Game Three of Four Between Thunder and Eagles Tonight

December 13, 2014 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


The Thunder hope to bounce back and take down the Eagles in the third of four-game series.

Arena: Budweiser Events Center

Date: Saturday, December 13

Time: 6:05 p.m. PST

Broadcast: ECHL.TV and Spreaker beginning at 5:50 p.m. PST

This Year's Record: Stockton is 1-1-0-0 against Colorado

Follow the Thunder Facebook Page for occasional updates or follow @StocktonThunder on Twitter for the play-by-play tweeting!

Kids Take Over Applications

The application process for Kids Take Over year number two has begun, as is the pre-registration for painting the ice. You MUST be a member of the Thunder Kids Club which is FREE to join for kids 12-years-old and younger. If you aren't a member yet, take a moment to sign up by clicking here.

Jobs available range from helping drive the Zamboni, to flexing your play-by-play skills on the broadcast! The team will make our "hires" during the week of December 15! Not only will you be applying for a job but the first 100 kids that are signed up will have a guaranteed spot to paint the ice on December 30! Apply now as we'll begin to make our hires next week!

Watch Party

Don't forget that the official home away from home is the University Plaza Waterfront Hotel. The hotel will have the games this weekend for FREE. You can enjoy some delicious food and beverages while watching the Thunder among friends.

Last Time Out

After an emotional tribute to former captain Riley Nelson, whose number was retired pregame, the Thunder did their best to pull the crowd out of the game, and they did just that 3:34 into the period as James Henry hit Mike Pereira off the bench. The speedster was already behind the defense but put even more distance between he and the Colorado defenders to go in alone on Clarke Saunders. Pereira slipped a backhander through the five-hole and gave the Thunder the 1-0 lead.

However the Thunder got in some penalty trouble midway through the period and Colorado made them pay with two straight power-play goals. It looked like that's how the period would end but late in the first Sebastian Collberg received a saucer pass from Jack MacLellan and blasted a wrister past Saunders to tie the game.

The second would be a wild affair as just 22 ticks into the period Collberg received another pass from MacLellan and yet again the Swede put a wrister upstairs on Saunders to give the Thunder the lead, however, that would be temporary.

Colorado scored three straight goals in about a 10 minute period to regain their lead 5-3. The period began to get later and a late penalty gave the Thunder a power play.

Ryan Constant made a brilliant move to get away from a defender in limited space at the point and then found MacLellan in the high slot who put one on the blocker side past the goalie. Just 16 seconds later Garet Hunt scored his first of the game and third of the season in the near exact same place as he did on Wednesday night and the game was tied.

However with under a minute to go a turnover in the Thunder zone gave Brock Nixon an opportunity on Shane Owen, an opportunity he didn't miss and as it looked like it would go in tied, the Eagles took the lead heading into the third. Their lead was increased and eventually they would win the game 8-5.

Tonight

The Thunder hope to get closer to a .500 record when they begin the three-in-three with the Eagles. Currently the Thunder have a 10-12-1 record for a win-percentage of .457. They currently sit one point ahead of Alaska and just one point behind Colorado (who currently occupies the fourth and final spot in the playoffs) and Utah (who are fifth). The Thunder have won two games in-a-row.

Who to Watch

After missing 14 games with a lower body injury and a stint on the 21-day IR list, Mike Pereria has come back and made a difference in his return.

Pereira scored his first goal as a member of the Thunder and showcased some speed that we hadn't seen since Halloween in Idaho. Keep an eye on the speedy winger tonight as he could be relied upon to create more offense.

Collberg's Two Goal Night

Sebastian Collberg has been excellent in his first ever ECHL stint. While he was held pointless in limited action during his debut, Collberg has picked up points in his next four games (3 goals and 3 assists).

However he had a bit of a target on his back during yesterday's game after scorching Clarke Saunders for two goals and putting a total of five shots on net. The Swede took a slash to the wrist and a hit that forced him from what had been an excellent game. Collberg left and did not return.

It was Collberg's first multi-goal game and second multi-point game in his brief ECHL career.

All-Time Watch

We're monitoring the situation between Garet Hunt, Ryan Constant and Mike Lalonde as Lalonde's all-time lead in points could be in danger of falling to one of the Thunder's star players soon.

Lalonde's 156 career points is in jeopardy as Constant pulled ahead with 151 points with the Thunder while Hunt is right behind them both with 145.

That means Constant is just 5 points back of tying the record while Hunt is 11 points back of tying the record.

Hunt is the only one close to Lalonde's all-time record of 72 goals with his 54 markers, putting the Thunder captain 18 shy of tying the record.

Approaching Milestones

A number of Thunder players could hit milestones while on this road trip including goaltender Kent Simpson, who is one game away from 50 in his ECHL career.

Outside of the pipes Jack MacLellan is just 1 game away from 100 in his professional career and is 3 points away from 50 in the ECHL.

Alex Mallet could also hit 50 ECHL points soon as he's just five away from that mark however he's been held pointless in his last three games.

It's not just a record that Ryan Constant could achieve soon, it's a couple milestones as the longtime defenseman is 4 goals away from 50 and 1 assist away from 150.

Streaks on the Line tonight

Jack MacLellan is on a seven-game point streak (5G, 6A).

Ryan Constant is on a six-game point streak (1G, 7A).

Garet Hunt is on a four-game point streak (3G, 1A). He has also scored in back-to-back games for the first time since December 4 and 6 of last season.

Sebastian Collberg is on a four-game point streak (3G, 3A).

Ryan Hayes is on a three-game point streak (2G, 1A)

Interesting Stat

Thunder are 3-1-0 when scoring two or more power-play goals and 1-5-0 when allowing two or more power-play goals.



ECHL Stories from December 13, 2014


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