Robinson's Two Goals Against Former Team Lifts Thunder To Fourth Straight Win

Published on December 13, 2009 under ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Left winger Matt Robinson collected his second straight two-goal game against his former team and buried a game-winning goal with 5:25 left in regulation to help guide the Stockton Thunder to a 5-4 victory over the Alaska Aces before a crowd of 5,671 at Sullivan Arena on Saturday.

Robinson, who scored his third and fourth goals while playing on Sullivan Arena ice for the first time since 2007-08, was spelled by Thunder goals from Judd Blackwater, Jamie Bates and J.F. Caudron. John Lammers picked up a hat trick for Alaska in the losing cause, as the Thunder improved to 3-0-1 in their last four lifetime games in Anchorage.

The Thunder also improved to 4-0-0 since acquiring Robinson, Brett Hemingway, Anthony Aiello and Justin Dacosta 11 days ago, scoring 20 goals in the last four games.

Both teams combined for a five game goals in a wild first period that had the Thunder coming out with a 3-2 lead. Blackwater converted a backdoor pass by Bates from the right goal post for his team leading 10th goal of the season just 3:53 into the game, helping Stockton draw first blood.

Bates then converted off a screen and caught a piece of Ryan Constant's wrist shot from the left point for his seventh goal of the season at 12:55, lifting the Thunder lead to 2-0.

The Thunder pushed the lead to 3-0 on Caudron's one-timer from between the circles, converting Oren Eizenman's pass from behind the net for his fifth goal of the year.

Alaska, however, roared back with two goals in just six seconds, beginning with John Lammers' 12th goal of the year from the rush on a left wing wrist shot at 15:54. Off the ensuing faceoff, Matt Stefanishion took a 50-foot bullet from the right wing that beat Andrew Perugini to cut the Thunder lead to 3-2.

Robinson, the ex-Ace stretched his goal-scoring streak to four games since joining the Thunder with his eighth of the year on the power-play at the 5:18 mark of the second period, converting off the rush when he took Blackwater's centering pass and beat Scott Reid with a snap shot from between the hash marks.

Alaska cut the deficit to 4-3 on Lammers' second goal of the game with 7:31 left in regulation on a 5-on-3 power-play, cradling T.J. Fast's rinkwide pass at the right circle and roofing a wrist shot over an outstretched Perugini.

Robinson then netted the backbreaking second goal of the game with 5:25 left in regulation, capitalizing on a 2-on-1 opportunity for his ninth goal of the year and sixth in four games with Stockton. Robinson took Jason Pitton's outlet and buried a snap shot from the left circle to boost the Thunder lead to 5-3.

Lammers brought the Aces back in the game, trailing 5-4 with the hat trick goal with 1:56 left in regulation for the team's second power-play marker, ripping a snap shot from the left circle.

The Thunder stifled Alaska's last bid on a flurry of shots in the defensive zone to burn out the clock, preserving a 36-save effort and win for Perugini in his first game back from the AHL.

NOTES: The Thunder scratched Matt O'Dette (injured reserve), Garet Hunt (injured reserve), Riley Emmerson (healthy), Craig Valette (injured reserve) and Bobby Davey (healthy)... after going winless in their first six lifetime games at Sullivan Arena, the Thunder improved to 7-2-1 in the last 10 games in Anchorage... Alaska outshot the Thunder, 40-24... Bates picked up his third point in two games since returning from the AHL... the Thunder moved the season series record to 2-0-2 against Alaska.

The Thunder wraps up the three-game series tomorrow against the Alaska Aces at Sullivan Arena, beginning at 6:05 p.m. to continue a seven-game road trip. 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 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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