
Mallet Scores in Return But Thunder Fall to Ontario
March 26, 2015 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release
Ontario, Calif. - Stockton Thunder forward Tyler Shattock stays hot, as he extends his point streak to a season-high six games and Alex Mallet registers a goal and an assist in his first game back off the IR, but the Thunder cannot keep up with the Ontario Reign's offense and fall 7-3 Wednesday night in Ontario. Rookie goaltender Andrew Walsh made his pro debut, stopping 32 shots during the game, and fellow rookie Adam Phillips scored his second goal in as many games, as the defenseman is now on a three-game point streak. Unfortunately, former Thunder forward Judd Blackwater notched two goals in the first and assisted a timely goal in the middle frame just 11 seconds after Phillips scored and took the wind out of the Thunder's sails. The Thunder will return home Friday for a three-in-three against Alaska in what will be the final series against the Aces.
1st Period
-ONT goal: F Gasper Kopitar (8) puck is tapped through the goalie's five hole off a centering pass from below the goal line (Freibergs, White assists), 5:33
-ONT goal: F Judd Blackwater (25) catch-and-shoot opportunity on the backdoor off a cross-ice pass goes past the goalie on the blocker side (Nunn, Rutherford assists), 9:47
-THUNDER GOAL: F Alex Mallet (10) shot from the nearside hash marks in the slot goes top shelf, glove side past the goalie (Barnett, Henry assists), 16:51 (PP)
-ONT goal: F Judd Blackwater (26) backhand-forehand move on the partial breakaway is shot past the goalie (Nunn, Freibergs assists), 18:02
-Shots: STK - 10 | ONT - 16
2nd Period
-THUNDER GOAL: D Adam Phillips (8) slap shot is ripped past the goalie from the slot after the rebound is kicked out past the hash marks (Shattock, Mallet assists), 0:49
-ONT goal: F David Rutherford (11) rebound off the post is one timed past into the net past the goalie (Blackwater, Nunn assists), 1:00
-ONT goal: F Maxim Kitsyn (23) puck is tucked behind the goalie on the backhand-forehand move from the top of the crease (White assist), 11:30
-Shots: STK - 8 | ONT - 17
3rd Period
-ONT goal: F Gasper Kopitar (9) shot from the nearside faceoff dot is put past the goalie on the short side and into the net (Couture, Julseth-White assists), 0:35
-ONT goal: D Matt Register (13) walked into the slot from the half wall and shot the puck underneath the goalie (Brittain, White assists), 8:30
-THUNDER GOAL: F J.T. Barnett (7) catch-and-shoot opportunity from the slot goes past the goalie after a centering pass from the farside corner (Stebner assist), 16:04 (SH)
-Shots: STK - 4 | ONT - 6
W: Jussi Olkinuora (22 shots, 19 saves)
L: Andrew Walsh (39 shots, 32 saves)
Notable Statistics
-Three Stars: 1- Judd Blackwater (2 goals, 1 assist) 2- Garry Nunn (3 assists) 3- Gasper Kopitar (2 goals)
-Final Shots: STK - 22 | ONT - 39
-Power plays: STK - 1/2 | ONT - 0/3
-Alex Mallet (1 goal, 1 assist) plays in his first game since 2/15 and earns his fifth multi-point game of the year
-Tyler Shattock (1 assist) extends his point streak to a season-high six games (4 goals, 4 assists)
-Adam Phillips (1 goal) is now on a three-game point streak (2 goals, 1 assist) and has a goal in back-to-back games
-Goalie Andrew Walsh makes his pro debut
-Tyler Maxwell left game with a lower body injury and will be reevalutated when team returns to Stockton
Quotes
"We had a lot of chances early in the game and some later after they had the lead that could've made it tighter heading into the third. Vinny [Scarsella] had the breakaway opportunity when he pulled the goalie out of the crease and just missed wide. [Tyler Shattock] had the shot from the weak side on the odd man rush. Those can be game-changers in a hurry but we couldn't convert." - Head Coach Rich Kromm on the team's missed opportunities throughout the game.
"It all started on the forecheck with Shattock getting in there and out-battling their players for the puck. He was on the tail end of his shift and the other two forwards had already changed and his work really created that opportunity for us." - Coach Kromm on Shattock's effort that led to the Adam Phillips goal.
"The penalty kill was good tonight. We had a couple breakdowns defensively early in the game, but we competed hard in the third and certainly had our chances comeback in this one." - Coach Kromm on the success of the penalty kill and the chances late in the game.
NEXT HOME GAME
-Alaska Aces vs. STOCKTON THUNDER
Friday, March 27 @ Stockton Arena
Easy Being Green & Girls Scout Night
Doors open @ 6:30 p.m., Puck drops @ 7:30 p.m.
UPCOMING HOME GAMES
-Alaska Aces vs. STOCKTON THUNDER
Saturday, March 28 @ Stockton Arena
Easy Being Green
Doors open @ 6:30 p.m., Puck drops @ 7:30 p.m.
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