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Salmon Kings Double up Thunder

January 8, 2011 - ECHL (ECHL)
Victoria Salmon Kings News Release


Victoria, BC - In a Friday night match-up at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre, the Victoria Salmon Kings took on the Stockton Thunder in the second of a three game set. The Salmon Kings looked to former Florida Panthers draft pick David Shantz between the pipes, while the Thunder went with Edmonton Oilers prospect Bryan Pitton.

The game opened with both teams playing an extremely physical style of play. Victoria received an early power play after Craig Valette dropped the gloves with an unsuspecting Ryan Dingle after the whistle. The Salmon Kings would capitalize on the power play at 4:32. From the right point P.J. Atherton fed a cross seam pass to Tim Kraus at the left face-off dot who let the one timer go. Pitton made a pad save but the rebound went to the stick of Ryan MacMurchy who had an easy tap in for his eighth goal of the year. Victoria held the momentum for the opening seven minutes outshooting the Thunder 7-0. The Salmon Kings continued to pressure the Thunder. Michael Wilson fed a wide open Chad Painchaud in front of the net who made a made a nice deke around a sprawling Pitton and deposited into the gapping net. The goal was scored at 9:08 and was Painchaud's 13th on the season. Victoria continued their onslaught and were rewarded with another goal at 12:05. Captain Pete Vandermeer skated in down the left side and made a nice toe drag move around a Thunder defender before slipping the puck between the legs of Pitton for his third of the campaign. The Thunder would answer back quickly at 12:40 after Anthony Aiello walked in from the left point and put a shot off the crossbar and into the net. The marker was Aiello's fifth of the campaign. The physical play continued after Salmon Kings' defender Gord Burnett and Thunder forward Garet Hunt dropped the gloves after a questionable hit by a Stockton player. Burnett landed the first few blows of the bought, Hunt landed a couple in the middle of the tilt, but Burnett finished off with a flurry before the linesman jumped in. The period ended with Victoria holding a 14-6 shot margin over Stockton and a 3-1 lead.

The second frame opened like the first with the Salmon Kings receiving an early power play. Victoria generated several quality scoring chances on the man advantage, but could not find the back of the net. Stockton continued to their run to the penalty box throughout the first half of the period. At 9:32 Ryan Constant took a high-sticking penalty on Milan Gajic to give the Salmon Kings a 5-on-3 power play opportunity. During the two man advantage Pitton made a couple key saves to keep the deficit at two. The rest of the period saw action at both ends of the ice with both goaltenders making key stops. Victoria recorded 19 shots in the period and took their 3-1 lead into the final period.

The third period opened with Victoria almost potting their fourth of the night. The Stockton goaltender made a pass right on to the stick of Victoria's Rick Cleaver, but the former Brampton Battalion netminder recovered to make the remarkable sliding pad stack save on the play. With Victoria hemmed into their own zone a Stockton player put the puck into a swarm of bodies. With the puck loose in the slot Shantz dived across the net to deny Jason Pitton with his blocker. Halfway through the period North Vancouver, BC native Michael Wilson dumped the puck into the right wing corner of the Stockton zone. Gajic raced into the corner to retrieve the puck. The Kings' winger threw a blind pass towards the net, but the puck bounced off the Stockton goaltender and slipped between the post and the pad for the marker. Victoria's fourth goal was notched at 11:02, and was the University of Michigan's products ninth of the year. Stockton's Jason Pitton would add a late goal, but it would not change the outcome of the game. Salmon Kings 4 Thunder 2

Victoria went 1/6 16.6% on the power play, while Stockton was 0/2 0.0%. The Thunder outshot the Salmon Kings 37-27.

Victoria finish off their three-game home set against Stockton tomorrow night, January 8th at 7:05 pm. The Salmon Kings then welcome the Las Vegas Wranglers for a two-game series Tuesday, January 11th and Wednesday, January 12th at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre. Game time for both nights is 7:05 pm. For tickets call 250-220-7777 or visit www.selectyourtickets.com.

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