Thunder drops road series opener to Langkow's three point effort

Published on February 12, 2011 under ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


ANCHORAGE - Adam Courchaine made 28 saves and Chris Langkow carried an offense with one goal and two assists, helping lead the Alaska Aces past the Stockton Thunder (24-15-7, 55 points), 5-2, before 4,038 fans at Sullivan Arena.

The Thunder, who dropped its fourth straight loss in the head-to-head series with Alaska and fell to 0-5-1 in the last six games in Anchorage, were anchored by Dan Kissel's two points (1g-1a) in his Aces debut. Jarrett Konkle, in his return to Sullivan Arena for the first time since suiting up for the Aces, chipped in with a goal along with Chris Lawrence in the losing effort.

Thunder goaltender Bryan Pitton took the loss with 22 saves.

‚¬Å“Tonight's type of effort isn't going to get you many points on road, ‚¬Â said Thunder head coach Matt Thomas. ‚¬Å“We watched Alaska play hockey tonight and it wasn't enjoyable from our standpoint. Bryan was one of our few bright spots - he kept the score from being worse than what it actually was. The effort has to get better tomorrow night. ‚¬Â

Langkow broke the scoreless tie with 6:22 left in the first period, burying a one-timer from Garry Nunn's right circle feed, after Nunn stole a clearing pass at the blueline.

Alaska bumped the lead to 2-0 with 1:56 on Bryan Miller's seventh goal of the year, cashing in on a re-direction in the slot on Langkow's pass from the left wing while on the rush.

Pitton kept the two goal deficit held up when he stopped Nunn's backhander at the top of the crease with a right pad stop, early in the second period.

Brian Swanson's 18th goal of the season increased the bulge to 3-0 at 8:33 of the period when he was tied up with Jim McKenzie of the Thunder in the slot, but caught a piece of Dan Kissel's wrist shot from the right point that ricocheted through Pitton's five-hole.

Courchaine then kept the 3-0 edge solidified when he forced a Bretton Cameron blast just wide, from the slot at the end of the period.

Kissel then picked up his first goal in an Aces uniform just 3:25 into the final period, converting a backhander at the crease after Jonathan Milhouse fed him from the right corner for a 4-0 edge.

Konkle broke Courchaine's shutout bid 2:58 later when he rifled Jim McKenzie's drop pass to the back of the net, from the inside of the left circle, for his 10th goal of the season.

Lawrence was awarded his 10th goal of the season as well with 9:51 left in the period, slicing the deficit in half on a loose puck scramble at the Aces net after Courchaine stopped Jordan Fulton's wrist shot off the rush from the right circle.

Several chances to cut the Aces lead to one fell short, including a Dan Ringwald wrist shot from the left circle with less than five minutes to play that flew wide of the right post.

Garry Nunn's fourth goal of the year put the game out of reach and Alaska up, 5-2 with 2:01 remaining when he buried Langkow's pass from the right corner while positioned at the front of the net.

NOTES: The Thunder scratched Cameron Brodie (healthy), Ryan Constant (injured reserve), Jordan Foreman (injured reserve) and P.A. Bureau (injured, day-to-day) ‚¬Â¦ Stockton outshot Alaska, 30-27 and only earned one power-play - it was just their second in as many games ‚¬Â¦ Stockton fell to 13-8-3 on the road.

The Thunder returns to play tomorrow, continuing the five-game road trip at Sullivan Arena against the Alaska Aces at 8:15 p.m. The game can be heard and viewed live on the internet (pay-per-view video charge) at www.StocktonThunder.com, courtesy of AmericaOne.

A two-time recipient of the ECHL ‚¬Å“Award of Excellence, ‚¬Â Thunder was voted "Best Local Sports Team" by readers of the San Joaquin Magazine, led the ECHL in attendance for four consecutive seasons and drew over 200,000 fans for the fifth consecutive season in 2009-10. Season Tickets, mini-plans and individual tickets for 2010-11 are on sale now. For more information about tickets, merchandise, or other inquiries contact the Stockton Thunder offices at (209) 373-1500 or visit http://www.stocktonthunder.com/.

THREE STARS:

1. AK - 19 Chris Langkow

2. AK - 46 Dan Kissel

3. AK - 15 Bryan Miller

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