
Last Ever Thunder vs. Reign Game in Ontario
April 4, 2015 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release
The Thunder will play career game number 78 against their rivals from Southern California to end the ECHL rivalry tonight at 6:00 p.m.
Arena: Citizens Business Bank Arena
Date: Saturday, April 4
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Broadcast: ECHL.TV and Spreaker beginning at 5:45 p.m. PST
This Year's Record: Stockton is 0-7-0-0 vs. Ontario
Follow the Thunder Facebook Page for occasional updates or follow @StocktonThunder on Twitter for the play-by-play tweeting!
Fantasy Team and Golden Goalie Jerseys up for Bid
Visit MeiGray.com to bid on the one of a kind Fantasy Team and Golden Goalie Jerseys worn by Garet Hunt and Cody Reichard during Saturday, March 14th's win over the Idaho Steelheads. The auction is now going on and will run through April 16 so cast your bids now!
Heat Rises in Fall 2015
The table has now been set for the first ever Pacific Division in the American Hockey League, the premier Triple-A hockey league in the world! The Stockton Heat are one of five teams to form the Pacific as they will join the Bakersfield Condors, Ontario Reign, San Jose Barracuda and San Diego Gulls for the first AHL season to be played in California kicking off this fall.
Season tickets are on sale now for the first year of Heat hockey! For just $50 per seat, you can reserve your spot as the new team kicks off play for the 2015-16 AHL season. Call 209-373-1500 or visit StocktonThunder.com/ahl!
Closing a Decade of FANtastic Fun
From our first ever signed player Jake Moreland to our newest signing Carter Rigby, there have been a number of players and moments that has defined the last decade of hockey in the Central Valley.
Fans remember the greats like Mike Lalonde, Nathan Martz and of course Garet Hunt and Ryan Constant. They remember our first player ever recalled to the NHL (Bryan Young) and the newest player to join that elite group of 11 players to play for the Thunder and make their NHL debut (Tyler Bunz).
You remember the goals, the fights, the Pink Weekends, the good, the bad, and of course the good friends you have made while learning and then loving our sport.
After tonight's game there are just three Thunder games left with two coming on the road in Bakersfield and a conclusion of 10 years on April 11 at Stockton Arena. Don't miss your chance to say goodbye to the ECHL and the Thunder before we celebrate the next era of hockey in Stockton coming Fall 2015.
Shattock is on Fire
Tyler Shattock has been one of the best players in the ECHL over the last two months.
Shattock has scored 12 goals and added 15 assists in 24 games thus far since February began. Of the 24 games, Shattock has points in 19 of them, missing out on just 5 games.
His 56 points this season has obliterated his previous pro high of 20 points that he picked up while playing for the Chicago Wolves of the AHL last season.
Shattock's 56 points is tied for the ninth most ever in a Thunder sweater for a single season. Next on the list is Oren Eizenman in 2009-10 (59 points), then Cory Urquhart in 2008-09 (60 points). Most ever is a tie between Ryan Huddy in 2008-09 and Jamie Bates in 2009-10 (73 points).
Last Time vs. Ontario
The Reign started the game with a couple quick goals after Jussi Olkinuora made a few huge saves on Thunder players to take an early lead.
However Alex Mallet would score a power play goal just after returning from the IR but Judd Blackwater scored his second of the game before the end of the first.
Adam Phillips scored early in the second but the Reign would rattle off four more before J.T. Barnett would score in his second straight game against his former squad in a 3-7 Thunder loss.
Tonight
While Stockton and Ontario will meet next season, it will be with a different league and different team name for Stockton, meaning this is the final ever game between the Thunder and Reign. Stockton is still searching for their first win over their rivals from SoCal this season.
Entering tonight's game, the Thunder have posted a 35-33-9 record against the Reign in 77 games played.
Who to Watch
We have to go with the man who seems the most motivated to play against the Ontario Reign, and that is J.T. Barnett who began his pro career last season with the Reign.
Not only does Barnett have goals in his last two games against his former team, he has points in three of his last four games overall. He currently ranks 8th on the active roster in points with 23, an increase from his 14 points during his rookie campaign with Ontario and the Orlando Solar Bears.
