Game Preview: Stockton Thunder Vs. Ontario Reign

Published on February 13, 2010 under ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


The Thunder returns home for the only home game of the month of February tonight, hosting the Ontario Reign in the ninth meeting of the season between both teams. Both teams end the season series tomorrow in Ontario. The Thunder enters the week second place in the Pacific Division (fifth, National Conference), seven points behind the first place Bakersfield Condors after a 4-1-1 streak in the last six games. The Thunder is 5-3-0 this season against the Reign and in the last meeting, Ontario defeated the Thunder, 5-3 at Citizens Business Bank Arena last Saturday. Through the first 18 regular season games in the all-time series, the Thunder is 9-8-1 against Ontario.

LAST 3 THUNDER GAMES

ONT 5 - STK 3 (2/6/10): Tony Voce scored a pair of goals and Jon Francisco scored an eventual game-winner in the second period to help the Ontario Reign send the Thunder to just their second defeat in regulation in the last 13 games, 5-3 before an announced crowd of 8,497 at Citizens Business Bank Arena on Saturday. The Thunder, who had their 4-0-1 streak snapped despite goals each from Chris D'Alvise, J.F. Caudron and Anthony Aiello, were hampered by nine penalty kill situations, one away from the season high that was surrendered to Bakersfield on Dec. 4. Michael Pelech, Sean O'Connor and Jon Francisco each scored a goal for Ontario and Curtis Darling made 28 saves for the win in net.

STK 4 - ONT 1 (2/5/10): All-star center Chris D'Alvise scored a natural hat trick, the first in team history, and James Bates had three assists to help the Thunder cruise to a 4-1 victory over the host Ontario Reign, before a crowd of 5,169 at Citizens Business Bank Arena on Friday night. The Thunder, who improved to 7-1-4 in the last 12 games, moved to within just six points of first place in the Pacific Division after Bakersfield lost, 3-2 at Alaska. D'Alvise's natural hat trick was the first in Thunder history and eighth all-time hat trick, scoring three goals in succession in a third period rally. Colin Hemingway added his 17th goal of the season for the Thunder, while goaltender Andrew Perugini made 38 saves to earn his 12th win this season.

STK 3 - AK 1 (1/31/10): Goaltender Andrew Perugini stopped 26 shots and Matt Robinson added a goal and an assist to help lift the Stockton Thunder (20-17-7, 47 points) to a 3-1 victory over the Alaska Aces before a crowd of 5,297 at Stockton Arena on Sunday afternoon. The Thunder, who won their tenth game at home despite missing the services of leading scorer Colin Hemingway, reached the 20-win plateau by closing out January by picking up points in ten of 12 games (6-2-4), finished its team record 11-game homestand with a 6-1-4 record. The win also helped the Thunder close the gap to eight points behind the first place Bakersfield Condors in the Pacific Division. Bryan Young and Ryan Constant also scored goals for Stockton.

THUNDER CROWDS ROLLING IN

The Thunder ranks third in the ECHL in attendance with an average of 5,859 fans per game and is vying to tie a league record by leading the league in attendance for five straight seasons. Last Saturday, the Thunder drew 9,158 fans to Stockton Arena against Victoria, the second largest home crowd this year. The Thunder led the ECHL in attendance last year with an average of 6,218 fans through 36 home games. Stockton has 14 sellouts in the team's franchise history and drew a standing room only crowd of 9,392 on Nov. 8 vs. Alaska. Last year, the Thunder became the first team since 2004-05 to lead the ECHL in attendance for four straight seasons (Florida led the ECHL in attendance for five straight seasons - 2000-05).

ALL-STAR IS SHINING

Rookie center Chris D'Alvise, who had an assist representing the Thunder at the 2010 ECHL All-Star Game in Ontario on Jan. 20, recently had a career-high eight-game scoring streak with eight points (4g-4a) in that span. After being shut out Sunday, D'Alvise responded with two goals vs. Victoria on Jan. 278 and added an assist two nights later. D'Alvise leads the Thunder with 21 goals and leads Thunder rookies with 35 points in 43 games this season. D'Alvise added a natural hat trick in last Friday's win at Ontario.

