Game Preview: Stockton Thunder Vs. Idaho Steelheads

Published on February 3, 2012 under ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


GAME PREVIEW: STOCKTON THUNDER vs. IDAHO STEELHEADS

DATE: Friday, February 3, 2012

TIME: 7:30 p.m.

SITE: Stockton Arena

RADIO: 1280 AM KWSX/StocktonThunder.com (AmericaOne)/92.5 FM (in-house feed)

NHL AFFILIATES

Stockton Thunder: Edmonton Oilers, San Jose Sharks

Idaho Steelheads: Dallas Stars

HOME GAME PROMOTIONAL NOTES

Tonight's Promotion: HOCKEY WITH HEART ( presented by BloodSource in association with Wells Fargo Foundation, Foster Farms Dairy featuring the Crystal Brand and StoneCreek Village )

National Anthem Singer: Manlio Silva Elementary

Public Address Announcer: Mike McKnight

In-Arena Emcee: DJ Walker

NEXT HOME GAME

Saturday, Feb. 4 vs. Idaho Steelheads, 7:30 p.m.

STAR WARS NIGHT

THOR SOAP DISPENSER (presented by Pepsi and KAT Country 103)

FAITH AND FAMILY NIGHT

TONIGHT'S MATCHUP

The Stockton Thunder hosts the Idaho Steelheads for a two game series at home starting Friday at Stockton Arena. The game marks the sixth matchup this season between both teams. The last time the teams met was Jan. 25 at Century Link Arena when Idaho defeated Stockton 1-0 to split a two game series in two days. Historically, the Thunder is 26-29-6 against Idaho.

SEASON SERIES (Thunder: 2-3-0)

Sat. Oct. 29 Idaho 3 at Stockton 4

Fri. Dec. 16 Idaho 6 at Stockton 2

Sat. Dec. 17 Idaho 5 at Stockton 4

Tue. Jan. 24 Stockton 4 at Idaho 1

Wed. Jan. 25 Stockton 0 at Idaho 1

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 TIME OUT:

STK 0 - IDH 1 (1/25/12): Jerry Kuhn turned away all 36 shots he faced for his third shutout of the season, outdueling Olivier Roy and helping the Idaho Steelheads send the Stockton Thunder (18-18-4, 40 points) to a 1-0 defeat at Century Link Arena. The Thunder, playing their fifth game in six days, settled for a two game series split in spite of Roy's 30 saves, including 16 in the third period. Kuhn kept the Thunder at bay with a series of close range saves including a dramatic game-saving stop on Kevin Baker at the right post with 15 seconds left in regulation. Matt Case's second period goal stood as the game winner.

LAST THREE GAMES:

STK 4 - BAK 1 (2/1/12): Goaltender Olivier Roy earned a career high 55 saves and Chris Doyle scored a pair of goals to lead a wire to wire effort by the Stockton Thunder (22-18-4, 48 points), dispatching the Bakersfield Condors in a 4-1 victory at Rabobank Arena on Wednesday. Roy came one save shy of Jake Moreland's all time Thunder single game save record, stopping all 38 shots he faced through two periods. The Thunder won their fourth game in a row - a season high - and jumped to one point back of Colorado for fourth place in the Western Conference.

STK 2 - AK 1 (1/29/12): Goaltender Alex Stalock made a season high 38 saves and Jordan Fulton broke a 1-1 tie on a game winning goal with 16:07 remaining in regulation to lift the Stockton Thunder (21-18-4, 46 points) to a 2-1 victory over the Alaska Aces at Stockton Arena on Sunday. The win, which helped the Thunder improve to 6-1-1 at home since Dec. 30 and become the first team to hand the Aces a three game sweep this season, gave Stalock a 4-0-0 record since his return from injury. Milan Kytnar scored the first goal of the game and the Thunder captured sole possession of fifth place in the Western Conference.

STK 4 - AK 1 (1/28/12): Goaltender Olivier Roy made 29 saves to headline a wire to wire effort by the Stockton Thunder (20-18-4, 44 points), who dispatched the Alaska Aces in a 4-1 victory before 7,613 fans at Stockton Arena on Saturday night. The Thunder improved to 5-1-1 in the last seven home games and outshot Alaska 39-30. Behind a balanced attack that featured ten different players registering points on the scoresheet, the Thunder has combined to score ten goals in the last two games against Alaska. The Aces came into the game leading the ECHL in fewest goals allowed per game (2.1). Milan Kytnar bagged the eventual game winning goal in the second period.

UPCOMING MILESTONES

- Matt Thomas is 7 wins away from 300 in his professional coaching career

- Kevin Baker is 18 goals away from 200 in his professional career

- Matt Foy is 7 points away from 200 in his professional career

NOTE OF THE NIGHT

The Thunder has proven to be unbeatable when taking the lead after an intermission at home this season. In 2011-12, they are 7-0-0 when holding the lead after the first and second period. Stockton has also scored the first goal of the game in four consecutive home games.

THUNDER BOOMING AGAIN

In the last nine games, the Thunder have blasted through with 35 goals, including seven in a 7-5 victory over Las Vegas on Jan. 21 where they poured on a season high 43 shots on goal. In the game, the Thunder came within two goals of tying a Thunder record of nine goals set in one game (Dec. 10 vs. Bakersfield). Last weekend during a three game series, the Thunder combined for 12 goals in a sweep of Alaska, who led the ECHL in least amount of goals allowed per game (2.1) after Sunday.

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 170 goals. On Dec. 10 vs. Bakersfield, he collected his first hat trick of the season.

MOST GOALS, ECHL (SINCE 2006-07)

Rank Player Team GP PTS G A +/-

1 Wes Goldie AK 449 441 266 175 3

2 Mark Derlago IDH 281 340 174 166 41

3 Kevin Baker STK 310 345 170 175 15

4 Ryan Kinasewich UTA 205 292 131 161 -4

5 Marty Flichel IDH 382 358 131 227 -8

** Statistics include regular season and playoffs

HUNTING DOWN A MILESTONE

Thunder left winger Garet Hunt has surpassed 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. He played in his 200th career game with the Thunder on Dec. 16 vs. Idaho.

ALL-TIME THUNDER GAMES PLAYED

Player GP

1. Garet Hunt 215

2. Mark Adamek 186

3. Adam Huxley 183

4. Mike Lalonde 182

5. Daryl Marcoux 166

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. 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. This season, the Thunder has welcome nine crowds of 6,000 or more to Stockton Arena and drew a season high 9,012 fans on Nov. 5 vs. Utah.

The Thunder is second in ECHL attendance with an average of 5,749 fans per game.

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