Thunder drop second straight at Sullivan Arena, Coleman makes 25 saves

December 18, 2010 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


ANCHORAGE - Gerald Coleman's 25 saves and back-to-back goals by Alex Dzielski and Wes Goldie were enough for the Alaska Aces to defeat the Stockton Thunder, 3-1, before a crowd of 4,033 at Sullivan Arena on Friday night.

The Thunder, who maintained a tie for first place in the Pacific Division despite the loss, received its only goal from Fraser Clair. Scott Howes added a first period goal while Garrett Zemlak took the loss with 35 saves, additionally stopping 14 of the first 15 shots he saw in the opening 20 minutes.

"Tonight was an average effort to start on our end," said Thunder head coach Matt Thomas. "We were fortunate to come out 1-1 after one period and we continuously missed opportunities that could have made a difference in the game. We have to find a way to capitalize on our chances. Everyone needs to step up tomorrow, not just our leaders."

Howes's sixth goal of the season lifted Alaska to a 1-0 lead at 9:18 of the first period, finishing off a quick, one-timed feed from Goldie at the left circle, where Howes slipped a wrist shot by Zemlak and off a Thunder defenseman in the crease.

Clair jammed at a loose puck behind Coleman and buried a backhander from the crease to tie the game, 1-1 with 1:13 left in the first period for a power-play goal, after Coleman stopped Steve Vanoosten's blast from the right point.

Back-to-back goals by Dzielski and Goldie helped Alaska build a 3-1 lead after two periods, beginning with Dzielski's wrist shot from the right point with 14:56 left, which snuck by Zemlak's blocker, after the Thunder defense caught a piece of Dzielski's first bid.

Just 11 seconds after Vanoosten was whistled for interference, Goldie capitalized on a 5-on-3 for his 15th goal of the year, boosting the lead to 3-1 with 10:48 left. Mark Isherwood's whiff on a one-timer allowed the puck to roll onto the tape of Goldie's stick, where he picked the upper left corner of the net from the left circle.

Clair's bid to cut the deficit to one goal was denied on a shorthanded breakaway late in the second period, when he tried a snap shot from the left circle that was stopped into Coleman's chest.

Alaska limited the Thunder to just six shots in the third period and Bretton Cameron nearly capitalized on a re-direction by Chris Lawrence at the right goal line, which was denied by Coleman's pad in an attempt to shave the deficit to one goal late in the middle of the period.



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