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Game Preview: Stockton Thunder Vs. Utah Grizzlies

January 16, 2010 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


The Thunder faces the Utah Grizzlies for the second time this season at Stockton Arena, the second of ten meetings between both teams this season and the second of back-to-back games. The Thunder is 9-11-2, lifetime against Utah. The last meeting between both teams was on Jan. 15, when the Utah defeated the Thunder, 2-1 in a shootout at Stockton Arena. The series continues an 11-game homestand, a Thunder record, while combining for more than 18,000 fans through the turnstiles in the last three games and giving the four-time league leaders in attendance the ECHL lead this season with an average of 6,009 fans.

LAST 3 THUNDER GAMES

UTA 2 - STK 1 (SO) (1/15/10): Goaltender Mitch O'Keefe made a season-high 43 saves and stopped four of five shots from the Thunder in a shootout, helping the Utah Grizzlies steal a 2-1 shootout win over the Thunder before 4,828 fans at Stockton Arena on Friday.The Thunder, who outshot the Grizzlies 44-31 and claimed a point in their second straight game while engulfed in a franchise record 11-game homestand, helped force overtime with a second period goal from all-star center Chris D'Alvise. A shorthanded goal from James Sixsmith, playing in his first game following an AHL call-up, marked the only Utah goal in regulation stages. Bryan Pitton made 29 saves.

BAK 5 - STK 4 (OT) (1/10/10): Mathieu Aubin scored a game-winning, power-play with 21 seconds elapsed into sudden death overtime to help the Bakersfield Condors complete a third period comeback and send the Thunder to a 5-4 overtime defeat before a crowd of 7,226 at Stockton Arena on Sunday afternoon. The Thunder, who opened an all-time record 11-game homestand by salvaging a point against their first place, Pacific Division foes, moved to 4-2-1 this season against Bakersfield and were led by a pair of goals from rookie defenseman Anthony Aiello. Brett Hemingway and Steve Vanoosten also scored for the Thunder, while Stephane Goulet led the Bakersfield offense with a goal and two assists.

BAK 6 - STK 4 (1/8/10): Shawn Weller tallied a four-point effort (2g-2a) to help lead a four-goal third period comeback by the Bakersfield Condors, sending the Thunder to a 6-4 defeat before 6,005 fans at Rabobank Arena on Friday night. The Thunder, who lost a 3-2 lead after 40 minutes and finished a four-game road trip at 2-2-0 before a season-long 11-game homestand, each received goal-scoring support from Chris D'Alvise, Igor Gongalsky, Ryan Constant and Jamie Bates. Former Thunder forward Stephane Goulet pitched in with a three-point (2g-1a) effort.

STAR-CROSSED THUNDER

The Thunder are sending two players to the ECHL All-Star Game on Jan. 19-20 in Ontario. Judd Blackwater was named to the National Conference roster for the 2010 ECHL All-Star Game on Dec. 30 and Chris D'Alvise was named to the National Conference roster in place of Dan Sexton of Bakersfield, who is now playing with the Anaheim Ducks. Blackwater and D'Alvise are two of 18 players on the National Conference roster making their first All-Star appearance.

THUNDER IN ECHL ALL-STAR GAME

Year Venue Representative

2005-06 Fresno Moreland, Lalonde

2006-07 Idaho Geisler, Dubnyk, Martz, Bodie

2007-08 Stockton Farynuk, Contois, MacMurchy

2008-09 Reading Huddy, Urquhart

2009-10 Ontario Blackwater, D'Alvise

PITTON' IT IN GEAR

Thunder goaltender Bryan Pitton, who returned this week from his third recall of the season to the Edmonton Oilers of the NHL, became the third goaltender in Thunder history to be named Reebok Hockey ECHL Goaltender of the Week (Jan. 21-27) on Dec. 29 and followed up last week by finishing runner-up for the weekly award. Pitton is 6-1-2 with two overtime wins in his last eight games. On Saturday, Jan. 2, Pitton suited up for Edmonton, who were in San Jose.

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, 2009

THUNDER CROWDS ROLLING IN

The Thunder leads the ECHL in attendance with an average of 6,009 fans per game and is vying to tie a league record by leading the league in attendance for five straight seasons. 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).

POWER TRIP

The Thunder power-play ranks third in the ECHL at 21.2 percent (36-for-170) and is second in the ECHL on the road this season, converting at 26.7 percent (23-for-86). Last Friday, the Thunder went 3-for-5 on the power-play. Judd Blackwater has seven power-play goals, leading the Thunder and currently tied for fourthd in the ECHL.

MILESTONE MARKS FOR BLACKWATER, HEMINGWAY, ROBINSON

Brett Hemingway, picked up by the Thunder as a free agent on Dec. 1 and scoring nine points (3g-6a) in nine games since that date, has hit two milestones recently in a Thunder uniform. His three point (1g-2a) effort against the Alaska Aces on Dec. 11 at Sullivan Arena helped him eclipse the 100 point mark in his pro career and an assist on Dec. 16 at Victoria helped him surpass 100 points in his entire pro career.

Judd Blackwater, leading the Thunder with 14 goals and 28 points (14g-14a), played in his 100th pro game last on Dec. 31 at Idaho. With a two-assist effort against Bakersfield on Jan. 8, Robinson hit the 100-point plateau in his career.

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