Thunder at Wranglers

Published on May 5, 2009 under ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


PACIFIC DIVISION FINAL

Game 1: Las Vegas 3 at Stockton 4

Game 2: Stockton 2 at Las Vegas 4

Game 3: Las Vegas 1 at Stockton 5

Game 4: Las Vegas 3 at Stockton 2 (OT)

Game 5: Stockton 2 at Las Vegas 4

Game 6: at Las Vegas - Tuesday, May 5 - 7:30 p.m.

Game 7: at Las Vegas - Wednesday, May 6 - 7:30 p.m. *

* If necessary

TONIGHT'S MATCHUP

The fourth seeded Thunder faces the second seed Las Vegas Wranglers in Game 6 of the Pacific Division Final (second round) of the 2009 Kelly Cup Playoffs at Orleans Arena, a best-of-seven series which is led by Las Vegas, 3-2 and follows a "1-1-2-3" format. The head-to-head series is a rematch of the first round of the 2008 Kelly Cup Playoffs (National Conference Quarterfinal) when the Thunder were defeated by Las Vegas, 4-2 in a best-of-seven series. Playing hockey in the month of May for the first time in team history, this year marks the Thunder's third straight playoff appearance and third in four seasons since joining the ECHL. The Wranglers are making their fourth straight appearance in the Kelly Cup Playoffs and advanced to the Kelly Cup Finals last year for the first time in club history. The Thunder finished 3-3-0 this season against Las Vegas.

SECOND ROUND SERIES RECAP

GAME 5 - STK 2 at LV 4: Glenn Fisher made 36 saves, including 15 in the final period to move to 5-1 in the postseason and help the Las Vegas Wranglers defeat the Stockton Thunder, 4-2 in Game 5 of the Pacific Division Final of the 2009 Kelly Cup Playoffs, before 5,389 fans at Orleans Arena on Monday. For the first time in the best-of-seven series, the Thunder trail, 3-2 and were pushed to the brink of elimination. Dan Spang capped off a three-goal second period by Las Vegas with the eventual game-winning goal, spelling goals by teammates J.D. Watt, Adam Miller and Scott McCulloch's empty netter. Veteran Damian Surma scored a pair of goals for the Thunder, who outshot Las Vegas 38-33.

GAME 4 - LV 3 at STK 2 (OT):

Mick Lawrence's slap shot goal from the right wing, just 28 seconds into sudden-death overtime, helped the Las Vegas Wranglers send the Stockton Thunder to a 3-2 overtime loss in Game 4 of the Pacific Division Final of the 2009 Kelly Cup Playoffs, before 6,596 fans at Stockton Arena on Saturday. Las Vegas tied the best-of-seven series, 2-2 as the Thunder won two out of three possible games at home with both teams playing a staggered "1-1-2-3" format due to building schedule conflicts at Orleans Arena, the home of the Wranglers. Thunder goaltender Parker Van Buskirk made a playoff career-high 39 saves and received goal-scoring support from Garet Hunt and Brandon Naurato. Dan Riedel and Tyler Mosienko scored for Las Vegas.

GAME 3 - LV 1 at STK 5:

Goaltender Parker Van Buskirk made 38 saves for his fifth win in seven postseason games, spelling Ryan Huddy's three point (2g-1a) performance in a 5-1 Stockton Thunder victory over the Las Vegas Wranglers in Game 3 of the Pacific Division Finals of the 2009 Kelly Cup Playoffs, before 4,237 fans at Stockton Arena on Thursday. The Thunder took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series, scoring the first four goals of the contest and producing a 2-for-5 effort on the power-play. James Bates and Judd Blackwater collected a pair of assists while Garet Hunt, Craig Valette and Damian Surma also scored for Stockton. Jason Dest scored the only goal for Las Vegas in the third period.

GAME 2 - STK 2 at LV 4:

The Las Vegas Wranglers scored three power-play goals on seven chances and received two point efforts from Dan Riedel (1g-1a) and Adam Miller (1g-1a) to help send the Stockton Thunder to a 4-2 defeat in Game 2 of the Pacific Division Final of the 2009 Kelly Cup Playoffs, before a crowd of 2,816 at Orleans Arena on Monday. Las Vegas tied the best-of-seven series, 1-1 with the next two games shifting back to Stockton Arena. Sean Owens and Jason Dest also scored for Las Vegas as goaltender Glenn Fisher made 23 saves. The Thunder went 1-for-5 on the power-play and received goal-scoring support from James Bates and David Rohlfs.

GAME 1 - LV 3 at STK 4:

Goaltender Parker Van Buskirk won his fourth postseason game in five appearances with 35 saves, spelling Cory Urquhart's pair of goals to lead the Stockton Thunder to a 4-3 victory over the Las Vegas Wranglers in Game 1 of the Pacific Division Finals of the 2009 Kelly Cup Playoffs, before 4,398 fans at Stockton Arena on Friday. The Thunder took a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series and received additional offensive support on goals from Ryan Huddy and Robbie Bina, rolling over the Wranglers in a three-goal rally that spanned 2:49 in the first period. Mike Hamilton, Justin Taylor and Adam Miller scored for Las Vegas.

