Perugini's 41 saves falls short, Derlago slips in game-winner

Published on October 17, 2009 under ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


BOISE, Idaho - Mark Derlago snapped a tightly-played 1-1 game with a power-play goal at the 5:57 mark of the third period, helping the Idaho Steelheads send the Stockton Thunder to a season-opening 3-1 defeat before 4,367 fans at Qwest Arena on Friday night.

Goaltender Andrew Perugini withstood a barrage loose puck scrambles and rebounds to post 41 saves in his season debut and counterpart Rejean Beauchemin stopped 20 shots for the Idaho win. Judd Blackwater scored the first goal of the Thunder season while Idaho countered with additional tallies from Mark McCutcheon and Evan Barlow.

Blackwater put the Thunder ahead 1-0 just 1:39 into the season on a power-play goal. He took captain Craig Valette's centering bid from behind the net and beat Beauchemin with a wrist shot from between the hash marks.

The Steelheads retaliated on McCutcheon's first goal in a Steelheads uniform with 4:15 left in the opening period, converting on a goal mouth scramble after Perugini stopped Weston Tardy's slapshot from the high slot.

Both teams battled through a physical second period with Perugini and Beauchemin matching each other save for save.

Derlago then scored the eventual game-winner on the power-play with 14:03 left for his first goal in an Idaho uniform, when his deke in front of the net slipped off his stick and deflected past Perugini after the puck re-directed off an errant skate at the goal mouth.

Perugini then denied two Idaho threats to extend the lead when he robbed Mathieu Tousignant with a shoulder save on a penalty shot with 5:57 left. The Thunder penalty kill unit then aided Perugini by snuffing a two-minute, 5-on-3 Idaho power-play.

Beauchemin kept the one-goal lead when he turned aside Oren Eizenman's one-timer in the mid slot with under two minutes left, allowing the Steelheads to put on the finishing touches with Barlow's empty net goal with 36.9 seconds remaining. Barlow took a clearing pass and slid the puck into the empty cage from the center ice red line.

NOTES: The Thunder scratched Matt O'Dette (injured reserve), Steve Vanoosten (injured reserve), Chris Davis (healthy), Bobby Davey (healthy) and Stephen Slonina (injured reserve) ... Perugini fell one save shy of matching his career-high ... the Thunder fell to 1-4-0 lifetime in season openers ... the Thunder went 1-for-4 on the power-play and stopped 5 of 6 penalty kill chances ... the Thunder fell to a 16-16-2 lifetime record against Idaho.

Both teams face a 6:10 p.m. rematch at Qwest Arena on Saturday. The game can be heard on radio at 1420 KSTN and viewed online at www.stocktonthunder.com, courtesy of B2 Networks (audio is free of charge). The Thunder home opener is Friday, Oct. 23 against the Ontario Reign at 7:30 p.m. at Stockton Arena.

The Thunder was voted "Best Local Sports Team" by readers of the San Joaquin Magazine, has led the ECHL in attendance for four consecutive seasons and drew 223,854 fans to Stockton Arena in 2008-09. Season Tickets for 2009-10 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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