Game Preview: Stockton Thunder Vs. Fresno Falcons

March 15, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


FACEOFF: 7:30 p.m. PT

RADIO: 1420-AM KSTN

INTERNET: www.stocktonthunder.com (B2 Networks)

RECORDS:

Stockton Thunder (24-33-3, 51 pts) - 3rd, Pacific/7th National

Fresno Falcons (36-16-8, 80 pts) - 2nd, Pacific/2nd National

2007-08 HEAD-TO-HEAD SERIES

11/12/07 Fresno 4 at Stockton 1

12/27/07 Fresno 0 at Stockton 2

01/16/08 Fresno 1 at Stockton 2

01/27/08 Stockton 2 at Fresno 5

02/09/08 Stockton 1 at Fresno 4

02/18/08 Stockton 2 at Fresno 3

02/22/08 Stockton 3 at Fresno 2

03/14/08 Fresno 4 at Stockton 3

03/15/08 Fresno at Stockton

04/01/08 Stockton at Fresno

MILESTONE TRACKER

o Jason Beeman is 19 games away from 100 in his ECHL career

o Brian Lee is 7 games away from 200 in his professional career

o Lance Monych is 2 points away from 100 in his professional career

o Brandon Schwartz is 5 points away from 100 in his ECHL career

o Tim Verbeek is 14 games away from 400 in his professional career

TONIGHT'S MATCHUP

It is the 9th of 10 meetings between the Thunder and Fresno Falcons, facing each other in the second game of a back-to-back series from Stockton Arena. The Thunder is 6-17-3 all-time against Fresno and 3-5-0 in the season series. Before last night, the teams previously met on Mar. 14 with the Thunder taking a 3-2 win, the club's first all-time win at Save Mart Center. Both Brandon Schwartz (2g-3a) and David Rohlfs (1g-4a) have five points each to lead the Thunder in scoring for the head-to-head series.

TONIGHT'S GUEST

The Stockton Thunder welcomes staff from the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League to tonight's game, attended by Oilers Vice President of Hockey Operations Kevin Prendergast.

LAST GAME RECAP

Matt Stefanishion's goal with 8:06 left in regulation snapped a 3-3 tie and helped the Fresno Falcons send the Thudner to 4-3 loss before a crowd of 7,058 at Stockton Arena on Friday night. Rookie Fredrik Johansson led the Thunder with two points (1g-1a) for the second multi-point game of his career, while the Thunder added goals from Phil Cole, his first of the year, and a power-play goal by Tom Zanoski.

FIRST THING'S FIRST

Of the 23 wins the Thunder has accumulated this season, 22 have come when the Thunder scores the first goal of the game. The Thunder is 23-12-1 when scoring the first goal of the game. Lance Monych leads the Thunder with seven "first goals."

GET 'EM WHILE THEY LAST

Tonight is Brian Lee Bobblehead Doll Night, available to the first 1,000 kids (ages 12 and under) in attendance to tonight's game. Lee is the sixth Thunder player enshrined with a bobblehead doll in the last two seasons, joining goaltender Devan Dubnyk, left wing Mike Lalonde, left wing Adam Huxley, goaltender Cam Ellsworth and right wing Jesse Bennefield.

HI, MY NAME IS ...

Three separate players - forward Tyler Hirsch, center Les Reaney and defenseman David Robertson - are scheduled to make their debut in a Thunder uniform this weekend. Hirsch, who has seven multi-point games this year, was acquired in a trade with the Johnstown Chiefs on March 5, has 30 points (11g-19a) in 31 games with 38 penalty minutes this season and led the Minnesota Golden Gophers (NCAA) with a career-high 44 points (11g-33a) and 33 assists in 40 games as a 2004-05 junior, helping guide the program to a college National Championship as a 2002-03 freshman. Reaney was assigned to the Thunder from Springfield (AHL) after scoring 99 points (34g-65a) with 191 penalty minutes in 97 career college games at Niagara University (NCAA). Robertson is making his professional debut Friday after a four-year career at Brown University (NCAA), appearing in 120 games while scoring 41 points (10g-31a) and amassing 72 penalty minutes.

CROWING OUT THE ECHL

The Thunder drew 7,058 in last night's game against the Fresno Falcons to remain the league's leader in attendance with an average of 6,526 fans in 32 dates (208,841 total). The Thunder has 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.

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING

"He's a point-a-game guy; he's someone that can give us a boost," Cichocki said. "And he's good on the power play, which is certainly somewhere we need help."

- Head Coach Chris Cichocki, The Record, 3/6/08 on the addition of center Tyler Hirsch

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 44 points (27g-17a) and first in goal-scoring with 27 goals. Monych has 11 points (6g-5a) in his last 13 games.

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 four wins this season when trailing after two periods, including three 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

3/7 Idaho W, 3-2 Trailed 1-2 Zanoski

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, 2 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

3. MISSED - Lance Galbraith vs. Glenn Fisher vs. Idaho 3/7/08

ABOUT THE FALCONS

The Fresno Falcons are in their fifth season of ECHL play and independent of an NHL affiliate - previously, they were affiliated with the San Jose Sharks, who departed their partnership after the 2006-07 season. Fresno has qualified for the Kelly Cup Playoffs in the last two consecutive seasons, led by head coach Matt Thomas who produced a 34-29-9 record (77 points), garnering a seventh seed in last year's playoffs. Star forward Luke Curtin, a five-time ECHL All-Star selection, returns to Fresno for his third consecutive season after leading the Falcons in scoring for the last two years.



ECHL Stories from March 15, 2008


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