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Thunder conquers epic seven game series vs. Las Vegas, advances to Conference Semifinals

April 17, 2013 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


STOCKTON VS. ALASKA- WESTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS (all times listed PT)

Game 1: Stockton at Alaska - Friday, April 19 - 8:15 p.m. (Sullivan Arena) - 1360 AM KFIV

Game 2: Stockton at Alaska - Saturday, April 20 - 8:15 p.m. (Sullivan Arena) - 1360 AM KFIV

Game 3: Alaska at Stockton - Thursday, April 25 - 7:00 p.m. (Stockton Arena) - 1360 AM KFIV

Game 4: Alaska at Stockton - Friday, April 26 - 7:30 p.m. (Stockton Arena) - 1360 AM KFIV

Game 5: Alaska at Stockton - Sunday, April 28 - 6:00 p.m. (Stockton Arena) * - 1280 AM KWSX

Game 6: Stockton at Alaska - Tuesday, April 30 - 8:15 p.m. (Sullivan Arena) * - 1360 AM KFIV

Game 7: Stockton at Alaska - Wednesday, May 1 - 8:15 p.m. (Sullivan Arena) * - 1360 AM KFIV

*If necessary

The team's itinerary is as follows:

(subject to change, all times PT)

Thursday, APR. 18

Travel day to Anchorage, Alaska

Friday, APR. 19

12:15 p.m. - Morning skate at Sullivan Arena

8:15 p.m. - GAME 1 at ALASKA

1360 KFIV/StocktonThunder.com

Saturday, APR. 20

12:15 p.m. - Morning skate at Sullivan Arena

8:15 p.m. - GAME 2 at ALASKA

1360 KFIV/StocktonThunder.com

Sunday, APR. 21

Travel day to Stockton

Monday, APR. 22

TBD

Tuesday, APR. 23

10:00 a.m. - Practice at Stockton Arena

2013 PLAYOFF LEADERS:

Points - Ryan Hayes (8)

Goals - Shawn Weller (4)

Assists - Andrew Clark (6)

Plus/Minus - Garet Hunt (+5)

Penalty Minutes - Andrew Clark (23)

SERIES PREVIEW:

The fourth seeded Thunder opens the second round of the Kelly Cup Playoffs in Anchorage on Friday with Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Alaska Aces. It will be the third playoff series meeting between the two teams and the second straight year they meet in the Conference Semifinal. Last season, the Thunder was defeated by Alaska, 4-1 in the best of seven series. The Thunder reached the second round for the fourth time in five seasons after eliminating Las Vegas, 4-3 in the opening round. Alaska claimed the Brabham Cup with the ECHL's best record for the third straight year and defeated San Francisco, 4-1 in the opening round.

FIRST ROUND RECAP: (Stockton defeats Las Vegas, 4-3)

GAME 1 - STK 3 - LV 2 (OT) (4/5/13): Matt Bergland's wrist shot 3:49 into overtime helped the Stockton Thunder finish off a rally from a two goal deficit to take Game 1 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals, 3-2 over the Las Vegas Wranglers at Stockton Arena on Friday. Bergland, who finished an up ice rush with a wrist shot from the right circle, notched Stockton's seventh consecutive overtime victory in the playoffs. He was joined on the scoresheet by center Harrison Reed and defenseman Shawn Boutin, who notched his first goal with the Thunder. Goaltender Olivier Roy made 29 saves, while Las Vegas' Joe Fallon stopped 27 shots.

GAME 2 - STK 3 - LV 2 (OT) (4/6/13): Harrison Reed buried a wrist shot from the slot with 1:44 elapsed in sudden death overtime to lift the Stockton Thunder to another exhilarating finish for the second straight evening in a 3-2 overtime victory over the Las Vegas Wranglers in Game 2 of the Western Conference Quarterfinal before 4,403 fans at Stockton Arena on Saturday. The Thunder took a 2-0 series lead and has won eight straight playoff games finishing in overtime. Goaltender Olivier Roy made 28 stops for the Thunder. Reed finished with two points, while forward Shawn Weller recorded two goals. Las Vegas' Joe Fallon stopped 26 shots.

