Game Preview: Stockton Thunder Vs. Idaho Steelheads

Published on January 18, 2009 under ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


STOCKTON THUNDER vs. IDAHO STEELHEADS

January 18, 2009 - Stockton Arena

FACEOFF: 4:00 p.m.

RADIO: 1420 KSTN

INTERNET: www.StocktonThunder.com (B2 Networks)

2008-09 HEAD-TO-HEAD SERIES

11/19/08 Stockton 2 at Idaho 3 (OT)

11/21/08 Stockton 7 at Idaho 3

11/22/08 Stockton 1 at Idaho 3

1/17/09 Idaho 3 at Stockton 4

1/18/09 Idaho 4:00 p.m.

2/9/09 Idaho 7:00 p.m.

2/27/09 Idaho 7:30 p.m.

2/28/09 Idaho 7:30 p.m.

3/1/09 Idaho 4:00 p.m.

MILESTONE TRACKER

o Kenny MacAulay is 2 games away from 100 in his professional career

o Ryan MacMurchy is 1 game away from 100 in his professional career

o Matt O'Dette is 14 points away from 100 and 14 PIM's away from 900 in his ECHL career

o Damian Surma is 7 assists away from 100 in his pro career

TONIGHT'S MATCHUP

The Stockton Thunder and Idaho Steelheads meet for the fifth time this season on Sunday, marking the fifth of nine matchups against the Steelheads and the second this season at Stockton Arena. The Thunder is 12-14-2 lifetime against the Steelheads and is 2-1-1 this season. Tonight's game is the last before the 2009 ECHL All-Star break. Under Head Coach Matt Thomas, the Thunder are 6-0-1 since Dec. 31.

LAST THREE THUNDER GAMES

1/17/09 - IDA 3 AT STK 4: Igor Gongalsky scored a pair of goals and goaltender Andrew Perugini made 27 saves to lift the Stockton Thunder (16-17-5, 37 points) to their sixth straight victory, 4-3 over the Idaho Steelheads on "Teddy Bear Toss Night," before a crowd of 7,884 at Stockton Arena on Saturday night. Gongalsky was aided by goals from Mike Lalonde and Ryan Huddy, who increased his goal-scoring streak to five consecutive games. Idaho received goals from Marty Flichel, Darrell Hay and Mark Bomersback, who fell for the third time in five games. Stockton improved to 6-0-1 in its first seven games under Head Coach Matt Thomas. Gongalsky's first period goal triggered the Stockton Arena crowd to shower the ice with stuffed animals, to be donated to the United Way of San Joaquin County. In the past three years of the event hosted by the Thunder, there have been 11,000 stuffed animals donated for the cause.

1/16/09 - LV 2 at STK 7: The first line of Ryan Huddy, Mike Lalonde and James Bates combined for 10 points and six goals, helping turn a four-goal first period into a Stockton Thunder (15-17-5, 35 points) 7-2 rout of the Las Vegas Wranglers before a crowd of 6,902 at Stockton Arena on Friday night. The win, which opened a six-game homestand for the Thunder and increased their winning streak to five games, tied a team record for most goals in one game (7) at home. Lalonde's four points (2g-2a) tied his single-game career-high and Bates posted the first multi-goal game of his career. Huddy pitched in with two goals of his own and Damian Surma contributed with a third period power-play goal. It also made head coach Matt Thomas a winner in his Stockton Arena coaching debut, putting the Thunder at a 5-0-1 record since he took over as Thunder head coach.

1/8/09 - STK 8 at PHX 2: Veteran Cory Urquhart notched his first hat trick of the season and the fourth in Stockton Thunder (14-17-5, 31 points) history, helping throttle the Phoenix RoadRunners in an 8-2 victory before 2,244 at U.S. Airways Center on Thursday night. The Thunder, who won their season-high fourth game in a row and tied a club record for most goals in a game, finished their five-game road trip with a 4-0-1 record while rookie Judd Blackwater pitched in with a pair of goals. Goaltender Andrew Perugini made 29 saves for his first victory since Nov. 21, breaking a personal six-game winless skid.

CROWDING OUT THE ECHL

The Thunder leads the ECHL in attendance with an average of 6,972 through 12 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. It 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.

ALUMNI UPDATE: TROY BODIE MAKES NHL DEBUT

Right wing Troy Bodie, who played in 46 games for the Stockton Thunder in 2006-07, made his National Hockey League debut with the Anaheim Ducks Friday night against the Pittsburgh Penguins, becoming the fourth former Thunder player to play in the NHL. Originally selected by the Edmonton Oilers in the ninth round (278th overall) in 2003 National Hockey League Entry Draft and in his third full season as a professional, Bodie skated in 46 games for the Thunder in 2006-07, ranking second on the club with 21 goals while amassing 38 points (21g-17a) and 80 penalty minutes. Bodie added two assists in six Kelly Cup Playoff games and represented the Thunder in the 2007 ECHL All-Star Game in Boise, Idaho.

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 63 goals and ascended to the top perch as the Thunder all-time leading scorer with 131 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 63

2. Nathan Martz 29

Steve Slonina 29

3. Tim Verbeek 28

Ryan MacMurchy 28

POINTS

1. Mike Lalonde 131

2. Nathan Martz 122

3. Joel Irwin 68

4. Stephane Goulet 63

5. Ryan MacMurchy 55

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING "When you get into these kind of tight games, it's important to find a way to win them," Thunder coach Matt Thomas said. "That shows we're not going to quit, and we're not going to go away."

- Head Coach Matt Thomas on last night's 4-3 win, The Record, 1/9/08

"Yeah, I have to go back to the snow again," Thomas said with a laugh. "It's a tremendous honor to be voted in by your peers, and I do see the irony of going back as coach of the Thunder. It's interesting."

- Head Coach Matt Thomas on being named to coach the National Conference at the 2009 ECHL All-Star Game (second in his career, Atlantic City was his first with the game in Reading in 2005), The Record, 1/7/08

SHOOTING FOR THE ALL-STARS

Rookie forward Ryan Huddy was named to represent the Thunder at the 2009 ECHL All-Star Game in Reading, PA after leading the Thunder with 31 points (16g-15a) in 31 games. Huddy has 5 multi-goal games, ranks tied for third in ECHL rookie scoring (leading the Thunder and tied for 11th overall in ECHL) and for his efforts in the week of Nov. 23, garnered runner-up honors for ECHL Player of the Week and ECHL Rookie of the Month (November).

Defenseman Kenny MacAulay, who was named alternate captain on Thursday, earned his second consecutive selection to the National Conference team, ranking tied for seventh in scoring among all ECHL defensemen with 19 points (3g-16a) in just 30 games at the time of his selection. MacAulay represented Fresno last season for the 2008 ECHL All-Star Game at the Thunder's home venue, Stockton Arena.

Thunder head coach Matt Thomas was selected to join the National Conference coaching staff at the All-Star Game, the second honor of his career. Ironically, his first All-Star trip was to Reading in 2005, when he was a coach that represented the Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies.

A late selection and the fourth member of the Thunder to head to Reading, Cory Urquhart is second on the Thunder with 32 points (15g-17a) in 30 games, additionally posting 24 penalty minutes this season. Urquhart is currently on recall to Springfield of the AHL and was named In Glas Co ECHL Player of the Week on Jan. 14 after scoring five goals and six points (5g-1a) to help the Thunder post two road wins at Phoenix on Jan. 6 and Jan. 8.

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



ECHL Stories from January 18, 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.

OurSports Central