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O'Connell scores two goals, adds assist as Thunder sweeps Steelheads in Boise

January 6, 2007 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


BOISE, Idaho - Veteran defenseman Tim O'Connell tied a season with three points, scoring two goals and an assist with a +3 rating as the Stockton Thunder (17-7-5, 39 points) swept a two-game road series against the Idaho Steelheads in a 5-2 victory at Qwest Arena, in front of an announced crowd of 4,335 on Saturday night.

The win ensures the Thunder of a winning series against Idaho with a 5-1-1 record in the 10-game head-to-head season matchup, as Stockton finishes 4-1-0 at Qwest Arena in 2006-07. The remaining games in the season series will be played at Stockton Arena.

Thunder all-star goaltender Devan Dubnyk continued Idaho's scoring frustration with 14 first period saves, including a key stop early in the game on Idaho rookie Greg Rallo. Late in the frame, left wing Mike Lalonde spotted the Thunder its game-opening goal for a 1-0 lead while on the power-play with 53 seconds left. Lalonde took Nathan Martz's centering pass from the left corner and slipped a wrist shot from the slot through Idaho netminder John Daigneau's five-hole.

Idaho climbed back to tie the game at 1-1 on Colin Shields' ninth goal of the season at the 4:17 mark of the second period, scurrying backdoor to the right wing, taking Kyle Peto's feed from the left point and sliding the puck into an open net past Dubnyk, ending the Thunder goaltender's shutout streak at a combined 83 minutes and 22 seconds.

Left wing Tim Sestito scored his second goal in as many games and ninth of the year at 12:22 for a 2-1 Thunder lead, finishing an up-ice rush by taking Mike Lalonde's drop pass in the slot and allowing the Idaho defense to slide by before roofing a wrist shot from the slot over Daigneau's glove.

O'Connell netted the eventual game-winner and his first goal since November 17 just 32 seconds later for a 3-1 Thunder lead, burying Lalonde's centering feed from the right side to mark the quickest two goals an Idaho opponent has scored at Qwest Arena this year.

Stockton took a commanding 4-1 lead with just 53 seconds gone in the third, as O'Connell forced a turnover inside the Idaho blueline, outraced Steelheads defenseman Darrell Hay down the right wing and snapped a shot at the right circle that whizzed past Daigneau's blocker side for the defenseman's seventh goal of the year and second of the game.

Idaho capitalized in a Thunder turnover in the Stockton zone to cut the lead to two with 9:29 elapsed, as Rallo scored his 11th goal of the season after converting Marty Flichel's pass from behind the net. After the Thunder survived two Idaho power-plays, veteran forward Tim Verbeek's empty net goal put the game away with 51 seconds left, sniping a shot from the center ice red line.

All-star forward Nathan Martz added two assists for the Thunder with a +4 rating, while Dubnyk improves to 10-2-4 on the season.

The Thunder returns to play at home on Friday, January 12 against the Bakersfield Condors at Stockton Arena, beginning at 7:30 p.m. The game can be heard live on the internet (free-of-charge) and is available for viewing for a $6 "pay-per-view" charge at www.stocktonthunder.com (courtesy of B2 Networks).

Thunder season tickets, mini-plans and individual tickets for the 2006-07 season 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.

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