SERIES IN A NUTSHELL

The Thunder leads the head-to-head series vs. Ontario, 5-3-0 this season... the Thunder responded following a 7-1 defeat at home on Oct. 23 with a 3-0 shutout victory the following night - goaltender Andrew Perugini recorded his third career shutout... Stockton defeated Ontario, 3-2 at Citizens Business Bank Arena on Nov. 4 with Craig Valette's go-ahead goal with 52.3 seconds left in regulation... the night after Ontario's 8-2 win over the Thunder on Nov. 20, Stockton responded with a 4-3 victory in overtime at Citizens Business Bank Arena on Jason Pitton's goal with 3:25 left... the Thunder defeated Ontario, 4-2 at Stockton Arena on Jan. 20 on Justin DaCosta's go-ahead goal with 12:12 left in the third period, snapping a 2-2 tie... Stockton moved to within six points of first place in the Pacific Division with a 4-1 victory at Ontario on Feb. 5 behind Chris D'Alvise's natural hat trick... Tony Voce's two goals spurred Ontario to a 5-2 victory over the Thunder the next night.

MARK IT DOWN

Numerous career-highs and Thunder single-game marks fell in a 7-1 win over Victoria, on Jan. 29:

J.F. Caudron (5 assists - career-high, Thunder record)

J.F. Caudron (5 points - tied career-high, tied Thunder record)*

Igor Gongalsky (4 points - career-high) Seven goals (Thunder tied season-high)

* Shared with James Bates (2009-10) and Brock Radunske (2006-07)

HATS OFF TO YOU

Last Friday, Chris D'Alvise became the first player in Thunder history to record a natural hat trick and eighth three-goal effort overall, spelling a feat by Igor Gongalsky on Jan. 29 in becoming the seventh player in Thunder history to record a hat trick (second in his career) in a 7-1 victory over Victoria. That feat followed James Bates' four-goal effort on Jan. 16 vs. Utah when he set a new single-game club record with four goals against the Utah Grizzlies in a 6-4 win at Stockton Arena.

THUNDER ALL-TIME HAT TRICKS

2005-06 1. Lance Monych 3/11/06 at Bakersfield

2006-07 1. Tim Verbeek 1/13/07 vs. Bakersfield

2007-08 1. Ryan MacMurchy 1/6/08 vs. Bakersfield

2008-09 1. Cory Urquhart 1/8/09 at Phoenix

2009-10 4. Chris D'Alvise 11/1/09 at Victoria

James Bates 1/16/10 vs. Utah

Igor Gongalsky 1/29/10 vs. Victoria

Chris D'Alvise 2/5/10 at Ontario

BOLTING FOR TOP HONOR

Two Thunder players, last week, were recipients of ECHL Awards while three more followed in runner-up honors. Bryan Pitton was named Reebok Hockey ECHL Goaltender of the Week (second time this season) for Jan. 25-31 after going 1-0-1 last week with 73 saves, one shutout, a 0.48 goals-against-average and.986 save percentage. Anthony Aiello became the second Thunder player to win the AMI Graphics ECHL Plus Performer of the Month award, finishing January by tying the ECHL lead in the month with a plus-minus rating of +12 (award shared with Elmira's Mat Robinson).

Fellow teammate and forward J.F. Caudron finished runner-up for ECHL Player of the Week for Jan. 25-31 with eight points (1g-7a) in four games, right wing James Bates was named runner-up for Reebok Hockey ECHL Player of the Month (January) with 22 points (8g-14a) in 13 games and goaltender Andrew Perugini was named runner-up for ECHL Goaltender of the Month (January) with a 5-1-1 record, 2.26 goals-against-average and.923 save percentage.

THUNDER ALL-TIME ECHL GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK SELECTIONS

Date Awarded

1. Jake Moreland January 31, 2006

2. Andrew Perugini March 3, 2009

3. Bryan Pitton December 29, 20094. Bryan Pitton February 2, 2010

THUNDER ALL-TIME ECHL PLUS PERFORMER OF THE MONTH SELECTIONS

Month/Rating

1. Ryan Constant December, 2009 (+9)

2. Anthony Aiello January, 2010 (+12)

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ECHL Stories from February 13, 2010


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