All-Time Greatest
Garet Hunt has done it, the longtime Thunder forward playing in his seventh season became the team's all-time leading scorer after a goal last night against Troy Redmann.
With the goal Garet breaks a two-way tie at the top with former Thunder forward Mike Lalonde and sets a new team record of 157 points.
Garet does have one more record to try and chase down as Lalonde still holds the all-time Thunder goals record of 72. Hunt's season goal total is now up to 12 meaning he is just 9 goals away from tying Lalonde's mark.
Hunt is now the franchise leader in games played (438), points (157), penalty minutes (1638) and ranks third all-time in assists (94) behind Ryan Constant (110) and Nathan Martz (97).
Making Debuts
The Thunder will see three players make their pro debuts tonight as the pair of teammates from the NCAA DIII's University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in defenseman Kyle Brodie and forward Garrett Ladd join the WHL's Carter Rigby as players set to play their first pro game.
The pair of UW-Stevens Point Pointers are coming off of their second straight NCAA DIII Championship appearance with the Pointers. Both Brodie and Ladd were named to the First Team All-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) for the past two seasons and Ladd also has been honored as the WIAC's first ever Player of the Year in 2013-14 after scoring 40 points in 27 games.
Rigby is coming off a career year that saw him traded after 7 games with the Kelowna Rockets to the Swift Current Broncos. In 55 games played with his third WHL team of his career, Rigby had 13 goals and 24 assists, pushing his 2014-15 season total to a career high 46 points.
Interesting Fact
The Thunder are 13-1-0 when leading after two periods, and 6-6-1-1 when tied after two. The Thunder are still searching for their first come from behind win when trailing after 40 minutes.
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ECHL Stories from April 4, 2015
- Eagles Fall in Shootout to Steelheads, 3-2 - Colorado Eagles
- Andrew Courtney Sets New Franchise Record for Missouri - Kansas City Mavericks
- Royals Fall in Final Regular Season Road Game, 5-4 In - Reading Royals
- Mallards Clinch Playoff Berth with 3-2 Win in Rapid City - Quad City Mallards
- Everblades Clinch East Division Title with 3-1 Win over Stingrays - Florida Everblades
- K-Wings Hammer Nailers - Kalamazoo Wings
- Warriors Edge Gladiators to Avoid Elimination - Greenville Swamp Rabbits
- Wings Wrestle Win Away from Wheeling - Wheeling Nailers
- Rollheiser Shines in 5-1 Win over Brampton - Wichita Thunder
- IceMen Finish Season Series with Cyclones - Evansville IceMen
- Gladiators Take Point in Wild Shootout, 5-4 - Atlanta Gladiators
- Jackals Defeated by Walleye, 4-2 - Elmira Jackals
- Cyclones Cruise Past Evansville, 4-0 - Cincinnati Cyclones
- Duco Pushes Fuel Past Komets, 3-2 - Indy Fuel
- Everblades Slip Past Stingrays 3-1 - South Carolina Stingrays
- Countdown to Face-Off: Kalamazoo Wings vs Wheeling Nailers - Kalamazoo Wings
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- ECHL Transactions - April 4 - ECHL
- Game Preview: Tulsa Oilers vs. Missouri Mavericks - Tonight at 7:35 p.m. - Tulsa Oilers
- Game Preview - Ontario Reign vs. Stockton Thunder - Ontario Reign
- Last Ever Thunder vs. Reign Game in Ontario - Stockton Thunder
- Cyclones Game Preview - Cincinnati vs. Evansville - Cincinnati Cyclones
- Carter Rigby Turns Pro with Thunder - Stockton Thunder
- Gladiators Game Preview: Road Warriors at Gladiators - Atlanta Gladiators
- Elmira Heads to the Huntington Center for Only Visit this Season - Elmira Jackals
- ECHL Today - April 4 - ECHL
- Reign Earn Point in 3-2 Shootout Loss to Condors - Ontario Reign
- Utah wins over Alaska - Alaska Aces
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.
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