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Game Preview: Stockton Thunder Vs. Las Vegas Wranglers

March 29, 2009 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


March 29, 2009 - Stockton Arena

FACEOFF: 4:00 p.m.

RADIO: 1420 KSTN

INTERNET: www.StocktonThunder.com (B2 Networks)

2008-09 HEAD-TO-HEAD SERIES

10/31/08 Stockton 1 at Las Vegas 5

1/16/09 Las Vegas 2 at Stockton 7

2/25/09 Las Vegas 1 at Stockton 3

3/29/09 Las Vegas 4:00 p.m.

4/3/09 @ Las Vegas 7:30 p.m.

4/4/09 @ Las Vegas 7:30 p.m.

TONIGHT'S MATCHUP

With a magic number at two to clinch a Kelly Cup Playoff berth, the Thunder ends the regular season home schedule Sunday against the Las Vegas Wranglers, the third time both teams meet in Stockton this year. The Thunder is 2-1-0 against the Wranglers this season. The Thunder has a lifetime record of 6-16-1 against Las Vegas. The teams last met on Feb. 25 at Stockton Arena and the Thunder defeated Las Vegas 3-1. Following today's game, the Thunder will have two games remaining on the regular season schedule - both at Las Vegas. On Sunday, the Thunder will be saluting their fans with a myriad of giveaways in the quest for the team's fourth straight league attendance title on "Fan Appreciation Day."

LAST THREE THUNDER GAMES

3/28/09 - VIC 5 at STK 4 (OT): Patrick Coulombe scored his second goal of the game 44 seconds into sudden-death overtime to complete a late rally by the Victoria Salmon Kings, who defeated the Stockton Thunder (31-31-7, 69 points) 5-4 in OT before 8,668 fans at Stockton Arena on Saturday night. The Thunder was led by Ryan Huddy's eighth multi-goal game, who scored two goals but was countered with rookie Scott Howes' first hat trick as a professional. Damian Surma and Ryan Constant also scored for Stockton, who are in position to clinch a Kelly Cup Playoff berth with a victory on Sunday (magic number at 2) after the Phoenix RoadRunners lost 3-1 to Alaska on Saturday.

3/27/09 - STK 5 at UTA 3: Rookie Ryan Huddy broke the Stockton Thunder (31-31-6, 68 points) single-season scoring record on an assist just 27 seconds into the first period, helping the Thunder beat the Utah Grizzlies 5-3 before 6,705 fans at Stockton Arena on Friday night. Huddy assisted on Bo Cheesman's first goal in a Thunder uniform for his 69th point of the season, toppling Joel Irwin's mark set in 2005-06. The win dropped the Thunder's "magic number" to five points to clinch its third straight Kelly Cup Playoff berth. Cheesman (1g-1a), Mike Lalonde (1g-1a) and veterans Tyler Kindle (1g-1a) and Craig Valette (two assists) each posted two points in the game. Goaltender Andrew Perugini made 25 saves to improve to 20-12-2, becoming the second goaltender in Thunder history (Devan Dubnyk, 2006-07) to surpass the 20-win plateau.

3/24/09 - VIC 5 at STK 2: Daryl Lloyd snapped a 2-2 tie with 5:39 left in regulation for an eventual game-winning goal, igniting a three-goal rally by the Victoria Salmon Kings, who escaped with a 5-2 win over the Stockton Thunder (30-31-6, 66 points) before 3,819 fans at Stockton Arena on Tuesday. Despite the loss and outshooting the Salmon Kings 47-22, the Thunder saw its magic number whittled down to seven points to clinch its third consecutive Kelly Cup Playoff berth after the Phoenix RoadRunners (5th place, West Division) lost 4-2 at Utah just an hour before the game's conclusion in Stockton. Veterans Tyler Kindle and Craig Valette scored a goal each for Stockton, while Todd Ford made 45 saves for Victoria, including 16 in the third period to seal the win.

HUDDY'S BROKEN RECORD

Ryan Huddy's 34 goals is a Thunder record - currently ranking third among ECHL rookies - and broke the Thunder single-season scoring record with an assist on Friday vs. Utah. Huddy assist, notching his 69th point of the season, surpassed Joel Irwin's standard of 68 points (25g-43a) in 68 games in 2005-06.

CROWDING OUT THE ECHL

Vying to lead the league in attendance for the fourth straight year, The Thunder leads the ECHL in attendance with an average of 6,211 through 35 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. The 2007-08 season 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

Mike Lalonde is the Thunder all-time leading goal scorer with 73 goals and ascended to the top perch as the Thunder all-time leading scorer with 151 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 73

2. Ryan Huddy 34

3. Ryan MacMurchy 32

4. Nathan Martz 29

Steve Slonina 29

POINTS

1. Mike Lalonde 152

2. Nathan Martz 122

3. Ryan MacMurchy 71

Ryan Huddy 71

5. Joel Irwin 68

PLAYOFF NOTES

CLICK HERE: ECHL NATIONAL CONFERENCE PLAYOFF STANDINGS(Top-4 in each division qualify for Kelly Cup playoffs)**

**If the fifth-place team in the West Division has a greater winning percentage than the fourth-place team in the Pacific Division then the fifth-place team in the West Division will become the fourth seed in the Pacific Division.

2009 Playoff March Notes -

- The Thunder has 3 regular season games remaining.

- Stockton has regular season games remaining against the following teams:

Las Vegas (3)

- THE THUNDER CAN CLINCH A KELLY CUP PLAYOFF SPOT TODAY IF:

* The Thunder WINS

- The top eight teams in the National Conference will qualify for the 2009 Kelly Cup Playoffs and will be seeded by division ranking in the first and second round of the playoffs. In the Pacific and West Divisions, the #1 seed will play #4, and the #2 seed will play #3. Home ice advantage will be determined by winning percentage.

- If the Kelly Cup Playoffs began today, the Thunder would face the Ontario Reign in the Pacific Division Semifinal round.

- Currently, 71 points (.493 win percentage) guarantees a playoff spot as the 5th place Phoenix RoadRunners (West Division) can only amass 71 points this season. The Thunder wins the tie-breaker with Phoenix for the final playoff spot.

- The Thunder has surpassed the 30-win plateau for the second time in club history (38-24-10 in 2006-07)

- The Thunder has surpassed last season's total of 59 points (27-40-5)

- TIE-BREAKER: The tiebreaker for the National Conference if two teams tie will be: 1. Points, head-to-head; 2. Wins, head-to-head; 3. Goal Differential, head-to-head; 4. Coin Toss.

The tiebreaker for the National Conference if three teams are tied will be: 1. Winning percentage, games between the teams; 2. Goal differential, games between the teams; 3. Winning percentage, division; 4. Winning percentage, conference; 5. Coin toss. When two teams remain after the third or other teams are eliminated during any step above, the tiebreaker reverts to Step 1 of the two-team format.

- Last season, the Thunder clinched its second straight Kelly Cup Playoff berth with the 8th seed in the National Conference and a 27-40-5 record (59 points)

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