Game Preview: Stockton Thunder Vs. Utah Grizzlies

Published on March 19, 2009 under ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


March 19, 2009 - Stockton Arena

FACEOFF: 7:00 p.m.

RADIO: 1420 KSTN

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 1 at Stockton 4

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

TONIGHT'S MATCHUP

Thunder hosts the Utah Grizzlies on Thursday, continuing a stretch of three games in four nights which marks the beginning of the regular season's final six-game homestand. Thursday's game marks the seventh meeting between both teams. Through 29 games in the lifetime series, the Thunder is 11-15-3 against Utah. The Thunder is 2-0-0 this season at home against Utah and last time both clubs met, the Thunder defeated the Grizzlies 4-1 at Stockton Arena on Mar. 14.

LAST THREE THUNDER GAMES

3/18/09 - STK 3 at ONT 0: Goaltender Andrew Perugini turned aside all 34 shots he faced for the second shutout of his career, helping the Stockton Thunder (30-29-5, 65 points) blank the Ontario Reign in a 2-0 victory before 8,115 fans at Citizens Business Bank Arena on Wednesday. The Thunder, who scored twice on the power-play, received goal-scoring support from Craig Valette, Cleve Kinley and James Bates, who moved closer to clinching their third straight Kelly Cup Playoff berth. Ryan Huddy notched a career-high tying three assists.

3/8/08 - ONT 2 at STK 1: Rookie Bud Holloway broke a 1-1 tie with a game-winning goal at 9:33 of the third period and goaltender Jeff Zatkoff made 36 saves, helping the Pacific Division-leading Ontario Reign send the Stockton Thunder (29-29-5, 63 points) to a 2-1 defeat before 5,004 fans at Stockton Arena on Sunday. The Thunder, who now enter a nine-day layoff and finished 5-4-0 in a stretch of playing nine games in 12 days, received its only goal from Mark Adamek. Dale Reinhardt was also credited with a goal for Ontario, who beat the Thunder for the fourth time in as many games at Stockton Arena. Thunder rookie goaltender Andrew Perugini made 20 saves in the defeat.

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.

HUDDY, URQUHART GOAL-ORIENTED

Ryan Huddy's 31 goals lead the Thunder this season and ranks 3rd 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. Urquhart's 28 goals are a career-high.

HUDDY'S BROKEN RECORD

Ryan Huddy's 31 goals is a Thunder record and he needs three more points to break the Thunder single-season scoring record. Joel Irwin set the standard with 68 points (25g-43a) in 68 games in 2005-06.

CROWDING OUT THE ECHL

Vying to lead the league in attendance for the fourth straight year, The Thunder leads the ECHL in attendance with an average of 6,221 through 30 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. The 2007-08 season 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

"Obviously, you hope all the teams you aren't competing directly with for a spot win, and you hope you get some favors. But we can't control that," Thomas said. "All we can control is to use the time to reorganize and restructure for the stretch run, and to work to get better."

- Head Coach Matt Thomas on the nine-day layoff, The Record, 3/10/09

"I think the break helped a bit. It was definitely good for my legs," Perugini said. "I think it helped everybody. We were very focused. We really had them stymied."

- Goaltender Andrew Perugini after a 3-0 shutout win at Ontario, following a 9-day layoff, The Record, 3/19/09

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 66

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