Thunder enjoy broken records, career highs in second straight offensive outburst

Published on January 30, 2010 under ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


STOCKTON, Calif. - Veteran J.F. Caudron broke a team record with five assists and tied another with five points, while Igor Gongalsky enjoyed a career-high four-point effort (3g-1a) and the second hat trick of his career to help the Stockton Thunder (19-17-6, 44 points) crush the Victoria Salmon Kings in a 7-1 victory before 5,758 fans at Stockton Arena on Friday.

The Thunder, who tied their season high seven-goal output for the second straight game, stayed in a fourth place tie with the Alaska Aces in the National Conference and improved to 5-1-1 in the last seven games. The line of Caudron, Gongalsky and Colin Hemingway combined for 12 points (5g-7a) while goaltender Bryan Pitton stopped 39 shots for the victory.

Hemingway also scored a pair of goals and James Bates and Matt Robinson chipped in with a goal each.

Gary Gladue's power-play goal put the Salmon Kings on the board, 1-0 for their only lead of the game with 8:45 left in the first period when his wrist shot from the left point seared its way through traffic and snuck over Pitton's glove.

The Thunder retaliated to level the game at 1-1 on Hemingway's 15th goal of the season on a 6-on-4, delayed penalty situation, when he snuck in from the left circle and re-directed J.F. Caudron's wrist shot from the right boards to the back of the net.

What followed was a five-goal onslaught by the Thunder in the second period, which included three goals in a span of 5:22. Gongalsky's first of the game and ninth of the season put the Thunder ahead, 2-1 when he finished off Hemingway's forced turnover and centering pass from the right corner with 15:48 left.

Bates then took a feed by Garet Hunt behind the net and beat new Salmon King goaltender Leland Irving on a wraparound to the forehand just 2:06 later to hike the lead to 3-1 for his 15th goal of the year.

Following a near-miss by Bates on a backdoor feed at the left goal post, the Thunder finally buried their third goal of the period when Robinson rifled a one-timer to the back of the net from the high slot with 9:34 elapsed in the period, pushing the lead to 4-1 for his 12th goal of the season on a set-up from Bates in the left corner.

Hemingway's 16th goal of the year and second of the game boosted the Thunder to a 5-1on the team's third power-play goal of the game when he outmaneuvered a Victoria defenseman at the left circle and slipped a wrist shot through Irving's five-hole.

Then with 1:55 left in the period, Gongalsky knocked a bouncing puck high in the air that was accidentally batted into the Victoria net by Salmon Kings forward Randall Gelech, giving Gongalsky and the Thunder a 6-1 advantage.

Gongalsky then triggered Thunder fans to litter the ice with hats with his third goal of the game with 4:45 gone in the third period, taking a bounced puck from Caudron and beating Irving with a wrist shot from between the circles.

Irving, who made his Victoria debut after reassignment from Abbotsford of the American Hockey League, stopped 27 shots in the defeat.

NOTES: The Thunder scratched Aaron Sorochan (injured reserve), Brett Hemingway (injured reserve), Justin DaCosta (injury, day-to-day) and Craig Valette (injured reserve)... the Thunder ripped a 3-for-6 effort on the power-play and now have five power-play goals in their last two games... Hemingway's three assists marked seven points in five games since joining the Thunder on Jan. 21... the Thunder improved to 4-3-0 in the season series against Victoria and boosted their run to 8-1-3 in the last 12 home games, dating back to Dec. 4... Caudron's five-point game matched an ECHL career-high, previously set with Atlantic City on Feb. 1, 2003 vs. Greensboro when he had a hat trick and two assists.

The Thunder returns to play Saturday to continue the 11-game homestand with the third straight game against Victoria in the fifth annual "Teddy Bear Toss" (presented by Jackson Rancheria, California Water Service Company, KAT Country and News10) beginning at 8:00 p.m. at Stockton Arena. The game can be heard and viewed online at www.stocktonthunder.com, courtesy of B2 Networks (audio is free of charge).

The Thunder was voted "Best Local Sports Team" by readers of the San Joaquin Magazine, has led the ECHL in attendance for four consecutive seasons and drew 223,854 fans to Stockton Arena in 2008-09. Season Tickets for 2009-10 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/.

-- ALL OUT, ALL SEASON --

THREE STARS:

1. STK - 12 J.F. Caudron

2. STK - 11 Igor Gongalsky

3. STK - 31 Bryan Pitton

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ECHL Stories from January 30, 2010


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