GAME 3 - LV 3 - STK 0 (4/8/13): Joe Fallon made 27 saves for a shutout and his first win in seven playoff games, helping the Las Vegas Wranglers send the Stockton Thunder to a 3-0 defeat in Game 3 of the Western Conference Quarterfinal before 2,658 fans at Orleans Arena on Monday. Olivier Roy took the loss with 23 saves and the Wranglers capitalized on goals by Scott Pitt, Judd Blackwater and Carlo Finucci in the final 40 minutes. Las Vegas was able to break away from a scoreless tie with a shorthanded goal in the second period and a power play goal stemming from a five minute major early in the third period.

GAME 4 - LV 5 - STK 2 (4/9/13): C hris Francis scored a pair of goals while Judd Blackwater chipped in with two assists to help the Las Vegas Wranglers hold off the Thunder, 5-2 in Game 4 of the Western Conference Quarterfinal on Tuesday at Orleans Arena. Nik Pokulok and Matt Reber earned the Thunder goals in the first period, nearly erasing an early 3-0 deficit in the first period.

GAME 5 - LV 3 - STK 0 (4/10/13): Joe Fallon earned his second shutout in three games with 32 stops while Andrew Sarauer picked up two goals and an assist to lift the Las Vegas Wranglers over the Stockton Thunder, 3-0 in Game 5 of the Western Conference Quarterfinal before 2,397 fans at Orleans Arena on Wednesday. Olivier Roy, who was pulled in Game 4 after uncharacteristically giving up three goals on the first nine shots, bounced back with a 26 save effort and kept the Thunder to within a goal through the first 40 minutes.

GAME 6 - STK 5 - LV 3 (4/12/13): Down 3-0 with just over fifteen minutes left in their season, the Stockton Thunder rallied for five unanswered goals in the third period to stay alive and earn a remarkable 5-3 win over the Las Vegas Wranglers in Game 6 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals on Friday at Stockton Arena. Thunder captain Garet Hunt notched the tying goal and a +4 rating. Defenseman Daniel Gibb netted the game-winner (the first goal of his professional career). Forwards Andrew Clark, Harrison Reed, and Shawn Weller each contributed goals to the rally as well. In net, Olivier Roy made 18 saves, while his Las Vegas counterpart Joe Fallon stopped 45 shots.

GAME 7 - STK 6 - LV 4 (4/14/13): Forward Ryan Hayes tallied the third playoff hat trick in Stockton Thunder history in a 6-4 victory over the Las Vegas Wranglers in Game 7 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals in front of 4,168 fans at Stockton Arena on Sunday. The Thunder won the series 4-3, eliminating the defending Western Conference champion Wranglers. Hayes led the way with four points. Defenseman Ryan Constant collected a goal and three points, while forward Andrew Clark totaled two assists.

SEASON SERIES IN REVIEW:

The Thunder finished 2-6-2 against Alaska this season with the last four games decided by two goals or less ... Stockton began the season series with two big wins on Thunder Goes Pink VII Weekend ... Toni Rajala (two goals) and Philippe Cornet (four points) powered the Thunder to a 7-4 win on 11/3 ... Harrison Reed, Toni Rajala, and Justin Maylan each totaled a goal and an assist in a 5-1 Thunder win on 11/4 ... the Aces ran away in the third period in a 6-2 Thunder loss at Stockton Arena on 12/3 - Nate Thompson finished with two goals ... the Thunder suffered a three-game sweep in Anchorage Cody Reichard made 25 saves (including two shootout attempts), but the Thunder fell 4-3 in a shootout on 12/19 ... Scott Gomez (now with the NHL's San Jose Sharks) was one of three Aces to record two points in a 5-1 Alaska win on 12/21 ... the following night, Nick Mazzolini's three assists paced Alaska to a 4-1 win ... the Aces got the last laugh at Stockton Arena, with an empty net goal by Joey Crabb (who played 26 games with the NHL's Washington Capitals this season) sealing a 3-1 Alaska win on 1/4 ... three goals were enough for Alaska, who topped the Thunder in three games in three nights at Sullivan Arena to close out the season series ... Gerald Coleman made 24 stops in a 3-1 Aces win on 2/8 ... Teigan Zahn tied the game in the third period, but Alaska escaped in a 3-2 shootout win on 2/9 ... Ryan Constant opened the scoring, but Alexandre Imbeault scored a natural hat trick in a 3-1 win in the season series finale for the Aces.

