Game Preview: Stockton Thunder Vs. Utah Grizzlies

Published on March 7, 2009 under ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


March 7, 2009 - Stockton Arena

FACEOFF: 7:30 p.m.

RADIO: None

INTERNET: www.StocktonThunder.com (B2 Networks)

2008-09 HEAD-TO-HEAD MATCHUP

12/12/08 Stockton 2 at Utah 4

12/13/08 Stockton 3 at Utah 5

2/13/09 Utah 1 at Stockton 2 (SO)

2/20/09 Stockton 2 at Utah 5

2/21/09 Stockton 1 at Utah 2.

3/7/09 Utah 7:30 p.m.

3/27/09 Utah 7:30 p.m

TONIGHT'S MATCHUP

The Thunder host the Utah Grizzlies on Saturday, continuing a stretch of three games in three nights. Saturday's game marks the sixth meeting between both teams. Through 26 games in the lifetime series, the Thunder is 10-15-3 against Utah. The Thunder dropped two consecutive games to the Grizzlies on Feb. 20-21 in Salt Lake City and last time both clubs met, the Grizzlies defeated the Thunder 2-1 at The E-Center.

IT'S EASY BEING GREEN

Tonight's edition of Stockton Thunder game notes are printed on recycled paper, part of a host of events helping culminate "Easy Being Green" presented by Port of Stockton California and co-sponsored by California Water Service Company. This, second day of a two-day event, culminates the season-long eco-friendly awareness campaign with a hockey twist which aims to educate hockey fans on how they can do their part to preserve the environment. The Thunder will host a "Green Fair" in Stockton Arena's North Conference Center starting at 5:30 p.m. All fans attending will have an opportunity to visit booths of local eco-friendly businesses and organizations who will address recycling, pollution, clean air, water, renewable energy sources, eco-friendly agriculture and more.

The first 2,000 families both nights will receive a commemorative Thunder tote bag, constructed from recycled materials while the first 2,000 kids (ages 12 and under) will receive "Easy Being Green" activity books. Each family will also receive a free plant or tree sapling (courtesy of San Joaquin Delta College - Horticulture Program) - and water conservation garden nozzles and shower heads (courtesy of California Water Service Company) as they exit the Arena following the game.

The Thunder are also aiming to encourage and recognize environmentally-friendly local businesses. Two dollars of each group and individual ticket sold for the two games and a portion of proceeds from the pre-game "Green Fair" will be awarded to an eco-friendly local business for donation to the charity of their choice.

LAST THREE THUNDER GAMES

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.

3/3/09 - STK 3 at PHX 5: Rookie Mark O'Leary totaled a career-high two goals and an assist while Kyle Jones made 35 saves to help the Phoenix RoadRunners send the Stockton Thunder (27-27-5, 59 points) to their third consecutive road defeat, 5-3 before 2,010 fans at U.S. Airways Center at Tuesday night. O'Leary helped Phoenix defeat the Thunder for the first time this season at U.S. Airways Center, which was only the second defeat for the Thunder in the last 10 games in Arizona. James McEwan, John McNabb and Matt Burke also scored for Phoenix. The Thunder received a pair of goals by Ryan MacMurchy and a power-play goal by Mike Lalonde.

HUDDY, URQUHART GOAL-ORIENTED

Ryan Huddy's 30 goals lead the Thunder this season and is tied for 5th in ECHL rookie 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.

CROWDING OUT THE ECHL

The Thunder leads the ECHL in attendance with an average of 6,219 through 28 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 147 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 31

3. Ryan Huddy 30

4. Nathan Martz 29

Steve Slonina 29

POINTS

1. Mike Lalonde 147

2. Nathan Martz 122

3. Ryan MacMurchy 69

4. Joel Irwin 68

5. Stephane Goulet 63

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