Game Preview: Stockton Thunder Vs. Idaho Steelheads

Published on October 29, 2011 under ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


GAME: Stockton Thunder vs. Idaho Steelheads

DATE: Saturday, October 29, 2011

TIME: 7:30 p.m.

SITE: Stockton Arena

RADIO: 1280 AM KWSX/StocktonThunder.com (AmericaOne)

NHL AFFILIATES

Stockton Thunder: Edmonton Oilers, San Jose Sharks

Idaho Steelheads: Dallas Stars

HOME GAME PROMOTIONAL NOTES

Tonight's Promotions:

NEWS10 COATS FOR KIDS (presented by AAA, and KAT Country 103)

SAFE TRICK OR TREATING WITH THE THUNDER

National Anthem Singer: Pamela Buck

Public Address Announcer: Mike McKnight

NEXT HOME GAME

Friday, Nov. 4 vs. Utah Grizzlies, 7:30 p.m.

THUNDER GOES PINK VI (presented by St. Joseph's Medical Center in association with BloodSource, Union Bank and Food-4-Less)

TONIGHT'S MATCHUP

The Stockton Thunder returns home tonight to begin a three game homestand, facing the Idaho Steelheads at Stockton Arena. It will be the first matchup this season between both teams and last season, the Thunder went 7-1-3 against Idaho. The last time both teams met was on Mar. 20, 2011 and Stockton defeated Idaho 4-0 at Stockton Arena. Historically, the Thunder is 24-26-6 against Idaho. Both teams will face each other 12 times this season, including seven games at Stockton Arena.

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 consultant Frederic Chabot.

SEASON SERIES (Thunder: 0-0-0)

Sat. Oct. 29 Idaho 7:30 p.m.

Fri. Dec. 16 Idaho 7:30 p.m.

Sat. Dec. 17 Idaho 7:30 p.m.

Tue. Jan. 24 at Idaho 6:10 p.m.

Wed. Jan. 25 at Idaho 6:10 p.m.

Fri. Feb. 3 Idaho 7:30 p.m.

Sat. Feb. 4 Idaho 7:30 p.m.

Fri. Feb. 17 Idaho 7:30 p.m.

Wed. Mar. 14 Idaho 7:00 p.m.

Wed. Mar. 28 at Idaho 6:10 p.m.

Fri. Mar. 30 at Idaho 6:10 p.m.

Sat. Mar. 31 at Idaho 6:10 p.m.

LAST THREE GAMES:

ONT 4 - STK 2 (10/28/11): Francois Brisebois, Steven Tarasuk and Matt Tassone each scored a goal and added an assist to help the Ontario Reign send the Stockton Thunder (1-3-1, 3 points) to a 4-2 defeat, before 4,458 fans at Citizens Business Bank Arena on Friday. Ontario never trailed in the game and scored three unanswered goals in all three periods. The Thunder, who dropped its first regulation loss at Ontario since the 2009-10 season (breaking a 5-0-2 streak), were helped out offensively by rookie forward Ian O'Connor, who had a pair of goals.

STK 5 - COL 4 (10/22/11): Matt Foy notched two goals, added an assist and goaltender Thomas Heemskerk won in his pro debut with 27 saves, helping the Stockton Thunder (1-2-1, 3 points) defeat the Colorado Eagles, 5-4, before a sellout crowd of 5,289 at the Budweiser Events Center on Saturday. The Thunder, who earned a split in the road series and their first win of the season, had additional goal scoring support from Gabriel Levesque (two points), Kevin Baker and Jordan Foreman. Colorado was handed their first ECHL home loss.

COL 3 - STK 1 (10/21/11): Jack Combs collected his second career ECHL hat trick and Kyle Jones provided 18 saves, enough for the Colorado Eagles to send the Stockton Thunder (0-2-1, 1 point) to a 3-1 defeat before a sellout crowd of 5,289 at the Budweiser Events Center on Friday. Kevin Baker scored the only Thunder goal - a second period power play goal that provided him with two goals in the last two games. Olivier Roy stopped 27 shots and was handed a record of 0-2-1 with the loss.