2012-13 Head to Head Schedule: (2-6-2)

Sat. Nov. 3 Alaska 4 at Stockton 7

Sun. Nov. 4 Alaska 1 at Stockton 5

Wed. Nov. 28 Alaska 6 at Stockton 2

Wed. Dec. 19 Stockton 3 at Alaska 4 (SO)

Fri. Dec. 21 Stockton 1 at Alaska 5

Sat. Dec. 22 Stockton 1 at Alaska 4

Fri. Jan. 4 Alaska 3 at Stockton 1

Fri. Feb. 8 Stockton 1 at Alaska 3

Sat. Feb. 9 Stockton 2 at Alaska 3 (SO)

Sun. Feb. 10 Stockton 1 at Alaska 3

STOCKTON VS. LAS VEGAS - THE LAST TIME OUT: 2012 WESTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS

STOCKTON THUNDER (#5) VS. ALASKA ACES (#1)

Thunder Summary: Won-1 Lost-4

Date Score Attend. Goaltenders GW Goal

Apr. 13, 2012 (1)Thunder 1, @Aces 2 4872 Roy/Coleman Garry Nunn

Apr. 14, 2012 (2) Thunder 3, @Aces 2 (OT) 5561 Roy/Coleman Chris D'Alvise

Apr. 18, 2012 (3) @Thunder 0, Aces 4 3255 Roy/Coleman Ryan Cruthers

Apr. 20, 2012 (4) @Thunder 2, Aces 4 4173 Roy/Coleman Steve Ward

Apr. 21, 2012 (5) @Thunder 1, Aces 4 3793 Roy/Coleman Steve Ward

2012 Western Conference Semifinals

INDIVIDUAL SCORING

# Player GP G A PTS PIM +/-

9 Max Campbell 5 1 3 4 0 -2

71 Kevin Baker 5 1 2 3 0 -4

10 Chris D'Alvise 5 1 2 3 39 -1

26 Greg Squires 4 2 0 2 2 1

5 Mike Little 5 0 2 2 2 -5

13 Jesse Fratkin 5 1 0 1 2 -4

12 Gabriel Levesque 5 1 0 1 0 -2

3 Cameron Brodie 5 0 1 1 6 0

83 Matt Foy 3 0 1 1 4 -4

16 Ryan Lowery 5 0 1 1 6 1

17 Jason Morgan 5 0 1 1 5 -1

8 Nathan Deck 5 0 0 0 2 -4

2 Tony DeHart 5 0 0 0 0 -2

18 Jordan Fulton 5 0 0 0 12 -6

24 Garet Hunt 5 0 0 0 10 -1

23 Rob Kwiet 5 0 0 0 20 -5

28 Matt Reber 3 0 0 0 2 -1

31 Olivier Roy 5 0 0 0 0 0

# Player GP W L OTL SL MIN GA GAA SV%

31 Olivier Roy 5 1 4 0 0 307:30:00 15 2.93 0.906

KELLY CUP PLAYOFF TICKET INFORMATION

Ticket strip packages for the 2013 Thunder playoffs are on sale now and can be purchased by calling the Stockton Thunder at 209-373-1500. Priority seating is offered along with free 2013 playoff tickets by purchasing a new 2013-14 Thunder Season Ticket Package, or by purchasing new or renewing a 2013-14 Mini Plan. Current Thunder Season Ticket Holders receive free tickets to the first two rounds of the Kelly Cup Playoffs in their ticket package.

ROAD GAME WATCH PARTY INFORMATION

The King's Room of Stockton Arena will serve again as the Thunder's official road game Watch Party host of the 2013 Western Conference Semifinal series. Admission is free to all fans and doors will open 30 minutes before opening face-off. The event offers opportunities for fans to take advantage of food selections and a full bar. During each game, prizes will be raffled to lucky fans in attendance, including hockey gifts from the Thunder.

A two time recipient of the ECHL "Award of Excellence," the Thunder led the ECHL in attendance for four consecutive seasons and drew over 200,000 fans for the seventh consecutive season in 2011-12. Season Tickets, Group Tickets and Mini-Plans are on sale now. For more information about tickets, merchandise, or other inquiries contact the Stockton Thunder offices at 209-373-1500 or visit www.StocktonThunder.com.



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