Stockton defeats Phoenix

Published on February 1, 2009 under ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


STOCKTON, Calif. - Goaltender Andrew Perugini made 32 saves for his fifth consecutive victory in net and veteran Cory Urquhart scored the eventual game-winning goal at 2:20 of the third period to guide the Stockton Thunder (20-20-5, 45 points) to a 3-1 win over the Phoenix RoadRunners before 6,610 fans at Stockton Arena on Saturday.

The Thunder closed out January with a monthly record of 10-3-0 to reach the .500 mark and climbed to within five points of the Ontario Reign for first place in the Pacific Division, who lost 2-0 to the Alaska Aces tonight. The Thunder received additional goal-scoring support from defenseman Daryl Marcoux and Damian Surma.

Forward Mark O'Leary tallied the only Phoenix goal in the third period, snapping Perugini's shutout streak of 110:25.

Surma helped the Thunder strike first in the game, feeding Daryl Marcoux at the right point, whose shot beat Kyle Jones through the five-hole with traffic blocking the rookie goaltender.

Perugini stopped all seven shots he saw in the first period, including a one-timer by Dan DaSilva from close range with two minutes left in the first period.

Perugini and Jones battled through a scoreless second period, trading point-blank saves. Jones kept the deficit to one goal on a kick save off his left pad, denying Robbie Bina's one-timer from the slot. Perugini kept Phoenix at bay with eight saves.

Urquhart netted the eventual game-winning goal on a rocket of a snap shot from between the hash marks to hike the Thunder lead to 2-0. Leading scorer Ryan Huddy set up the play by keeping the puck inside of the blue line while skating away from a Phoenix defender. Huddy slid a forward pass to Urquhart, who beat Jones to the glove side.

O'Leary put the RoadRunners back in the game and cut the deficit in half to 2-1 with 5:20 elapsed in the third period, snapping Perugini's shutout streak by burying a rebound from inside of the left circle.

The Thunder thwarted tense moments in the middle part of the period, killing a 5-on-3 power-play for a span of 1:14 with a series of shot blocks by the penalty kill unit and a point-blank glove save by Perugini on P.J. Fenton's one-timer from the right circle.

Surma wrapped up the game with 38 seconds left on his empty net goal, burying the shot from outside of the Phoenix blueline.

Jones made 29 saves to absorb the loss, who was making his first appearance in net since Jan. 18.

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