-game assist streak.
ECHL Stories from March 1, 2008
- Wranglers End Skid, Beat Salmon Kings 5-4 - Las Vegas Wranglers
- Flichel leads Idaho to victory over Condors - Bakersfield Condors
- Flichel's Seven Points Leads Steelheads To 8-3 Rout Of Condors - Idaho Steelheads
- Devils Hold Off Nailers 4-2 - Wheeling Nailers
- Royals Knocked Off By Chiefs, 5-3 - Reading Royals
- Royals Knocked Off By Chiefs, 5-3 - Reading Royals
- Beauchemin Sparks Bombers 3-1 Win In Elmira - Elmira Jackals
- Devils hammer Nailers, 4-2 - Trenton Devils
- Comeback Kids Do It Again; Ice Pilots WIN 3-2 in Shoot out - Pensacola Ice Pilots
- Close, but no cigar as Blades fall 3-2 in shootout to Pensacola - Florida Everblades
- Dayton Sweeps Weekend Series Over Elmira - Dayton Bombers
- Stingrays Tripped Up By Inferno 6-3 - South Carolina Stingrays
- Ryan Garlock Scores two in Chiefs' Win - Johnstown Chiefs
- Gladiators Drop 2-1 Decision to Wildcatters - Atlanta Gladiators
- ECHL Transactions - ECHL
- Jackson and Anderson Called up to AHL - Atlanta Gladiators
- Desbiens Assigned from Chicago - Atlanta Gladiators
- P.J. Atherton Activated From Injured Reserve - Reading Royals
- Condors sign defenseman Hanson - Bakersfield Condors
- Game Preview: Stockton Thunder Vs. Cincinnati Cyclones - Stockton Thunder
- Depleted Jackals Blue Line Gets Help - Elmira Jackals
- Baldwin Recalled By Flames - Las Vegas Wranglers
- Rays Host Columbia Tonight for Pink in the Rink Night - South Carolina Stingrays
- ECHL Today - ECHL
- Three first period goals victimizes Thunder, Rohlfs scores his 14th - Stockton Thunder
- Grizzlies Continue to Be Strong on the Road: Beat Stockton 3-1 - Utah Grizzlies
- Cyclones Extend Winning Streak To 17 Games - Cincinnati Cyclones
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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