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Game Preview: Stockton Thunder Vs. Ontario Reign

December 6, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


FACEOFF: 7:30 p.m. PT
SITE: Stockton Arena
RADIO: None
INTERNET: www.stocktonthunder.com (B2 Networks)

2008-09 HEAD TO HEAD SERIES
11/12/08 Stockton 2 at Ontario 3 (SO)
11/15/08 Stockton 3 at Ontario 2 (OT)
11/26/08 Ontario 4 at Stockton 2
12/5/08 Stockton 3 at Ontario 2
12/6/08 Ontario 7:30 p.m.
12/21/08 @ Ontario 5:00 p.m.
2/15/09 Ontario 4:00 p.m.
3/8/09 Ontario 4:00 p.m.

MILESTONE TRACKER

o Mike Lalonde is 6 points away from surpassing Nathan Martz as the Thunder career scoring leader
o Ryan MacMurchy is 1 game away from 100 in his professional career
o Cory Urquhart is 15 goals away from 100 in his ECHL career

TONIGHT'S MATCHUP

The Thunder faces the Ontario Reign in the fifth matchup of the year between both the clubs in a "home-and-home" series at Citizens Business Bank Arena on Friday and at Stockton Arena on Saturday. The teams face each other eight times in the regular season and the Thunder is 2-1-1 vs. Ontario this year. The teams last met on Dec. 5 in Ontario when the Thunder defeated the Reign 3-2.

LAST THREE THUNDER GAMES

12/5/08 - STK 3 at ONT 2: Thunder goaltender Bryan Pitton made 35 saves and received support from a career-high two-goal night by Adam Huxley, helping the Thunder sink the Ontario Reign in a 3-2 victory at Citizens Business Bank Arena on Friday. Huxley scored two goals, aided by a game-winning goal from Stephane Goulet. .

11/29/08 - FRE 4 at STK 2: Jarrett Konkle and Kyle Hagel scored two goals each to help rally the Fresno Falcons out of a two-goal hole and send the Thunder to a 3-2 loss before a crowd of 6,224 at the Stockton Arena on Saturday. Ryan Huddy scored his fourth point in two games with a goal and Adam Huxley tallied his third goal of the season. Fresno's Michael Ouzas earned the win in net with a 16-save effort, countered by rookie Andrew Perugini's output with 23 saves in the loss.

11/28/08 - AK 3 at STK 4: Rookie Ryan Huddy scored two goals, added an assist and goaltender Bryan Pitton stopped 27 shots as the Thunder snapped a three-game home losing streak, defeating the West Division-leading Alaska Aces 4-3 in front of a crowd of 5,103 at Stockton Arena on Friday. Mike Lalonde and Toby LaFrance also scored for the Thunder, while Bryan Pitton earned the win in net with 26 saves. Aces counterpart Jean-Phillipe Lamoureux, who was unbeaten in regulation in his last nine appearances, suffered his first regulation loss since Oct. 31 with a 26-save output.

SEASON SERIES RECAP (THUNDER ARE 2-1-1 VS. ONTARIO)

Ontario capped a third period comeback with a 3-2 shootout win over the Thunder in the first lifetime matchup of both teams - Justin Chwedoruk and Ryan Huddy (penalty shot) scored for the Thunder ... three nights later, the Thunder reciprocated the score in a 3-2 overtime win on Cleve Kinley's blast with less than two minutes remaining - Ryan Constant scored both goals in regulation ... Cory Urquhart notched his team leading sixth and seventh goals of the season and while rookie goaltender Andrew Perugini suffered his first loss as a pro with a 4-2 loss in the third matchup of the season ... 9 days later, the Thunder defeated the Reign 3-2 at Citizens Business Bank Arena, with Adam Huxley scoring two goals and Stephane Goulet netting the game-winner.

CROWDING OUT THE ECHL

The Thunder leads the ECHL in attendance with an average of 6,887 through seven 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.

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING

"I'm just working hard," Huxley said. "I've learned to move my feet more and to get in position to get chances."

- Left winger Adam Huxley after his two-goal game on Friday, a 3-2 Thunder win at Ontario, The Record, 12/6/08

WEEKEND TRANSACTIONS

The Thunder acivated right wing David Rohlfs off the three-day injured reserve list on Friday. Rohlfs has scored five points (3g-2a) in 14 games this season. Defenseman Cleve Kinley was re-assigned to the Thunder on Tuesday after appearing in one game for the Springfield Falcons. On Saturday, leading scorer Cory Urquhart earned a call-up to Springfield after scoring 19 points in 18 games.

HARDCORE CORY

Forward Cory Urquhart, on recall to Springfield of the American Hockey League, leads the Thunder in scoring with 19 points (7g-18a) in 18 games. Urquhart was runner-up for In Glas Co ECHL Player of the Week honors for the week of Oct. 20 with eight points (3g-5a) in four games. Urquhart, who was originally selected in the second round (40th overall) of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft by the Montreal Canadiens, has six multi-point games this season.

HUDDY HEATING UP

Rookie forward Ryan Huddy enjoyed his first multi-goal game of the season in Friday's 4-2 win vs. Alaska, when he also earned a season-high three points (2g-1a). Huddy, who was recalled to Springfield of the AHL on Tuesday, has points in 9 of his last 10 games 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.

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 58 goals. 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.



ECHL Stories from December 6, 2008


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