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Huddy's two-goal game halt's Lamoureux's hot goaltending streak

November 29, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


STOCKTON, Calif. - Rookie Ryan Huddy scored two goals, added an assist and goaltender Bryan Pitton stopped 27 shots as the Stockton Thunder (7-8-3, 17 points) snapped a three-game home losing streak, defeating the West Division-leading Alaska Aces 4-3 in front of a crowd of 5,103 at Stockton Arena on Friday.

Mike Lalonde and Toby LaFrance also scored for the Thunder, while Bryan Pitton earned the win in net with 26 saves. Aces counterpart Jean-Phillipe Lamoureux, who was unbeaten in regulation in his last nine appearances, suffered his first regulation loss since Oct. 31 with a 26-save output.

Sticks, gloves and several helmets lined the ice at 8:03 in the first, following a scrum that sent a total of six players to the penalty box for a combined 18 penalty minutes and set the tone for what was to become a physical, emotionally charged contest that started with Thunder agitator Garet Hunt squaring-off with counterpart Lance Galbraith, who was making his debut in an Aces uniform.

LaFrance was called for holding early in the game at 1:34 in the first which put the Aces on a power play and helped Alaska jump out to an early lead when Galbraith controlled the puck through the left side of the zone then skated around the net and aimed a one-time pass to Cam Keith, who tipped the puck over the pad of Pitton for a 1-0 Alaska lead.

During Stockton's first power play opportunity of the night, Lalonde kicked at a pass from Stephane Goulet, sending the puck off the lowered stick of Lamoureux and back into Lalonde who stayed with the shot until it found its way in net knotting up the score at 1-1 at 11:18.

Huddy put the Thunder ahead 2-1 at 11:18 by lifting a high wrister from just outside the left face-off circle that whistled over the glove of Lamoureux, capping off an end-to-end rush with Huddy stick handling with the puck from the Thunder zone.

Alaska evened the score at 2-2 at 3:22 in the second on the strength of a one-timed shot from the slot from the Aces' leading scorer Colin Hemingway, who directed a feed from Luke Erickson into the top left corner of the cage.

Huddy put the Thunder ahead 3-2 with his second unassisted goal at 3:16 in the third when he stole a pass from Hemingway at his own blue line and streaked down ice setting up a breakaway with Lamoureux. Huddy beat the goaltender through the five-hole to restore the lead.

Cory Urquhart launched a slapshot from the high point that landed in front of the net where Huddy nudged it to LaFrance, who banged the puck home on Lamoureux's right side, putting the Thunder up 4-2 at 8:57 and scoring what would eventually become the game winner.

With Lamoureux on the bench and Alaska on a six-on-five advantage, Hemingway tacked on one last goal for the Aces, bringing them to with a goal at 4-3 with less than two minutes remaining in the game.

Pitton withstood one final six-on-five push from Alaska shutting down the Aces and picking up his third win of the season, his first since Oct. 26 at Victoria.

NOTES: The Thunder scratched Marc-Andre Bernier (injured reserve), David Rohlfs (injured reserve), Jordan Bendfeld (injury, day-to-day) and Ryan MacMurchy (injury, day-to-day) ... Lalonde's goal was his fourth in five games ... Huddy's three-point game was his season high ... the Thunder improved to 7-13-3 lifetime against Alaska ... the Thunder scored two power-play goals or more in a game for the first time since Nov. 1 at Bakersfield (2-for-7 power-play).

The Thunder return to play on Friday, Nov. 29 against the Fresno Falcons from the Stockton Arena, starting at 7:30 p.m. The game is available on radio at 1420 KSTN and for viewing on the internet for a $7 charge at http://www.stocktonthunder.com/ (courtesy of B2 Networks).

The proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League's Edmonton Oilers and American Hockey League's Springfield Falcons, the Thunder was voted "Best Local Sports Team" by readers of the 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, group, individual tickets and mini plan packages are on sale now. For more information about tickets, merchandise, or other inquiries contact the Stockton Thunder offices at (209) 373-1500 or visit http://www.stocktonthunder.com/.

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