Thunder Blast Reign 5-1 in Weekend Finale

December 22, 2013 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


Ontario, Calif. - The Stockton Thunder finished off their three game weekend set with a 5-1 victory over the Ontario Reign. It was the Thunder's first win this season over their Pacific Division rivals after losing the first six meetings between the two teams in 2013-14.

"I think we had some pretty good outings especially in these last few games," Head Coach Rich Kromm said. "I thought our effort was solid and certainly we could have deserved a better fate in the first two games. Tonight we were able to get it done, so it's a real positive."

The Thunder improved to 14-9-0-4 on the season with the victory and moved up to the fourth spot in the Western Conference standings, passing the Idaho Steelheads.

Four players had multi-point efforts for the Thunder in the win and forward Corey Trivino extended his point-scoring streak to six straight games. In net, goaltender Brian Foster made a season-high 42 saves to earn first star honors.

"I felt good tonight," Foster said. "Obviously the team played really well in front of me, they let me see everything, and my defensemen helped out a lot clearing everything away."

The game started off slowly with both teams showing the effects of playing each other two times in the previous two nights. Offensive chances were at a premium in the first period, with the Thunder capitalizing first. Captain Garet Hunt finished off a beautifully worked passing play to put the Thunder up 1-0 at the 12:12 mark in the opening frame. Defenseman Mike Dalhuisen kept an Ontario clearing attempt in the zone and knocked it over to Trivino. He quickly picked out Matt Bergland on the left wing who drew Ontario goalie Michael Hutchinson out of the crease before passing to Hunt for a redirected goal.

The score stayed that way until the second period when the Thunder doubled their advantage. Joey Martin took an outlet pass from Mitch Bruijsten and raced down the right wing boards for an odd man rush. Holding off an Ontario back-checker, Martin squeezed the puck past Hutchinson with a backhand shot as he crashed the net 2:20 into the period. It was Bruijsten's first ECHL point in his third game with the Thunder.

It was 3-0 Thunder later in the second period as Bergland added a goal to efforts, spinning and firing a shot from the slot that squeezed through Hutchinson's five-hole. Through two periods of play, the Thunder scored three goals on eight shots against Hutchinson, while Foster stopped all twenty shots he had faced at that point.

The Thunder continued to take their frustrations of losing several close games out on the Reign in the third period. Defenseman Lee Baldwin scored his first as a Thunder player as he finished off a passing play with Bruijsten before one-timing a shot past Hutchinson at the back post for a 4-0 Stockton lead.

The game, already a very physical one, picked up in intensity as both teams finished their checks and battled each other hard on both ends of the ice. Needing to turn things around, Ontario unleashed a deluge of 23 shots against Foster in the third period alone. The 26-year-old Pembroke, New Hampshire native kept the Reign scoreless until the 15:48 mark of the period when Matt White knocked home a rebound to spoil Foster's shutout bid.

With still more than three minutes remaining, the Reign opted to pull their goaltender in an effort to cut the lead to two. The Thunder had several chances to ice the game with an empty net goal, but could only hit the post twice off a couple of chances. Finally, with 0:14 left in the game, Hunt fired a puck the length of the ice from his own defensive end and hit the target to put the game away and clinch a 5-1 win for the Thunder. Hunt's second goal of the game gave him 11 on the season and moved him into the team lead in goals, passing Andrew Clark.

Next up for the team, the Thunder open up a set of five straight games with the San Francisco Bulls, starting with a game on the road on December 27th. The Thunder then return to Stockton Arena for three straight games and several unique promotions.

On December 28th, the first 1,000 fans entering Stockton Arena will receive a special edition Garet Hunt bobblehead. The next night, the Thunder host "Kids Take Over Stockton Arena" night where members of the "Thor's Puck Patrol" kids club can apply to assist members of the Thunder staff during the game with jobs ranging from broadcaster to assistant zamboni driver and much more! Following the game, up to 500 kids will have the chance to showcase their artistic skills by paining on the Stockton Arena ice. The ice will then be sealed over and played on by the Thunder during their next home game on January 3rd. For more information and to help your child apply for a spot, visit StocktonThunder.com.



ECHL Stories from December 22, 2013


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