Gongalsky to Team Ukraine; Kinley, Urquhart to AHL

March 26, 2009 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


STOCKTON, Calif. - The Stockton Thunder, the proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League's Edmonton Oilers and American Hockey League's Springfield Falcons, have announced that left wing Igor Gongalsky (GOHN-gall-skee) has been loaned to the Ukrainian National Team and defenseman Cleve Kinley (KIHN-lee) and veteran center Cory Urquhart (URK-hart) have been recalled from the Thunder to Springfield.

Gongalsky, who joins Team Ukraine in preparation for the upcoming 2009 IIHF World Championships, is expected to re-join the Thunder on April 5.

Gongalsky was signed by the Thunder as a free agent on Dec. 30, 2008 and has scored 18 points (4g-14a) and posted 84 PIM in 25 games since his arrival in Stockton and scored two assists for the National Conference in the 2008 ECHL All-Star Game in Stockton.

The 6-foot, 225-pound native of Kiev, Ukraine has skated in six games for San Antonio of the AHL, registering nine penalty minutes. In 116 career games with Fresno and Stockton of the ECHL, Gongalsky has scored 73 points (28g-45a) and amassed 278 penalty minutes.

Last season, Gongalsky posted 43 points (18g-25a), 18 goals and 140 penalty minutes in 63 games as a rookie for Fresno.

Kinley, 25, leads all Thunder defensemen this year with 28 points (4g-24a), posting 74 penalty minutes in 45 games. The 6-foot, 190-pound defenseman was signed to an AHL contract by Springfield last summer and has skated in 119 career games as a pro with Stockton and Texas of the ECHL, Grand Rapids and Springfield of the AHL and Muskegon of the UHL, scoring 66 points (10g-56a) while notching 143 penalty minutes.

The Surrey, British Columbia native has skated in one game for Springfield this year and led Texas in playoff scoring last season, amassing 13 points (5g-8a) in nine Kelly Cup Playoff games.

Urquhart ranks second on the Thunder with a career-high 60 points (28g-32 a) in 57 games, additionally posting 32 penalty minutes this season. Urquhart ranks fourth on the Thunder with six power-play goals and was selected in the second round (40th overall) by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft.

The 6-foot-3, 195-pound forward has amassed an assist in six games this year for Springfield and has skated in 326 games as a pro in the ECHL with Stockton, Cincinnati and Long Beach, in the AHL with Springfield and Hamilton and in the Central Hockey League with Arizona, scoring 267 points (136g-131a) while posting 191 penalty minutes.

The Thunder was voted "Best Local Sports Team" by readers of San Joaquin Magazine, has led the ECHL in attendance for three consecutive seasons and drew 239,337 fans to Stockton Arena in 2007-08. Season tickets, group tickets, individual tickets and mini plans are on sale now. For more information about tickets, merchandise, or other inquiries contact the Stockton Thunder offices at (209) 373-1500 or visit www.StocktonThunder.com.



ECHL Stories from March 26, 2009


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