Road trip opener slips away in four-goal, second period rally by Bakersfield

February 26, 2011 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - Joel Broda bookended a four-goal rally by the Bakersfield Condors in the second period with two of his own, enough to help send the Stockton Thunder (27-18-9, 63 points) to a 4-1 defeat before 5,534 fans at Rabobank Arena on Friday night.

Garet Hunt chipped in with the only Thunder goal of the evening and were held to 26 shots - seven below their average this season. Brian Stewart made 25 saves for the win in net, stopping the final 19 shots he saw in the last two periods. Zane Kalemba, who came up with 28 saves, took his second straight defeat this season.

Hunt's eighth goal of the season lifted the Thunder to a 1-0 lead with 8:33 left in the first period, when he corralled a rebound at the left side of the crease and flipped it over goaltender Brian Stewart's left pad after Bretton Cameron was denied on a wrist shot from the mid-slot.

Broda's first of two goals in the period tied the game, 1-1 with 6:10 elapsed in the second period, when he buried a wrist shot from the rush at the right circle.

Bobby Robins then started a rally of three Bakersfield goals in a span of 5:51, when he walked out to the left circle and suck a wrist shot over goaltender Zane Kalemba's glove with a 2-1 edge with 6:45 left.

Adam Naglich then boosted the Condors lead to 3-1 on a breakaway with just 58 seconds later, converting on a backhanded deke to the left post.

The Thunder coughed the puck up inside the Condors blueline and Jean-Marc Beaudoin raced away for a shorthanded break up the right wing, and connected on a post-to-post pass to Broda, who stashed a re-direction away for his second goal of the game with 1:54 left in the period and a 4-1 advantage.

Several attempts in the opening minutes by the Thunder to get back in the game were turned away by Stewart in the third period, including a wide open opportunity for Fraser Clair, who had his bid turned away with Stewart's stick.

The Thunder dropped to 4-4-2 in the head-to-head series.



ECHL Stories from February 26, 2011


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