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


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