THUNDER PLAYOFF HISTORY NOTES

The Thunder berth in the second round of the playoffs is the first in team history, after defeating Ontario, 4-3 in a best-of-seven series. Last season, the Thunder lost to the eventual National Conference champion Las Vegas Wranglers, 4-2 in the National Conference Quarterfinal round. The Thunder won game 1 by a 4-2 score on four goals in the third period and set club playoff records in a 6-3 win in game 5 at Stockton Arena, for most goals in a game (6) and most goals in one period (tied, 4). In 2006-07, Stockton was defeated by the Idaho Steelheads, 4-2 in the National Conference Quarterfinal en route to Idaho's second Kelly Cup Championship in four years. Two players remain with the Thunder, who have appeared in the club's entire 12 lifetime Kelly Cup Playoff games (defenseman Mark Adamek, assistant coach and former defenseman Tim O'Connell) before 2008-09.

THUNDER BEFORE REIGN IN THE FIRST ROUND - A RECAP

The Thunder defeated the Ontario Reign, 4-3 in a best-of-seven series which was the first playoff series victory in Thunder history ... Cory Urquhart led the Thunder in scoring for the series with 9 points (6g-3a) and Craig Valette tallied three game winning goals ... goaltender Parker Van Buskirk, signed as a free agent on 4/12 after Andrew Perugini was placed on injured reserve, went 3-1 in the series ... Stockton won Game 7, 5-4 at Citizens Business Bank Arena on the strength of four first period goals and Parker Van Buskirk's 27 saves ... Stockton won Game 4 in overtime, 5-4 on James Bates' goal at 2:28 of the first sudden-death OT period ... the game was the playoff debut of Van Buskirk, who made 29 saves for the Thunder ... the Thunder evened the series at 1-1 with a 6-5 win in Game 2 at Citizens Business Bank Arena, tying a club playoff record with six goals - Craig Valette scored twice in the game ... Ontario took Game 1 in a 4-3 victory despite a third period rally by the Thunder, who tied the game on a Cory Urquhart power-play goal which marked a two-goal rally in the final frame before Shawn Germain's game-winner.

SEASON SERIES RECAP

The Thunder finished 3-3-0 vs. Las Vegas this season, taking three of the first four meetings (all at Stockton Arena) ... head coach Matt Thomas made his home head coaching debut for Stockton on Jan. 16 against the Wranglers in a 7-2 Thunder win, with Mike Lalonde scoring four points (2g-2a) in the game ... the Thunder clinched its berth into the Kelly Cup Playoffs on Mar. 29 in a 3-1 victory at Stockton Arena, with Craig Valette scoring the game-winning goal late in the third period ... Las Vegas swept the Thunder in the final two games of the regular season at Orleans Arena to clinch the #2 seed in the playoffs ... Mike Lalonde's seven points (2g-5a) led the team in the head-to-head series

BATES AND SWITCH

James Bates had an 8-game point-scoring streak in the Kelly Cup Playoffs from Apr. 17 - May 2, marking a franchise postseason best and the longest streak in the Kelly Cup Playoffs this season. Bates scored 11 points (6g-5a) during that span and began the streak in Game 4 of the first round series against Ontario, scoring the overtime game-winning goal in a 5-4 victory.

SHOOT TO THRILL

The Thunder scored 27 goals in the first round seven-game series, breaking the club record (20) for most in one series ... Cory Urquhart led the Thunder with six goals and nine points (6g-3a) in the series and Craig Valette had three game-winning goals, leading the ECHL in that category ... Urquhart's hat trick in Game 1 vs. Ontario was the second in Thunder playoff history ... Stockton leads the ECHL in Kelly Cup Playoff goal scoring (42) ... Ryan Huddy's 14 points (5g-9) rank tied for third in Kelly Cup Playoff scoring and is a Thunder playoff scoring record.

ARE YOU EXPERIENCED?

The Thunder has two players (captain and defenseman Matt O'Dette and center Cory Urquhart) with pro championship experience - O'Dette helped guide the Saint John Flames to a Calder Cup championship in 2001 and Urquhart helped guide the Arizona Sundogs to a CHL President's Cup championship last year and the Hamilton Bulldogs to a Calder Cup Championship in 2006-07. Additionally, veteran center Damian Surma and assistant coach Tim O'Connell (defenseman at the time who amassed 65 games of Kelly Cup Playoff experience) helped the Florida Everblades reach back-to-back appearances in the Kelly Cup Finals in 2004-05. In 2004, Surma scored a double-overtime game-winning goal to eliminate Roanoke in the first round and scored an overtime winner in game 6 the 2005 American Conference Finals to help Florida eliminate Charlotte.

A part of the 2003 Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies team that won the Kelly Cup championship, Thunder head coach Matt Thomas was an assistant coach for Atlantic City. Thunder assistant coach Ryan Mougenel scored 9 points (1g-8a) in 17 Kelly Cup Playoff games for Atlantic City during the 2003 postseason.

Below is a list of the top-5 active Thunder players who have the most pro playoff experience in games:

PLAYER - GAMES

MATT O'DETTE - 69

DAMIAN SURMA - 64

CORY URQUHART - 60

TYLER KINDLE - 32

MARK ADAMEK - 24

CROWDING OUT THE ECHL

For the fourth straight season, the Thunder led the ECHL in attendance with an average of 6,218 fans through 36 home games. Stockton has 13 sellouts in the team's franchise history and finished last year as the ECHL's attendance leader for the third consecutive season. The Thunder became the first team since 2004-05 to lead the ECHL in attendance for four straight seasons (Florida led the ECHL in attendance for five straight seasons - 2000-05).

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