Game Preview: Stockton Thunder Vs. Ontario Reign

Published on March 8, 2009 under ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


March 8, 2009 - Stockton Arena

FACEOFF: 4:00 p.m.

RADIO: 1420 KSTN

INTERNET: www.StocktonThunder.com (B2 Networks)

2008-09 HEAD-TO-HEAD MATCHUP

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 4 at Stockton 0

12/21/08 Stockton 2 at Ontario 6

2/6/09 Stockton 5 at Ontario 1

2/15/09 Ontario 3 at Stockton 2

3/8/09 Ontario 4:00 p.m.

3/18/09 @ Ontario 7:00 p.m.

TONIGHT'S MATCHUP

The Thunder faces the Ontario Reign in the ninth matchup of the year between both clubs and the final time both teams meet at Stockton Arena for the regular season. The game finishes a stretch of three games in three nights for the Thunder at Stockton Arena. The Thunder is 3-4-1 vs. Ontario this year. The teams last met on Feb. 15 in Ontario when the Reign defeated the Thunder 3-2. Today's game concludes a stretch of nine games in 12 days for Stockton, who have the following nine days off and resume play at Ontario on March 18.

LAST THREE THUNDER GAMES

3/7/09 - UTA 1 at STK 4: Rookie goaltender Andrew Perugini made 30 saves while Cory Urquhart posted two assists to help the Stockton Thunder (29-28-5, 63 points) sink the Utah Grizzlies in a 4-1 victory before 7,489 fans at Stockton Arena on Saturday. With 10 games remaining in the regular season, the Thunder, who improved to 5-3-0 in a stretch of playing nine games in 12 days, benefited from a balanced scoring attack on goals each from Ryan MacMurchy, Craig Valette, James Bates and Ryan Huddy. Scott Thauwald netted the only goal for Utah. Perugini's win boosted his record to 14-3-0 in his last 17 appearances.

3/6/09 - BAK 6 at STK 3: Mike Wirll buried a pair of goals and added an assist while goaltender Dave McKee made 39 saves to help the Bakersfield Condors send the Stockton Thunder (28-28-5, 61 points) to a 6-3 defeat before 6,670 fans at Stockton Arena on Friday night. Thunder forward Ryan Huddy, who tallied three assists, help set up goals by James Bates, Cleve Kinley and Cory Urquhart. Matt Pope, Tylor Michel, Dave Bonk and Mark Derlago also scored a goal for Bakersfield, who won their fourth straight game and beat the Thunder for the fifth time in six head-to-head meetings this season.

3/4/09 - STK 5 at PHX 3: Rookie Ryan Huddy became the first player in Stockton Thunder (27-26-5, 61 points) history to hit the 30-goal plateau by scoring a pair of goals while veteran Cory Urquhart scored a goal and added two assists to help the Thunder rally with three goals in the third period and sink the Phoenix RoadRunners in a 5-3 victory, before 2,186 fans at U.S. Airways Center on Wednesday. The Thunder surpassed the idle Las Vegas Wranglers for second place in the Pacific Division and were aided by Andrew Perugini's 21 saves in net, improving to 13-2-0 in his last 15 appearances. The first line of Urquhart, Huddy and James Bates combined for a whopping seven points (3g-4a) and a +11 rating. Huddy's 30th goal broke the Thunder single season goal-scoring record, previously set by teammate Mike Lalonde (29) in 2005-06.

HUDDY, URQUHART GOAL-ORIENTED

Ryan Huddy's 31 goals lead the Thunder this season and ranks 5th in ECHL goal-scoring. Huddy broke the Thunder single-season goal-scoring record on Mar. 4 at Phoenix (Mike Lalonde had 29 set in 2005-06). Veteran Cory Urquhart had a goal and two assists in the game which marked the 200th point of his professional career. Urquhart's 28 goals are a career-high.

CROWDING OUT THE ECHL

The Thunder leads the ECHL in attendance with an average of 6,263 through 29 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 71 goals and ascended to the top perch as the Thunder all-time leading scorer with 148 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 71

2. Ryan MacMurchy 32

3. Ryan Huddy 31

4. Nathan Martz 29

Steve Slonina 29

POINTS

1. Mike Lalonde 148

2. Nathan Martz 122

3. Ryan MacMurchy 70

4. Joel Irwin 68

5. Ryan Huddy 63

Stephane Goulet 63

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