UPCOMING MILESTONES

- Matt Thomas is 28 wins away from 300 in his professional coaching career

- Matt Foy is 11 assists away from 100 in his professional career

- Garet Hunt is 7 games away from becoming the Thunder career leader in games played

ROSTER SERVES A TALL ORDER

A total of six players on the Thunder active roster measure at 6-foot-3 or taller: Jody Pederson (6-3), Colten Hayes (6-3), Sebastian Owuya (6-4), Ryan Martindale (6-3), Cameron Abney (6-5) and Matt Foy (6-3).

THUNDER CROWDS ROLL IN

An exclusive club, the Thunder averaged over 6,000 fans per game and drew over 200,000 fans for the sixth straight year in 2010-11, ranking second in ECHL in attendance with 6,382 fans per game. A whopping crowd of 9,482 piled into Stockton Arena on Jan. 22 for the "Teddy Bear Toss" game, the largest crowd at Stockton Arena for the season and the fourth crowd over 9,000 in the event's history. Stockton has 17 sellouts in the team's franchise history. They welcomed 12 crowds of 7,000 or more at Stockton Arena last season and had its highest attendance since 2007-08, a six percent increase from 2009-10.

TOP FIVE HOME CROWDS IN 2010-11

OPPONENT DATE ATTENDANCE

1. Ontario 1/22/11 9,482

2. Idaho 3/19/11 9,396 *

3. Bakersfield 11/6/10 9,015

T-4. Idaho 3/26/11 8,923*

Idaho 1/29/11 8,923*

* Denotes sellout

** Stockton Arena's base capacity for hockey is 8,923 and has capabilities of expansion to 9,737 with auxiliary seating.

GOAL ORIENTED

Thunder right winger Kevin Baker was signed as a free agent on Aug. 24 and brings a wealth of offensive accomplishments to the Thunder roster. He was named ECHL Most Valuable Player in 2008-09 and his 57 goals that season were most in the league since 2000-01. He ranks third in ECHL all-time goal scoring (since 2006-07) with 153 goals.

MOST GOALS, ECHL (SINCE 2006-07)

Rank Player Team GP PTS G A +/-

1 Wes Goldie AK 410 399 242 157 1

2 Mark Derlago IDH 281 340 174 166 41

3 Kevin Baker STK 271 310 153 157 21

4 Ryan Kinasewich UTA 205 292 131 161 -4

5 Marty Flichel IDH 375 350 128 222 -4

** Statistics include regular season and playoffs

ON THE HUNT

Thunder left winger Garet Hunt needs 7 games to surpass Mark Adamek as the club's career leader in games played. Hunt is in his fourth season as a member of the Thunder and last season, was named the team's "Unsung Hero" and "Fan Favorite." This season, he was named alternate captain on Oct. 13.

ALL-TIME THUNDER GAMES PLAYED

Player GP

1. Mark Adamek 186

2. Adam Huxley 183

3. Mike Lalonde 182

4. Garet Hunt 180

5. Daryl Marcoux 166

WELCOME TO THE SHOW

Two players, right winger Matt Foy and center Jason Morgan, have playing experience in the National Hockey League. Foy suited up for the Minnesota Wild from 2005-08 and Morgan has skated for five National Hockey League clubs (Los Angeles, Calgary, Minnesota, Nashville and Chicago). A total of 13 players are on the Thunder active roster who have skated in training camp or rookie camp with National Hockey League or American Hockey League teams this season: Cameron Brodie, Dan Ringwald, Bretton Cameron, Thomas Heemskerk, Gabriel Levesque, Brock Matheson, Ian O'Connor, Tony DeHart, Sebastian Owuya, Olivier Roy, Milan Kytnar, Ryan Martindale and Cameron Abney.

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