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Game Preview: Stockton Thunder Vs. Utah Grizzlies

March 19, 2010 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


The Thunder face the Utah Grizzlies for the final three meetings this season at Stockton Arena on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The Thunder is 11-14-3, lifetime against Utah. The last meeting between both teams was on Mar. 14, when Utah defeated Stockton, 4-3 in a shootout at The E-Center. The series continues a seven-game homestand for the Thunder, who enter the game 12-2-4 at home since Dec. 4. Stockton is 2-0-1 in the last three home games vs. Utah.

LAST 3 THUNDER GAMES

STK 7 - VIC 2 (3/17/10): All-Star center Chris D'Alvise (2g-1a) was one of five players to record multi-point games and help lead the Thunder to a 7-2 rout of the Victoria Salmon Kings before 4,072 fans at Stockton Arena on Wednesday. In opening a seven-game homestand which the Thunder, who led wire-to-wire in the game, improved to 12-2-4 at home since Dec. 4 and moved one point behind Victoria. Colin Hemingway and brother Brett were paired on the same line with Oren Eizenman and the brotherly duo combined for five points (3g-2a), while Eizenman had one assist. Defenseman Trevor Hunt, making his pro debut and brother Garet each recorded an assist as well.

UTA 4 - STK 3 (SO) (3/14/10): Two goals in the third period helped the Stockton Thunder (28-24-8, 65 points) claim a point for the second straight road game, ultimately won by the Utah Grizzlies, 4-3 in a shootout before 2,498 fans at The E-Center on Sunday. The Thunder were led by relief goaltender Aaron Sorochan's 32 stops. Kelly Czuy, Colin Hemingway and Chris D'Alvise scored for Stockton, while Utah was led by a pair of goals from Ryan Kinasewich. Mitch O'Keefe picked up the win in net with 36 saves.

STK 6 - UTA 5 (3/13/10) (OT): Winger Matt Robinson converted a backdoor power-play goal with 4:15 left in sudden death overtime to complete a come-from-behind rally by the Thunder in a thrilling 6-5 overtime win over the Utah Grizzlies before 4,910 fans at The E-Center on Saturday night. In breaking an eight-game winless streak in West Valley City (0-7-1) dating back to 2007-08, the Thunder twice rallied from one-goal deficits in the third period and were led by Robinson's career-high four point effort (2g-2a), spelled by a goal and two assists from Chris D'Alvise and a goal and assist from James Bates.

FAMILIAR FOES

Thunder head coach Matt Thomas and counterpart Kevin Colley of Utah face-off for the 14th time as opposing head coaches. Thomas, was an assistant coach for the Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies in 2003 when the team won the Kelly Cup championship, coached Colley who was a forward for team and also was named the playoffs Most Valuable Player. Thomas owns a 5-6-2 record vs. Utah since Colley was named the team's head coach before the 2008-09 regular season. At one point in their careers, both Thomas (age 28 for Atlantic City) and Colley (age 29 for Utah) were the youngest head coaches in the ECHL.

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. In February, he erupted with 13 points (6g-7a) in 10 games. D'Alvise leads the Thunder with 28 goals (3rd, ECHL rookies) and leads Thunder rookies with 56 points (6th, ECHL rookies) in 59 games this season. D'Alvise has two hat tricks this season and posted a career-high four assists on Mar. 6 vs. Victoria (7-3 win)

OH, BROTHER!

For the first time in Thunder history, two pairs of brothers are on the active roster - forwards Brett and Colin Hemingway, and left winger Garet and defenseman Trevor Hunt. Additionally, goaltender Bryan Pitton (recall to Springfield of the AHL) and left winger Jason Pitton (loaned to Springfield), who began the year in Stockton, would boost the total to three pairs if the duo return from the AHL.

THUNDER CROWDS ROLLING IN

The Thunder ranks third in the ECHL in attendance with an average of 5,869 fans per game and is vying to tie a league record by leading the league in attendance for five straight seasons. On Jan. 30, 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).

BATES AND SWITCH

Since returning from an AHL call-up with the Springfield Falcons, James Bates has embarked on a tear spanning over two months with 38 points (14g-24a) in 27games and has a +10 rating. Bates currently leads the Thunder and is tied for 17th in league scoring with 60 points (22g-38a), 38 assists and has set a new career-high with 22 goals.

