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Pitton's 29 saves boost Stockton back into first place in Pacific Division

December 2, 2010 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


VICTORIA, British Columbia ‚¬" Goaltender Bryan Pitton made 29 saves in his return from the American Hockey League and stopped three attempts in a shootout to boost the Stockton Thunder (9-4-4, 22 points) to a 3-2 shootout victory over the Victoria Salmon Kings before a crowd of 3,010 at Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre on Wednesday.

The Thunder, who reclaimed sole possession of first place in the Pacific Division and snapped a four-game winless skid in regulation, remained unbeaten on the road as well at 4-0-2 this season.

Pitton, who improved to 5-0-2 in the ECHL, stopped Rick Cleaver, Matt Siddall and Chad Painchaud in the shootout and also came up with a game-saving stop on Siddall in the remaining seconds of overtime.

"We played a great road game," said Thunder head coach Matt Thomas. "We were able to overcome a few mental mistakes but all in all, we needed a win. We found a way to get one against a very talented team in a tough place to get a win in. We moved the puck around well, we're shooting it well and we're getting our chances."

The Thunder outshot Victoria, 36-31 and were aided by goals from Mark Arcobello and Steve Vanoosten.

After Pitton's counterpart, David Shantz, denied a wraparound by Jesse Gimblett to open the game, Ryan MacMurchy's seventh goal of season broke the scoreless tie, 3:14 into the game. MacMurchy collected Cleaver's rinkwide pass off the right boards, raced past a fallen defenseman and converted on a breakaway past Pitton's glove.

Arcobello provided an answer with his third goal of the season, tying the score, 1-1 with 6:15 left in the period on a power-play. Chris Lawrence whipped a pass through the box to Arcobello at the right circle, who beat Shantz over the glove with a wrist shot.

The Thunder grabbed its only lead of the game, 2-1, on Vanoosten's second goal of the season when he collected a pass at the right point and ripped a wrist shot through traffic with 2:48 left in the period.

Victoria countered with several scoring chances in the second period and Pitton managed to keep the game tied on Painchaud's quick bid from near the middle, that caromed off the blocker.

Then after the Salmon Kings were denied on a 4-on-1 rush, they followed on the ensuing shift with Matt Siddall's game-tying goal with 4:18 left in the second period. Rob Hennigar hit Siddall with a tape-to-tape pass from the right corner and Siddall buried a one-timer from the left circle while wide open.

Both teams traded scoring chances in the third period and Pitton stopped all 11 shots he saw to force overtime. One of two stops he made in the extra session was a highlight-reel, right leg save on Siddall in the last seconds, moving post-to-post to the glove side on Siddall's one-timer from the base of the right circle.

In the shootout, the Thunder buried three of four shots and after Lawrence boosted the shootout lead to 3-1 with a forehand move around Shantz's poke check, Pitton closed the door when he forced Painchaud's wrist shot off the post in the fourth round.

"At the beginning of the game, it took me awhile to get into it," said Pitton, who arrived in Canada in the afternoon from Oklahoma City. "Once I was in it, I felt pretty good. The boys did a good job in the third and in overtime to help lighten the load towards the end."

Shantz took the shootout loss with 34 saves.

NOTES: The Thunder scratched Jim McKenzie (travel), Jordan Foreman (injured reserve), Daryl Marcoux (injured reserve), Tyson Sexsmith (injured reserve) and Craig Valette (injured reserve) ... Stockton leveled the head-to-head series, 1-1-0 with Victoria ... the Thunder capped off the game at 1-for-3 on the power-play and held Victoria scoreless on three opportunities ... Stockton, after winning just one game in the shootout last year, improved to 4-3 this year in shootouts.

The Thunder returns to play for its next game on Friday against Victoria, starting at 7:05 p.m. at Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre. The game can be heard on radio at 1280 KWSX and viewed live on the internet (pay-per-view video charge) at www.StocktonThunder.com, courtesy of AmericaOne.

A two-time recipient of the ECHL "Award of Excellence," Thunder was voted "Best Local Sports Team" by readers of the San Joaquin Magazine, led the ECHL in attendance for four consecutive seasons and drew over 200,000 fans for the fifth consecutive season in 2009-10. Season Tickets, mini-plans and individual tickets for 2010-11 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/.

THREE STARS:

1. STK - 31 Bryan Pitton

2. VIC - 17 Rob Hennigar

3. VIC - 1 David Shantz

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