Game Preview: Stockton Thunder Vs. Idaho Steelheads

February 27, 2009 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


February 27, 2009 - Stockton Arena

FACEOFF: 7:30 p.m.

RADIO: 1420 KSTN

INTERNET: www.StocktonThunder.com (B2 Networks)

2008-09 HEAD-TO-HEAD MATCHUP

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 3 at Stockton 4 (OT)

2/9/09 Idaho 6 at Stockton 1

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

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

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

TONIGHT'S MATCHUP

The Stockton Thunder and Idaho Steelheads meet for the final three times of the year this weekend, marking the final of nine matchups between both teams. The Thunder is 13-15-2 lifetime against the Steelheads and is 3-2-1 this season. Both teams last met on Feb. 9 and the Steelheads defeated the Thunder 6-1 in Stockton. Tonight's game begins a stretch of three games in three nights for both teams. By the end of Sunday, both teams will have played four games in five days.

LAST THREE THUNDER GAMES

2/25/09 - LV 2 at STK 3: Rookie goaltender Andrew Perugini made 26 saves to help the Stockton Thunder break a four-game losing skid, defeating the Las Vegas Wranglers 3-2 before a crowd of 3,635 at Stockton Arena on Wednesday night. David Rohlfs, Damian Surma and Cory Urquhart each scored for the Thunder while Ryan MacMurchy paced the offense with two assists. In his first game back from the American Hockey League, Igor Gongalsky tallied an assist. Las Vegas was aided offensively by goals from veteran Peter Ferraro and Tim Spencer. Las Vegas goaltender Glenn Fisher, on loan from the AHL's Springfield Falcons and who was a Thunder goaltender in 2007-08, made his first return to Stockton Arena since March 2007 and took the loss with 33 saves.

2/21/09 - STK 1 at UTA 2: Peter Mannino made 40 saves and Rob Hennigar tallied a goal and an assist to help the Utah Grizzlies edge the Stockton Thunder, 2-1 before a crowd of 4,834 at The E-Center on Saturday night. Damian Surma tallied the only Thunder goal in the third period while Utah's Tim Verbeek notched the game-winner on the power-play in the first period. Hennigar scored a shorthanded goal in the first period to send the Thunder to its fourth straight loss.

2/20/09 - STK 2 at UTA 5: Tom May scored a pair of goals to lead the Utah Grizzlies in a five-goal run in the first and second period, sending the Stockton Thunder (24-24-5, 53 points) to its third straight loss, 5-2 in front of a crowd of 6,231 at The E-Center on Friday. The game marked the debut of Thunder center Oren Eizenman, a 2008 ECHL All-Star who was signed by the Thunder as free agent on the same day. Eizenman tallied an assist while defensemen Matt O'Dette and Daryl Marcoux scored for Stockton. Utah, who scored four goals on six shots in the second period, were aided by goals from Tim Verbeek, Scott Thauwald and James Brannigan.

HUDDY IS GOAL-ORIENTED

Ryan Huddy's 27 goals lead the Thunder this season and ranks fourth in ECHL rookie goal-scoring. Huddy needs three goals to break Mike Lalonde's single-season record (29) set in 2005-06. Currently signed to an AHL contract with the Springfield Falcons, Huddy participated for the National Conference at the 2009 ECHL All-Star Game in Reading, PA.

CROWDING OUT THE ECHL

The Thunder leads the ECHL in attendance with an average of 6,160 through 24 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.

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 69 goals and ascended to the top perch as the Thunder all-time leading scorer with 145 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 69

2. Ryan MacMurchy 29

Nathan Martz 29

Steve Slonina 29

5. Tim Verbeek 28

POINTS

1. Mike Lalonde 145

2. Nathan Martz 122

3. Joel Irwin 68

4. Ryan MacMurchy 66

5. Stephane Goulet 63

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING

"Matt knows so much about the game, you just know you'll learn something from him," defenseman Darryl Marcoux said. "He has shown me what I need to do to be successful."

- Defenseman Daryl Marcoux on captain Matt O'Dette, The Record, 2/25/09

"We had a good week. A lot of guys got on the bike, hit the weights a little bit. They are building up strength and confidence."

- Left wing Mike Lalonde, The Record, 2/20/09



ECHL Stories from February 27, 2009


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