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Record-Breaking Season Concludes With Playoffs, All-Stars, Attendance Title

April 25, 2007 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


GAME 1 - Tuesday, April 10

STOCKTON 4 - Idaho 2

Tim Sestito scored a shorthanded goal with 4:13 left in regulation to highlight a three-goal third period rally, which lifted the Thunder to a come-from-behind 4-2 win over the Idaho Steelheads at Qwest Arena in game one. Rookie defenseman Ryan Geris began the rally with a game-tying goal in the middle of the third period, sandwiching Sestito's game-winner with an empty-net goal by rookie Liam Reddox. Veteran defenseman Jason Beckett scored the first playoff goal in Thunder history in the first period, while all-star rookie goaltender Devan Dubnyk made 26 saves for the win in his pro playoff debut

GAME 2 - Wednesday, April 11

IDAHO 3 - Stockton 0

Idaho goaltender Steve Silverthorn made 28 saves to collect his first career playoff shutout, sending the Thunder to a 3-0 loss in game two of the National Conference Quarterfinal round of the Kelly Cup Playoffs. Thunder goaltender Devan Dubnyk made 18 saves through two periods to keep the game at a one-goal pace, after surrendering a goal to Idaho's Derek Nesbitt 3:58 into the game. Idaho got additional goals from Marty Flichel and Blake Forsyth to put the game away.

GAME 3 - Friday, April 13

IDAHO 2 - Stockton 1 (2OT)

Forward John Lammers scored a power-play goal at the 8:02 mark of double-overtime to send the Thunder to a 2-1 loss to the Idaho Steelheads in game three of the National Conference Quarterfinal, before 5,848 at Stockton Arena on Friday. The game lasted 88:02 which ranks as the longest in Thunder history. Veteran Colin Pepperall scored the only Thunder goal at 4:07 of the second period for a 1-0 lead, while Lars Helminen forced overtime with a two-man advantage goal in the third. Steve Silverthorn continued a tear in net with 39 saves, countered with Thunder netminder Devan Dubnyk's playoff career-high and Thunder record 46 saves.

GAME 4 - Sunday, April 15

STOCKTON 3 - Idaho 2

Tim Sestito scored his second game-winning goal of the playoffs with 14:30 left in regulation, combining with Devan Dubnyk's 34 saves to lift the Thunder to a 3-2 win over the Idaho Steelheads in game four of the National Conference Quarterfinal, tying the series at 2-2. Center Nathan Martz scored the first goal of the game with 7:09 gone in the first, while rookie Liam Reddox scored a critical game-tying marker with 7:41 left in the second period. Dubnyk closed out Idaho with 10 saves in the third period.

GAME 5 - Monday, April 16

IDAHO 3 - Stockton 2 (OT)

Lance Galbraith scored two goals, including the game winner at 6:54 into overtime to send the Thunder to a 3-2 loss to the Idaho Steelheads at Stockton Arena on Monday, handing Idaho a 3-2 lead in the series. Idaho jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the game before the Thunder rallied with two goals in less than four minutes in the late stages of the second period. Tim Sestito got the Thunder to within a one-goal deficit with 4:16 left in the period, followed by Colin Pepperall's game-tying goal with 31 seconds remaining in the period. Derek Nesbitt scored the first goal of the game for Idaho, while Thunder goaltender Devan Dubnyk made 32 saves, countered by Steve Silverthorn's 44 stops for Idaho.

GAME 6 - Wednesday, April 18

IDAHO 6 - Stockton 1

Derek Nesbitt and John Lammers each scored two goals and added an assist, while Steve Silverthorn made 22 saves to send the Stockton Thunder to a 6-1 defeat to the Idaho Steelheads in game six of the National Conference Quarterfinal before 3,110 at Qwest Arena as Idaho advanced to the National Conference Semifinal with a 4-2 series win. Idaho paced themselves to a 3-0 lead after one period, with the Thunder nearly crawling back in the game early in the second after rookie Liam Reddox hit the post. Center Nathan Martz scored the final goal of the year late in the third period for the Thunder.

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING

A tribute to all Thunder fans, now the two-time ECHL attendance champions (some quotes courtesy of The Record)

"They've been unbelievable - the home opener when we won in a shootout sticks in my mind and they've been great every game. Each game feels like a party in the stands and that's how it should be."

- Devan Dubnyk, goaltender

"At first I definitely didn't expect crowds to be this good in California, but it reminds me of the junior town I played in, so that's a compliment to the fans here and their enthusiasm for the game."

