
Game Preview: Stockton Thunder vs. Ontario Reign
October 12, 2012 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release
DATE: Friday, October 12, 2012
TIME: 7:30 p.m.
SITE: Stockton Arena
RADIO: 1280 AM KWSX/StocktonThunder.com (AmericaOne)/92.1 In-House Feed
TICKETS: www.ticketmaster.com or www.StocktonThunder.com/tickets
NHL AFFILIATES
Stockton Thunder: Edmonton Oilers
Ontario Reign: Los Angeles Kings
HOME GAME PROMOTIONAL NOTES
Tonight's Promotion: OPENING NIGHT (presented by Coors Light, Chase Chevrolet of Stockton, Food 4 Less, 104.1 The Hawk, KHOP 95.1, 99.3 KJOY, 97.7/98/3 KWIN and KAT Country 103)
National Anthem Singer: Tune Struck Quartet
Public Address Announcer: Mike McKnight
In-Arena Emcees: DJ Walker, "Hot Rod"
NEXT HOME GAME
Sunday, Oct. 28 vs. Bakersfield Condors, 4:00 p.m.
FAMILY DAY (presented by 99.3 KJOY and 97.7/98.3 KWIN)
2012-13 SCHEDULE POSTER GIVEAWAY (presented by Pepsi and Sutter Gould Medical Foundation)
TRICK OR TREAT WITH THE THUNDER
TONIGHT'S MATCHUP
The Stockton Thunder opens the eighth season of play in the Central Valley tonight against the Ontario Reign which features the first of 12 meetings between the two teams this season. The Thunder went 5-5-2 against Ontario last season. In the last matchup, Ontario defeated Stockton 4-1 on Mar. 21. The last meeting at Stockton Arena was on Feb. 15 when Ontario defeated Stockton 3-1. The Thunder is 3-4-0 lifetime in home openers and tonight's game marks the third time in four seasons that the Thunder will open the home schedule against Ontario.
2012-2013 Schedule :
Fri. Oct. 12 Ontario 7:30 p.m.
Sat. Oct. 13 at Ontario 6:00 p.m.
Fri. Nov. 30 at Ontario 7:00 p.m.
Fri. Feb. 15 Ontario 7:30 p.m.
Wed. Feb. 20 at Ontario 7:00 p.m.
Fri. Feb. 22 at Ontario 7:00 p.m.
Sun. Feb. 24 Ontario 4:00 p.m.
Sat. Mar. 2 at Ontario 6:00 p.m.
Sun. Mar. 3 Ontario 4:00 p.m.
Sun. Mar. 10 Ontario 4:00 p.m.
Fri. Mar. 15 at Ontario 7:00 p.m.
Sat. Mar. 16 Ontario 7:30 p.m.
UPCOMING MILESTONES
- Ryan Constant is 20 games away from 300 in his ECHL career
- Ryan Constant is 13 assists away from 100 in his professional career
- Harrison Reed is 16 games away from 300 in his professional career
- Nathan Deck is 40 games away from 100 in his Thunder career
BACK FOR MORE
There are nine players returning from last season's Thunder team that advanced to the second round of the playoffs for the third time in four seasons. In addition, defenseman Ryan Constant, sixth on the Thunder all time list with 161 games played, returns to the lineup after playing last season in Italy.
KNOWING HOW IT'S DONE
A total of nine players are on the Thunder roster that have playing experience in the NHL or American Hockey League: Cameron Brodie, Philippe Cornet, Ryan Constant, Tony DeHart, Garet Hunt, Eric Hunter, Rob Kwiet, Justin Maylan and Harrison Reed.
COVERED WITH OIL
The Edmonton Oilers return as the NHL affiliate of the Thunder for the seventh straight season, helping advance eight players from the Thunder onto playing in the National Hockey League. The Thunder has also never missed the playoffs since first connecting with the Oilers in 2006-07. Edmonton has won five Stanley Cup championships and sent seven players onto induction in the Hockey Hall of Fame. Among the players assigned to Stockton, beginning this season, was LW Philippe Cornet, who made his NHL debut with Edmonton and led the AHL affiliate Oklahoma City Barons with 24 goals last season.
OH CAPTAIN MY CAPTAIN
Garet Hunt was named the sixth captain in Thunder history earlier today, taking the "C" for the first time in his career for full-time duty. Hunt served as an alternate captain for the Thunder last season and has helped guide the team to the playoffs for four straight seasons since his 2008-09 rookie campaign. Hunt is the Thunder all time leader with 244 games played.
DID YOU KNOW?
Justin Maylan (#47), Philippe Cornet (#51) and Rob Kwiet (#52) have the three highest jersey numbers on the Thunder roster and are the first players in team history to wear each respective number.
THUNDER CROWDS ROLL IN
The Thunder has drawn over 200,000 fans for seven straight seasons to Stockton Arena, totaling over 1.5 million through the turnstiles since opening in 2005-06. There have been 17 sellouts at Stockton Arena in Thunder history and last season, there were seven crowds of 7,000 or more at Thunder home games. The Thunder drew a club record 244,085 fans to Stockton Arena in 2006-07. Last season, the Thunder ranked third in ECHL attendance.
TOP FIVE THUNDER HOME CROWDS IN 2011-12
OPPONENT DATE ATTENDANCE
1. Alaska 3/3/12 9,398
2. Bakersfield 3/24/12 9,323
3. Utah 11/5/11 9,012
4. Alaska 1/28/12 7,613
5. Utah 3/17/12 7,537
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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
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