Thunder Back at Home, Host Grizzlies

February 15, 2014 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


The Stockton Thunder return home for the second and final time in February as they host the Utah Grizzlies on Star Wars night at Stockton Arena. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. PST with puck drop at 7:30 p.m.

Fans are encouraged to dress up as their favorite Star Wars character with the team hosting a costume contest during the first intermission in conjunction with the 501st Legion. The 501st will also be around the arena and in the conference rooms near the North Entry to pose for pictures! The first 1,000 fans entering Stockton Arena receive a pair of Lightsaber Thunder-Sticks.

Fans who can't make it out to the game can watch live coverage of the game on AmericaONE beginning with the Black Oak Casino Resort pregame show at 7:15 p.m. Free live audio of the broadcast is available to listen to on Spreaker.com and StocktonThunder.com. Free audio is now also available from AmericaONE on your computer, on iOS devices, and android devices.

The Thunder are coming off their season-long seven game road trip that featured stops in Bakersfield, Ontario and five straight games in Alaska against the Aces. The Thunder earned two victories over the stretch, and now sit sixth in the Western Conference standings, four points behind the Idaho Steelheads for fifth and six points behind the Colorado Eagles for third.

Two major roster moves have been made by the Thunder since the team's game on Thursday. Forward Corey Trivino returned from the AHL where he played in 11 games for the Portland Pirates. It was the first career AHL call-up for Trivino, which started on January 3.

On Friday, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers traded defenseman Mike Dalhuisen to the San Antonio Rampage in exchange for forward Adam Brace. Dalhuisen has spent the majority of his rookie season in the ECHL where he had 16 points in 32 games for the Thunder. Brace hails from Cobden, Ontario and is on his third organization this season. He was traded from the Charlotte Checkers to San Antonio in November. In 31 games with the Cincinnati Cyclones, Brace had 21 points.

The Thunder take on Utah tonight for the fourth time this season at home and sixth time overall. With the changes to the ECHL schedule the Thunder now play the Grizzlies 12 times this season. Thunder captain Garet Hunt and Joey Martin are the top scorers against Utah on the season with six points apiece. Hunt is tied for the team lead in goals against the Grizzlies with two, while Martin has the most assists with five helpers in five games. Martin leads the Thunder in overall points this season with 45, good for seventh most in the ECHL.

Utah has added a few fresh faces as well since the last time the Thunder saw them in January, but the scoring threats remain the same. Forward David Vallorani still leads the team in points, goals and assists with 38 points on 18 goals and 20 assists. Vallorani also leads the Grizzlies in points against the Thunder with nine. Vinny Scarsella is the only other player to score more than one goal against the Thunder with three goals and four points total in the five meetings. The Thunder also have to be wary of Utah forward Jamie MacQueen who is second on the team in goals with 17 this season. The forward was in the AHL for the three games played between the Grizzlies and Thunder at Stockton Arena. He was held to just one assist in the two games at the Maverik Center in January.

For goaltending, Utah has Aaron Dell and Igor Bobkov as the options currently on the roster, with both having played two games against Stockton. Dell was recently named the Warrior Hockey ECHL Goaltender of the Month for January, as he went 8-2-1 with one shutout, a 2.15 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage. In seven February games, the Grizzlies have a near even split in starts between Bobkov and Dell. Bobkov hasn't lost in four February contests, while Dell has gone 1-1-1 but hasn't allowed more than two goals in any of his three February appearances.

The Thunder end their February schedule with a three-game road trip in Colorado next weekend to finish off their season series with the Eagles. After that, the Thunder have a busy month at home in March as they play 10 out of their 13 games at Stockton Arena.



ECHL Stories from February 15, 2014


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