Game Preview: Stockton Thunder Vs. Victoria Salmon Kings

Published on February 7, 2008 under ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


FACEOFF: 7:00 p.m. PT

RADIO: None

INTERNET: www.stocktonthunder.com (B2 Networks)

RECORDS:

Stockton Thunder (19-23-3, 41 points) - 3rd, Pacific

Victoria Salmon Kings (28-11-5, 61 points) - 1st, West

2007-08 HEAD-TO-HEAD SERIES

11/14/07 Stockton 4 at Victoria 7

11/16/07 Stockton 3 at Victoria 4

11/17/07 Stockton 1 at Victoria 2 (OT)

12/28/07 Victoria 5 at Stockton 3

02/07/08 Victoria at Stockton

03/26/08 Victoria at Stockton

03/29/08 Victoria at Stockton

UPCOMING MILESTONES

o Spencer Carbery is 5 games away from 100 in his professional career

o Andy Contois is 14 points away from 100 in his ECHL career

TONIGHT'S MATCHUP

The Thunder plays in its second of back-to-back home games, welcoming in the West Division-leading Victoria Salmon Kings. The Thunder currently holds a record of 0-3-1 this season against Victoria. All-Star forward Andy Contois has four assists to lead the Thunder in scoring for the series. Victoria goaltender Billy Thompson has allowed only four goals in two games against the Thunder and has a save percentage of .949 in the season series.

LAST GAME RECAP

The Thunder plays in its second of back-to-back home games, welcoming in the West Division-leading Victoria Salmon Kings. The Thunder is searching for its first win against Victoria in the season series, currently holding a record of 0-3-1 this season. All-Star forward Andy Contois has four assists to lead the Thunder in scoring for the series. Victoria goaltender Billy Thompson has allowed only four goals in two games against the Thunder and has a save percentage of .949 in the season series.

FIRST THING'S FIRST

Of the 19 wins the Thunder has accumulated this season, 18 have come when the Thunder scores the first goal of the game. The Thunder is 18-8-1 when scoring the first goal of the game.

CROWDING OUT THE ECHL

The Thunder remains the league's leader in attendance with a league-high average of 6,610 fans in 22 dates (145,425 total) and has drawn two sellouts (9,737) this season. The Thunder has led the ECHL in attendance for two consecutive seasons, drew 244,085 fans to Stockton Arena in 2006-07 and drew the fifth largest crowd in ECHL All-Star Game history on January 23 with a total of 7,455 fans.

PAUK AND ROLL

Rookie center Geoff Paukovich is enjoying his best offensive stretch of the season, currently riding a three-game goal scoring streak and has scored four goals in that span. A second round selection (57th overall) by the Edmonton Oilers in the 2004 National Hockey League Entry Draft, Paukovich spent the 2007-08 NHL training camp period with the Oilers and ranks third on the Thunder with 12 goals.

ROHLFS AND BEEMAN JOIN LINEUP

For the first time in four games, the Thunder will skate with a full lineup as rookie David Rohlfs and right wing Jason Beeman are added to the active roster. Rohlfs, a fifth round (154th overall) selection by the Edmonton Oilers in the 2003 National Hockey League Entry Draft, was re-assigned to the Thunder on Wednesday from the AHL affiliate Springfield Falcons. Beeman, acquired in a trade with the Texas Wildcatters on Monday in exchange for future considerations, makes his debut in a Thunder uniform tonight.

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING: NEW TRADE ACQUISITION JASON BEEMAN

"(Thunder radio color commentator) Derek (Eisler) recommended Jason, and I like what I know about him. He's a pit bull type of player. I know I'm acquiring a guy who isn't afraid to fight."

- Thunder head coach Chris Cichocki, The Record, 2/5/08

ABOUT THE SALMON KINGS

The Victoria Salmon Kings are in their fourth season of ECHL play and are in their second season under the NHL affiliate umbrella of the local Vancouver Canucks. In his first year as head coach last year, Mark Morrison guided the Salmon Kings to their first-ever Kelly Cup Playoff berth, garnering the seventh seed at a 36-32-4 clip (76 points) and pushed the defending Kelly Cup Champion Alaska Aces to a grueling, six-game series in the first round. 12 players who graced Victoria's roster last year are back, including brothers Derek and (former Colorado Avalanche forward) Jordan Krestanovich. Re-united are brothers Wes and Ash Goldie, after Victoria signed Ash as a free-agent last summer.

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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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