Thunder end five-game road trip at 4-0-1, Urquhart notches hat trick

Published on January 9, 2009 under ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


PHOENIX, Ariz. - Veteran Cory Urquhart notched his first hat trick of the season and the fourth in Stockton Thunder (14-17-5, 31 points) history, helping throttle the Phoenix RoadRunners in an 8-2 victory before 2,244 at U.S. Airways Center on Thursday night.

The Thunder, who won their season-high fourth game in a row, finished their five-game road trip with a 4-0-1 record while rookie Judd Blackwater pitched in with a pair of goals. Goaltender Andrew Perugini made 29 saves for his first victory since Nov. 21, breaking a personal six-game winless skid.

Urquhart drew first blood with his 13th goal of the season at the 7:46 mark of the opening period, beating Phoenix goaltender Kyle Jones with a snapshot from the right circle.

Jeremy Swanson's power-play goal leveled the score at 1-1 with 8:59 left in the period, drilling a slapshot from the high slot that eluded Thunder goaltender Andrew Perugini threw traffic. Just 2:46 later, Phoenix tallied their sixth shorthanded goal of the year from the rush when Gino Guyer converted a snap shot at the left circle to give the RoadRunners a 2-1 lead.

The Thunder responded by erupting for four second period goals, beginning with two straight by rookie Judd Blackwater in a span of 4:27 to give the Thunder a 4-0 lead just 4:54 into the second period. Blackwater converted on two shots from below the hash marks.

Justin Chwedoruk's eighth goal of the season hiked the Thunder lead to 4-2 at 8:08 of the second period, re-directing Mark Adamek's blast from the right point for the Thunder's sixth shorthanded goal of the season. Urquhart followed with his second goal of the game on the power-play with 9:51 left by stuffing a loose puck past Jones' left pad for a 5-2 Thunder cushion.

Ryan Huddy's 18th goal of the season increased the Thunder lead to 6-2 at 3:49 of the third period, when he stole pass in front of the Phoenix net and put it between Jones' pads. Urquhart scored the hat trick goal at 12:32 of the third on a power-play goal, converting a rebound on the doorstep to hike the lead to 7-2.

Defenseman Cleve Kinley pushed the lead to 8-2 with the final goal of the game at 15:59 of the third period, when his wrist shot from the right circle deflected into the back of the net off Jones' glove.

NOTES: The Thunder scratched Marc-Andre Bernier (injured reserve), Ryan MacMurchy (injured reserve), Jordan Bendfeld (injured reserve), Matt O'Dette (injured reserve), Mike Lalonde (injured reserve), David Rohlfs (injured reserve) and Milan Maslonka (healthy) ... Thunder enforcer Garet Hunt dropped the gloves with longtime junior hockey nemesis James McEwan in the first period ... the Thunder improved to 16-4-1 lifetime against the Phoenix RoadRunners ... the Thunder outshot Phoenix 37-31.

The Thunder returns to play for its next game on Friday, Jan. 16 against Las Vegas Wranglers at 7:30 p.m. from Stockton Arena. The game is available on radio at 1420 KSTN and online (audio is free-of-charge) for viewing for a $7 charge at http://www.stocktonthunder.com/ (courtesy of B2 Networks).

The proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League's Edmonton Oilers and American Hockey League's Springfield Falcons, the Thunder was voted "Best Local Sports Team" by readers of the San Joaquin Magazine, has led the ECHL in attendance for three consecutive seasons and drew 239,337 fans to Stockton Arena in 2007-08. Season, group, individual tickets and mini plan packages 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/.

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