Game Preview: Stockton Thunder Vs. Victoria Salmon Kings

Published on March 5, 2010 under ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


The Thunder, 10-1-4 at home since Dec. 4, are seven points behind the first place Bakersfield Condors of the Pacific Division, continue a stretch where they have 11 home games at Stockton Arena this month, facing the Victoria Salmon Kings tonight. Both teams meet for the tenth time this season. In the last head-to-head matchup, Stockton defeated Victoria, 4-1 on Wednesday at Stockton Arena. The Thunder is 16-19-5 lifetime against Victoria and is 5-3-1 this year in the head-to-head series.

LAST 3 THUNDER GAMES

STK 4 - VIC 1 (3/3/10): The first line of J.F. Caudron (1g-2a), Colin Hemingway (1g-2a) and Oren Eizenman (1g-1a) combined for eight points and goaltender Andrew Perugini made 26 saves to help the Thunder cruise to a 4-1 victory over the Victoria Salmon Kings at Stockton Arena on Wednesday night. The Thunder, who improved to 10-1-4 in the last 15 home games (dating back to Dec. 4), opened up a stretch of 11 home games in the month of March with a victory that helped keep a seven-point pace behind the Pacific Division's first place Bakersfield Condors, who defeated Idaho 3-1 earlier in the evening.

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.

SERIES NOTES

The Thunder is 5-3-1 vs. Victoria this season and 3-0-1 vs. the Salmon Kings at Stockton Arena... in the four games in Stockton, the Thunder have scored a combined 18 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... in a 4-1 win at Stockton Arena on Mar. 3, Colin Hemingway and J.F. Caudron each scored a goal and added two assists.

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 24 goals (T-4, ECHL rookies) and leads Thunder rookies with 45 points (T-6, ECHL rookies) in 53 games this season. D'Alvise has two hat tricks this season.

THUNDER CROWDS ROLLING IN

The Thunder ranks third in the ECHL in attendance with an average of 5,858 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. AJ Perry Utah Grizzlies 21 32 8 24 -7

3. Mark Derlago Idaho Steelheads 17 32 15 17 10

4. James Bates Stockton Thunder 21 31 11 20 13

5. Olivier Proulx Elmira Jackals 19 28 10 18 13

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