Game Preview: Stockton Thunder Vs. Colorado Eagles

Published on December 14, 2012 under ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


GAME PREVIEW: STOCKTON THUNDER vs. COLORADO EAGLES

DATE: Friday, December 14, 2012

TIME: 7:30 p.m.

SITE: Stockton Arena

RADIO: 1280 AM KWSX/StocktonThunder.com (AmericaOne) /92.5 FM (inside Stockton Arena)

NHL AFFILIATES

Stockton Thunder: Edmonton Oilers

Colorado Eagles: Winnipeg Jets

HOME GAME PROMOTIONAL NOTES

Tonight's Promotion: COATS FOR KIDS (presented by News10, KAT Country 103 and The Golden1 Credit Union)

National Anthem Singers: Vincent Shalvey Academy

Public Address Announcer: Mike McKnight

In-Arena Emcee: DJ Walker

NEXT HOME GAME

Saturday, Dec. 15 vs. Colorado Eagles (7:30 p.m.)

YOUTH INSULATED TUMBLER NIGHT (presented by EZ Network Systems, KHOP 95.1)

TONIGHT'S MATCHUP

Tonight marks the first game of the season between the Thunder and Colorado Eagles, who square off for the first time since the two teams met last season in the opening round of the Kelly Cup Playoffs. The Thunder swept Colorado 3-0 in a best of five series. The Thunder went 4-5-0 against Colorado last season and defeated the Eagles in the last regular season matchup, 6-2 at Budweiser Events Center on Mar. 7. Colorado comes off a 5-3 win over Las Vegas on Wednesday.

TONIGHT'S GUEST

The Stockton Thunder welcomes management staff from the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League to tonight's game, attended by Oilers goaltending coach Frederic Chabot.

2012-2013 Head to Head Schedule: (0-0-0)

Fri. Dec. 14 Colorado 7:30 p.m.

Sat. Dec. 15 Colorado 7:30 p.m.

Sat. Jan. 5 Colorado 7:30 p.m.

Wed. Jan. 9 at Colorado 6:05 p.m.

Fri. Jan. 11 at Colorado 6:05 p.m.

Sat. Jan. 12 at Colorado 6:05 p.m.

NOTE OF THE NIGHT

The Thunder is 6-0-2 when leading after one period this season.

LAST THREE GAMES:

SF 4 - STK 3 (OT) (12/13/12): Peter Sivak's power play goal, just 1:13 into sudden death overtime, helped the San Francisco Bulls send the Stockton Thunder (13-6-5, 31 points) to a 4-3 overtime defeat before 2,549 fans at the Cow Palace on Thursday. The Thunder, who squandered a pair of one goal leads in the third period, garnered a point in for the fifth time in the last six games. Thomas Heemskerk earned the win for the Bulls with 33 stops.

BAK 4 - STK 1 (12/9/12): Scott Greenham made 44 saves, including 18 in the third period to help the Bakersfield Condors send the Stockton Thunder (13-6-4, 30 points) to a 4-1 defeat at Rabobank Arena on Sunday. The Thunder saw its five game unbeaten streak (regulation) snapped with the loss and fell to three points behind the Ontario Reign for first place in the Pacific Division.

LV 4 - STK 3 (SO) (12/8/12): Yannick Riendeau had two assists and goaltender Cody Reichard made 39 saves for the Stockton Thunder (13-5-4, 30 points), who settled for a 4-3 shootout loss to the Las Vegas Wranglers at Orleans Arena on Saturday. Justin Maylan helped force overtime with a late third period goal, but Las Vegas held on with Mitch O'Keefe's 41 saves including four additional stops in the shootout. Chris Francis led the Las Vegas offense with a pair of goals.

JUSTIN TIME

Center Justin Maylan leads all Thunder rookies with 24 points in 22 games this season (2nd, ECHL rookies) and has collected 11 points in the last 12 games. Maylan has also posted seven multi point games and posted a pair of assists last night at San Francisco.

ROLLING IN THE (RIEN)DEAU

Forward Yannick Riendeau has points in five of the last seven games and has posted six multi point games this season. He is tied with Justin Maylan for the team lead in assists (15).

DO YOU KNOW THE WAY TO SAN JOSE?

The Thunder announced on Dec. 4 that it will play in a game on Monday, Dec. 17 (7:30 p.m.) at HP Pavilion at San Jose (home of the San Jose Sharks since 1993) against the San Francisco Bulls. It will be the first game in Thunder history to be played on a current NHL ice surface. The game will be played before a sold out crowd and p arking is free on a first-come, first-served basis in the HP Pavilion-controlled parking lots. A "Toys for Tots" toy drive will also be hosted at the North and South Entrances of the arena.

PLAYING THE REICHARD

Thunder goaltender Cody Reichard earned his first career shutout last week against Las Vegas and became the 11th goaltender in Thunder history to earn the ECHL Goaltender of the Week award. Reichard was awarded the honor on Dec. 11 after he posted a record of 2-0-1, a 2.30 goals-against average and a .966 save percentage for the week of Dec. 3-9.

AN OFFENSE DRESSED TO THE NINES

The Thunder tied a club record for most goals in a game (9) on Nov. 12 in a 9-6 victory at Utah, matching the record previously set on Dec. 10, 2011 against Bakersfield. The Thunder also notched a season high for most goals (5) in a period, accomplishing the feat in the second period at Maverik Center on Nov. 12. The Thunder is averaging 3.7 goals per game this season, ranking fifth in the ECHL.

THUNDER CROWDS ROLL IN

The Thunder has drawn over 200,000 fans for seven straight seasons to Stockton Arena, totaling over 1.5 million through the turnstiles since opening in 2005-06. There have been 17 sellouts at Stockton Arena in Thunder history and last season, there were seven crowds of 7,000 or more at Thunder home games. The Thunder drew a club record 244,085 fans to Stockton Arena in 2006-07. Last season, the Thunder ranked third in ECHL attendance.

TOP FIVE THUNDER HOME CROWDS IN 2011-12

OPPONENT DATE ATTENDANCE

1. Alaska 3/3/12 9,398

2. Bakersfield 3/24/12 9,323

3. Utah 11/5/11 9,012

4. Alaska 1/28/12 7,613

5. Utah 3/17/12 7,537

UPCOMING MILESTONES

- Ryan Constant is 5 assists away from 100 in his professional career

- Mike Little is 7 games away from 100 in his ECHL career

- Yannick Riendeau is 21 assists away from 100 in his professional career

COVERED WITH OIL

The Edmonton Oilers return as the NHL affiliate of the Thunder for the seventh straight season, helping advance eight players from the Thunder onto playing in the National Hockey League. The Thunder has also never missed the playoffs since first connecting with the Oilers in 2006-07. Edmonton has won five Stanley Cup championships and sent seven players onto induction in the Hockey Hall of Fame. Among the players assigned to Stockton, beginning this season, was LW Philippe Cornet, who made his NHL debut with Edmonton and led the AHL affiliate Oklahoma City Barons with 24 goals last season.

OH CAPTAIN MY CAPTAIN

Garet Hunt was named the sixth captain in Thunder history on Oct. 12, taking the "C" for the first time in his career for full-time duty. Hunt served as an alternate captain for the Thunder last season and has helped guide the team to the playoffs for four straight seasons since his 2008-09 rookie campaign. Hunt is the Thunder all time leader with 268 games played.

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