Stockton Thunder vs. Fresno Falcons

Published on November 11, 2007 under ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


TONIGHT'S MATCHUP

Local rivals hook up again as the Thunder faces the Fresno Falcons for the first time this season, looking to turn the direction of last year's 2-6-0 record in the season series against Fresno. Both teams face each other 10 times this year, starting with the first three matchups at Stockton Arena. Both teams faced each other twice in preseason play, splitting the series at 1-1-0. At the focal point of the Thunder's defensive efforts will be five-time all-star Luke Curtin, who scored 13 points (3g-10a) in last year's series. Both teams met twice this preseason and garnered a 1-1 split.

LAST GAME RECAP

The Thunder won its sixth game out of seven and staved off a third period comeback by the Phoenix RoadRunners on Jacob Micflikier's game winning goal with 6:50 left in regulation, taking a 6-4 win over Phoenix at U.S. Airways Center on Thursday night. Rookie defenseman Sebastien Bisaillon scored a career-high two goals and Andy Contois added a breakaway goal in the second period. Micflikier scored just 37 seconds after Phoenix mounted a two-goal rally in the third and added an insurance goal late in the game.

FAN-DEMONIUM

The Thunder leads the ECHL in attendance through three games with an average of 8,817 fans per game this year, totaling 26,451 at the turnstiles. Last Saturday's tilt against the Idaho Steelheads, part of "Thunder Goes Pink II," was the first sellout of the year at Stockton Arena with a total of 9,737 fans. The Thunder has led the ECHL in attendance for two consecutive seasons and drew 244,085 fans (an average of 6,780) to Stockton Arena in 2006-07.

WHEN IT RAINS, IT POURS

After a tough start to the season where the Thunder scored only five goals in its first three games, a 6-0-1 run in its last seven games has produced an average of 4.1 goals per game. The Thunder's 34 goals scored rank eighth in the ECHL heading into this weekend, just eight back of Phoenix. Four players are averaging a point-per-game or better: scoring leader Andy Contois (1.1 ppg), Ryan MacMurchy, Jacob Micflikier and Jesse Bennefield (1.00).

CONTOIS STORY

Known for his speed and one of the headline free-agent pickups during the ECHL offseason, Andy Contois leads the Thunder in scoring with 11 points (3g-8a) in 10 games - already a quarter of the way to his 40 point (19g-21a) total produced last season as a rookie with the Gwinnett Gladiators. Contois has points in seven of his last eight games, tallying three multi-point efforts and a shorthanded goal. Additionally, Contois has a +6 rating during the Thunder's 6-0-1 record in seven games.

ABOUT THE FALCONS

The Fresno Falcons are in their fifth season of ECHL play and independent of an NHL affiliate - previously, they were affiliated with the San Jose Sharks, who departed their partnership after the 2006-07 season. Fresno has qualified for the Kelly Cup Playoffs in the last two consecutive seasons, led by head coach Matt Thomas who produced a 34-29-9 record (77 points), garnering a seventh seed in last year's playoffs. Star forward Luke Curtin, a five-time ECHL All-Star selection, returns to Fresno for his third consecutive season after leading the Falcons in scoring for the last two years. Curtin enters the weekend 10th on the ECHL's all-time assist rank with 348 career helpers.

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ECHL Stories from November 11, 2007


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