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Thunder cap busy stretch with sweep of Alaska

January 30, 2012 - ECHL (ECHL) News Release


Finishing up a stretch of eight games in 10 days, the Stockton Thunder swept the league-leading Alaska Aces over the weekend to move into fifth place in the Western Conference with an overall record of 21-18-4 for 46 points.

Stockton began its week in Idaho, splitting a pair of games against the Steelheads. The Thunder won the first game of the series, skating away with a 4-1 win on Tuesday. Ian O'Connor led the way with two goals, while Colten Hayes added a pair of assists. Alex Stalock turned aside 29 shots to record the win.

After dropping a hard-fought 1-0 decision to Idaho on Wednesday, Stockton returned home for a three-game set against the Aces. The Thunder opened the weekend series with a 6-3 win on Friday behind three-point nights from Kevin Baker (2g-1a) and Matt Foy (1g-2a). Max Campbell (1g-1a), Hayes (1g-1a) and Milan Kytnar (0g-2a) each chipped in two points in the win.

On Saturday, four different players scored for Stockton in a 4-1 win. Olivier Roy earned the win in net, turning aside 29 of 30 Aces' shots.

The Thunder ended their busiest stretch of the season with a 2-1 win on Sunday. Kytnar put the Thunder ahead late in the first period with his seventh goal of the season, but Alaska pulled even late in the second period. Early in the third period, Jordan Fulton tallied an unassisted goal to give the Thunder a lead they would not relinquish, thanks to the goaltending of Stalock who stopped 12 third-period shots on his way to a 38-save performance to improve to 4-0-0 in his four appearances with the Thunder.

Baker (19g-16a) and Foy (11g-24a) share the team lead with 35 points each. Baker ranks second in the ECHL with 187 shots on goal.

In goal, Roy ranks ninth in the ECHL with a 2.61 goals-against average, and is tied for second with three shutouts.

This week, the Thunder travel south to Bakersfield on Wednesday before returning home to host Idaho on Friday and Saturday.

ECHL enjoys great week at box office

For the third consecutive week, and the fourth time in the last five weeks, the ECHL averaged over 4,000 fans per game during last week's action, increasing the overall average on the season to just under 4,100 per game.

Idaho had its largest crowd of the season, welcoming a standing-room only 5,321 fans on Friday against Utah while Wheeling welcomed over 6,900 fans for its two games at WesBanco Arena on Friday and Saturday.

Saturday saw a pair of teams welcome their largest crowds of the season. South Carolina had an ECHL season high 9,783 fans for its annual Pack the House Night while Utah had 9,225 for its game against Idaho at Maverik Center.

Toledo had a standing-room only crowd of 8,200 on Saturday for its fifth sell-out of the season. The Walleye lead the ECHL with an average of 5,826 per game. Stockton, which ranks third in the league with 5,749 per game, had its second-largest crowd of the season on Saturday as 7,613 were at Stockton Arena and Gwinnett had its fourth-best crowd on Saturday as well with 6,207 for its game against Elmira.

Florida welcomed its second-largest crowd of the season as 6,403 were on hand for its match-up against Greenville. Chicago had its third-best attendance of the season on Saturday as 3,771 were at Sears Centre Arena to see the Express take on Cincinnati.

The ECHL has averaged over 4,000 fans per game for each of the last seven seasons and 19 times in the past 21 years. The league has surpassed the 3,000,000 mark in each of the last 20 seasons.

Visit the Tickets Page on ECHL.com to purchase tickets for ECHL games.

Divisions

ATLANTIC DIVISION

- Mike Radja has eight shootout goals in nine attempts.

- The Jackals are tied for second in the league with 16 home wins (16-6-0).

- Elmira hosts Wheeling on Wednesday, is at Wheeling on Friday and hosts Chicago on Saturday.

- Casey Haines has at least one point in eight of his last 11 games.

- Reading is 8-0-2 in Friday road games this season.

- The Royals are at Florida on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

- Dave Caruso is third in both minutes played (1,737) and saves (892).

