Sports stats



Game Preview: Stockton Thunder Vs. Victoria Salmon Kings

March 3, 2010 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


TONIGHT'S MATCHUP

The Thunder, 9-1-4 at home since Dec. 4, are seven points behind the first place Bakersfield Condors of the Pacific Division, return home to play 10 of the next 14 games at Stockton Arena this month which begins Wednesday against the Victoria Salmon Kings. Both teams meet for the ninth time this season. In the last head-to-head matchup, Victoria defeated Stockton, 1-0 in a 16-round shootout at Stockton Arena on Jan. 30. The Thunder is 15-19-5 lifetime against Victoria and is 4-3-1 this year in the head-to-head series.

LAST 3 THUNDER GAMES

LV 6 - STK 3 (2/28/10): Alex Bourret collected his second hat trick of the season and the Las Vegas Wranglers denied two comeback attempts by the Thunder, en route to a 6-3 victory before 3,480 fans at Orleans Arena on Sunday afternoon. The Thunder, who finished a season-long eight-game road trip at 3-4-1 record, have a four point lead ahead of Las Vegas for second place in the Pacific Division and return home to Stockton Arena for ten of the next 14 games, where the Thunder are 9-1-4 since December 4 and are third in league attendance with 5,934 fans per game. Nearly erasing 3-0 and 4-2 deficits in the second and third period, the Thunder got goal-scoring support from Anthony Aiello, James Bates and Colin Hemingway. Joel Gistedt, making his first start since Feb. 12, picked up the win in net with 24 saves.

STK 6 - LV 4 (2/27/10): Veteran J.F. Caudron scored three points (1g-2a) and his linemates Oren Eizenman (1g-1a) and Colin Hemingway (1g-1a) combined for seven points to help the Thunder end a three-game losing streak in a 6-4 road victory over the Las Vegas Wranglers before 4,923 fans at Orleans Arena on Saturday. Head coach Matt Thomas, earning his win against former assistant and current Las Vegas head coach Ryan Mougenel, helped the Thunder snap a lifetime 11-game winless skid at Orleans Arena in the regular season (dating back to 2005-06). Stockton shattered a 0-for-20 drought on the power-play with a 3-for-7 effort while receiving aid on Matt Robinson's pair of goals and one from Anthony Aiello.

LV 5 - STK 2 (2/26/10): Alex Bourret scored a goal and added two assists to help the Las Vegas Wranglers snap a 2-2 tie after the first period with a three-goal second period outburst and send the Stockton Thunder (24-21-8, 56 points) to a 5-2 loss before 4,124 fans at Orleans Arena on Friday night. The loss, capping a game that pitted Thunder head coach Matt Thomas against his former assistant and current Las Vegas head coach, Ryan Mougenel, marked the first time the Thunder had dropped three straight games in regulation since Dec. 16-19 (at Victoria). Oren Eizenman and Matt Robinson each scored for Stockton and Josh Prudden, Jeff Hazelwood, Jerry Pollastrone and Adam Miller also chipped in with a goal for Las Vegas.

SERIES NOTES

The Thunder is 4-3-1 vs. Victoria this season and 2-0-1 vs. the Salmon Kings at Stockton Arena... in the three games in Stockton, the Thunder have scored a combined 14 goals and in a 7-1 victory on Jan. 29, tied the franchise record for largest margin of victory... Igor Gongalsky became the seventh player in Thunder history to record a hat trick in the game and J.F. Caudron had a career-high and Thunder record five assists... the following night, before a crowd of more than 9,100, the Thunder dropped a 1-0 shootout defeat to Victoria which went 16 rounds - the longest game in Thunder history.

THUNDER CROWDS ROLLING IN

The Thunder ranks third in the ECHL in attendance with an average of 5,934 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 a month with 30 points (11g-19a) in 20 games and has a +14 rating - the only more efficient effort turned in that span is Tyler Donati of Elmira (+19) and Thunder teammate Chris D'Alvise (+14). Bates currently leads the Thunder with 51 points (19g-32a), 32 assists and has set a new career-high with 19 goals.

ECHL LEADERS - SCORING (since Jan. 15)

Player Team GP PTS G A +/-

1. Tyler Donati Elmira Jackals 19 42 18 24 19

2. Mark Derlago Idaho Steelheads 17 32 15 17 10

3. AJ Perry Utah Grizzlies 21 32 8 24 -7

4. James Bates Stockton Thunder 21 30 11 19 14

5. Olivier Proulx Elmira Jackals 19 28 10 18 13

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 23 goals (T-5, ECHL rookies) and leads Thunder rookies with 44 points (7th, ECHL rookies) in 52 games this season. D'Alvise has two hat tricks this season.

ROBINSON CRUISES

Thunder forward Matt Robinson, after burying two goals last night vs. Las Vegas, has goals in four of the last five games and has buried a goal in seven of the last nine games. His eleven-game scoring streak is a career-high and is five games off the ECHL season-high (Tyler Donati of Elmira, Jan. 22-present).

'GINI IN A BOTTLE

Goaltender Andrew Perugini, who is tied for second in ECHL save percentage (.915) to teammate Bryan Pitton (leads with.921) and ranks fifth in the ECHL in goals-against-average (2.75), became the Thunder career shutout leader (4) on Feb. 12 and posted his most recent blanking last Saturday at Bakersfield, a career-high 45-save effort in a 2-0 Thunder win. Perugini went 8-2-2 in a string of 12 starts and was named Reebok Hockey ECHL Goaltender of the Week last Tuesday 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



ECHL Stories from March 3, 2010


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.

OurSports Central