- Mathieu Melanson, right wing

"The crowds this year have been unbelievable. It's really like nothing else in the ECHL and proves how much Stockton is turning into a hockey town."

- Thunder head coach Chris Cichocki

"It's a great way for the league to recognize and thank the fans of Stockton for their support in the first couple of years by bringing the event to the city."

- ECHL Commissioner Brian McKenna after Stockton was awarded the 2008 ECHL All-Star Game

"Everything starts at home in hockey. If you can't win at home, you are in trouble. We won some great games here, but it was nice to score some goals for the fans. It was good to have a game like that."

- Assistant captain and center Nathan Martz after a 7-1 win against Utah in January

"It was a great feeling to do that in front of that kind of crowd. That's the biggest crowd I played in front of in my three years in the ECHL."

- Brendon Hodge, after winning the 2006-07 home opener in the 13th round of a shootout

" What can I say? I like watching fans throw things, whether it be bears or hats. It was a lot of fun."

- Tim Verbeek, right wing, after scoring a hat trick against Bakersfield in January on "Teddy Bear Toss" night

"We were very confident, and it's good to be a part of something that had not happened here before. This is great for the fans. I know how much they wanted it."

- Tim O'Connell, defenseman, after a 4-2 home win over Idaho in March to clinch a Kelly Cup Playoff spot

"What an atmosphere. You just really want to win in front of a crowd like that, and we've really been putting it together."

- Brendon Hodge, center

ATTENDANCE CHAMPIONS: AGAIN.

The Thunder successfully defended its ECHL attendance title, drawing 244,085 fans to Stockton Arena this season (an average of 6,780) * the highest draw in the ECHL since 2001-02 (Florida).

TOP-10 THUNDER HOME CROWDS:

1. 9,737* * 1/20 vs. Alaska (3-2 ot loss)

The Thunder fights to the last drop with the defending Kelly Cup Champion Alaska Aces

2. 9,737* * 3/3 vs. Cincinnati (4-2 loss)

Brock Radunske makes his debut in a Thunder uniform, nets an assist

3. 9,567 * 4/1 vs. Phoenix (4-1 win)

The Thunder wins its team-record 10th game in a row

4. 9,363 * 12/30 vs. Fresno (3-2 loss)

5. 9,234 * 3/30 vs. Phoenix (4-0 win)

Devan Dubnyk notches his 2nd career shutout

6. 8,911* * 1/13 vs. Bakersfield (6-1 win)

Teddy Bear Toss Night * Mike Lalonde's shorthanded goal sets the fur flying; Tim Verbeek notches his 3rd career hat trick and first in Thunder history at home

7. 8,747 * 10/28 vs. Long Beach (4-3 shootout win)

Thunder fans welcomed back in home opener for perhaps, the most exciting finish in Thunder history - Beau Geisler ties the game with 30 seconds left in regulation * Brendon Hodge wins it in the 13th round

8. 8,536 * 3/10 vs. Victoria (4-3 shootout win)

Thunder winning stretch in March kicks into high gear * Devan Dubnyk stops all 4 Salmon Kings in a shootout

9. 8,379 * 2/2 vs. Bakersfield (3-2 loss)

10. 8,209 * 11/4 vs. Phoenix (3-2 win)

"Thunder Goes Pink Weekend" concludes * Thunder rallies from 2-0 deficit after two periods

(* denotes sellout)

FINAL 2006-07 TEAM NOTES:

o The Thunder turned a 36-point improvement from 2005-06 which was best in the National Conference, and broke the Stockton season records for points (50), wins (18), home wins (8) and road wins (10).

o Center Colin Pepperall led the Thunder in playoff scoring with four points (2g-2a)

o Left wing Tim Sestito scored the game-winning goals in both Thunder playoff wins

o Center Nathan Martz ranked 5th in the ECHL with 56 assists, a new single-season Thunder record

o Defenseman Beau Geisler led ECHL defensemen with 28 power-play assists

o Goaltender Devan Dubnyk ranked 3rd in the ECHL with a .921 save percentage

o Goaltender Cam Ellsworth ranked 10th in the ECHL with a 2.62 goals-against-average

o Stockton won 11 of its last 13 regular season games (11-2-0)

o Stockton won its final seven regular season home games, setting a new team record

o Left wing Brock Radunske finished the regular season on a 13-game scoring streak (13g-21a), tallying CCM Tacks ECHL Player of the Month honors for March



ECHL Stories from April 25, 2007


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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