ECHL LEADERS - SCORING (since Jan. 15)

Player Team GP PTS G A +/-

1. Mark Derlago Idaho Steelheads 25 53 25 28 22

2. Tyler Donati Elmira Jackals 26 52 22 30 20

3. Adam Miller Las Vegas Wranglers 28 46 21 25 5

4. James Bates Stockton Thunder 28 39 14 25 13

5. Two players tied 38

20 AND OVER ADMITTED

A growing club this season that is near in setting a franchise high, four different players with 20 goals in one season adorn the roster, tying a club record when four separate 20-goal scorers dotted the roster in 2005-06 (Joel Irwin, Mike Lalonde, Ned Havern and Aaron Foster). Chris D'Alvise leads the Thunder with 28 goals (3rd, ECHL rookies), Colin Hemingway has 22goals (three off his career-high) to rank tied for third and Matt Robinson has 24 goals (new career-high) to rank second. James Bates' 22 goals are also a career-high. The Thunder are looking for their first pair of 30-goal scorers in club history. Oren Eizenman's next goal gives the Thunder five different 20-goal scorers for the first time in club history.

THUNDER 20 GOAL CLUB

YR PLAYERS GOALS

05-06 4. Mike Lalonde 29

Joel Irwin 25

Ned Havern 23

Aaron Foster 20

06-07 2. Mike Lalonde 23

Troy Bodie 21

07-08 2. Lance Monych 32

Ryan MacMurchy 23

08-09 2. Ryan Huddy 35*

Cory Urquhart 28

09-10 4. Chris D'Alvise 26

Matt Robinson 24

James Bates 22

Colin Hemingway 22

* Denotes Thunder record

'GINI IN A BOTTLE

Goaltender Andrew Perugini, who is tied for the ECHL lead in save percentage (.915) and is fourth in the ECHL in goals-against-average (2.77), became the Thunder career shutout leader (4) on Feb. 12 and posted his most recent blanking on a week later at Bakersfield, a career-high 45-save effort in a 2-0 Thunder win. Perugini was named Reebok Hockey ECHL Goaltender of the Week in February for the second time in his career.

ALL-TIME THUNDER SHUTOUT LEADERBOARD

GOALTENDER SHUTOUTS

1. Andrew Perugini (2008-present) 5

2. Tim Boron (2007-08) 3

3. Devan Dubnyk (2006-07) 2

Glenn Fisher (2007-08) 2

Jake Moreland (2005-06) 2

PLAYOFF NOTES

ECHL NATIONAL CONFERENCE PLAYOFF STANDINGS

(Top-7 in the conference qualify for Kelly Cup playoffs)

2010 Playoff March Notes - - The Thunder has 10 regular season games remaining.

- Stockton has regular season games remaining against the following teams:

Utah (3) Las Vegas (3) Bakersfield (2) Alaska (2)

- The top seven teams in the National Conference will qualify for the 2010 Kelly Cup Playoffs and will be seeded by conference ranking in the first and second round of the playoffs. The #1 seed will receive a bye through the first round and the #2 seed will play #7, the #3 seed will play #6, and the #4 seed will play #5. Home ice advantage will be determined by points.

- If the Kelly Cup Playoffs began today, the Thunder would face the Victoria Salmon Kings in the National Conference Quarterfinal.

- Currently, 81 points guarantees a playoff spot as the 8th place Ontario Reign can only amass 81 points this season. The Thunder wins the tie-breaker with Ontario for the final playoff spot.

- The Thunder is looking to surpass the 30-win plateau for the third time in club history (2006-07 and 2008-09)

- TIE-BREAKER: The tiebreaker for the National Conference if two teams tie will be: 1. Wins, regular season; 2. Points, head-to-head; 3. Wins, head-to-head; 4. Goal differential, head-to-head; 5. Winning percentage, division (if tied teams are from same division; if not, skip to 6); 6. Winning percentage, conference; 7. Goals for, regular season; 8. Goals against, regular season; 9. Coin toss

The tiebreaker for the National Conference if three teams are tied will be: 1. Wins, regular season; 2. Winning percentage, games between the teams; 3. Goal differential, games between the teams; 4. Winning percentage, division; 5. Winning percentage, conference; 6. Goals for, regular season; 7. Goals against, regular season; 8. Coin toss. When two teams remain after the third or other teams are eliminated during any step above, the tiebreaker reverts to Step 1 of the two-team format.

- Last season, the Thunder clinched its third straight Kelly Cup Playoff berth with the 4th seed in the Pacific Division and a 32-33-7 record (71 points)

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