- The Titans are 10-2-4 when leading after two periods.

- Trenton hosts Chicago on Wednesday and Thursday and Wheeling on Saturday.

- Nick Petersen has at least one point in each of his four games with Wheeling (3g-3a).

- Wheeling has finished .500 or better in each of the four months this season.

- The Nailers travel to Elmira on Wednesday, host the Jackals on Friday and are at Trenton on Saturday.

NORTH DIVISION

- Chaz Johnson leads the club with 14 goals.

- The Express are 12-0-3 when leading after two periods.

- Chicago travels to Trenton on Wednesday and Thursday and Elmira on Saturday.

- Mathew Sisca is tied for third among rookies with 35 points (12g-23a).

- Cincinnati is fourth in both shots per game (32.82) and shots-against per game (28.03).

- The Cyclones host Toledo on Wednesday and South Carolina on Friday and Saturday.

- Taylor Ellington is fifth among defensemen with 91 shots.

- The K-Wings lead the league on the power play at 22.1 percent (43-for-195).

- Kalamazoo is home against South Carolina on Wednesday and Toledo on Friday before visiting the Walleye on Saturday.

- Joey Martin is on a six-game point streak (5g-4a).

- Toledo had its fifth sellout crowd of the season on Saturday.

- The Walleye are at Cincinnati on Wednesday and at Kalamazoo on Friday before hosting the K-Wings on Saturday.

SOUTH DIVISION

- Scott Pitt is seventh among rookies with 29 points (13g-16a).

- The Everblades are 14-4-2 when scoring first.

- Florida hosts Reading on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

- Justin Bowers leads the league with 43 assists.

- Greenville is second on the power play at 21.6 percent (42-for-194).

- The Road Warriors are at Gwinnett on Friday and Saturday.

- Justin Milo has seven points in the last four games (2g-5a).

- The Gladiators are fourth with 2.71 goals-against per game.

- Gwinnett hosts Greenville on Friday and Saturday.

- Johann Kroll is second in the ECHL and first among defensemen with a +19 rating.

- South Carolina is on a six-game road winning streak

- The Stingrays are at Kalamazoo on Wednesday and Cincinnati on Friday and Saturday.

MOUNTAIN DIVISION

- Wes Goldie is second in the league with 25 goals.

- The Aces are the league's least-penalized team with 13.36 penalty minutes per game.

- Alaska is at Ontario on Tuesday and at Las Vegas on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

- Aaron Schneekloth is tied for first among defensemen with 33 points (12g-21a).

- Colorado is third with 3.51 goals per game.

- The Eagles are at Bakersfield on Friday and Saturday.

- Chris Hepp scored his first professional goal in Saturday's win against Utah.

- The Steelheads are 9-1-1 in one-goal games since Dec. 1.

- Idaho is at Utah on Monday and at Stockton on Friday and Saturday.

- Andrew Engelage is eighth with a 2.60 goals-against average.

- Utah is 9-1-2 when leading after two periods.

- The Grizzlies host Idaho on Monday and Ontario on Friday and Saturday.

PACIFIC DIVISION

- Robby Dee is fourth among rookies with 14 goals.

- The Condors are tied for first with nine shorthanded goals.

- Bakersfield hosts Stockton on Wednesday and Colorado on Friday and Saturday.

- Eric Lampe leads the league with 58 points (34g-24a).

- Las Vegas is tied for second in the league with 12 road wins (12-10-2).

- The Wranglers host Alaska on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

- Chris Carrozzi is 7-0-2 in his last nine appearances.

- The Reign have outscored their opponents 47-27 in the second period.

- Ontario hosts Alaska on Tuesday and travels to Utah on Friday and Saturday.

- Jordan Fulton has 10 points (4g-6a) in the last nine games.

- Stockton is 6-1-1 in its last eight home games.

- The Thunder are at Bakersfield on Wednesday and host Idaho on Friday and Saturday.




ECHL Stories from January 30, 2012


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.


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