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Thunder, Forward Matt Bergland Agree to Terms

September 4, 2013 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


STOCKTON, Calif. - The author of one of the most memorable moments in Stockton Thunder franchise history is coming back for another season with the team.

The Thunder (@StocktonThunder), a proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's New York Islanders, announced today that forward Matt Bergland has agreed to return to Stockton for the 2013-14 season. Per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Bergland, whose overtime goal ended Game 1 of an opening-round playoff series against the Las Vegas Wranglers and launched Stockton on a thrilling quest that took the team to the Kelly Cup Final last season, is the seventh player from the 2012-13 roster to commit to rejoin the Western Conference champion Thunder for another run at the Cup. He joins forwards Garet Hunt and Ryan Hayes and defensemen Shawn Boutin, Nathan Deck, Kevin Noble and Landon Oslanski.

Bergland's overtime game-winner is burned into the memory of Thunder fans partly because of his post-goal celebration, in which he dropped to the seat of his pants and "kayaked" his way across the ice before being mobbed by his teammates. It also marked the start of a wild playoff chase which left Bergland itching to come back to Stockton.

"I had a great time last season," said Bergland, who registered 29 points (11 goals, 18 assists) in 59 games with the Thunder in his debut season as a professional. "That playoff run was one of the best times of my life, and it was an easy choice to decide to come back. The organization is great, the fans are great and it's a great place for me to keep developing as a player."

Thunder Coach and Director of Hockey Operations Rich Kromm said he expects the 5-foot-11, 181-pound Bergland, who followed his rookie regular-season performance by delivering six goals and four assists in 22 playoff games, to be a key figure in the team's lineup during the upcoming season.

"I think Bergie is just that 'meat-and-potatoes' type of player who is going to work hard every day," Kromm said. "You know what you're going to get night-in and night-out from him. He's that hard- working, two-way player who's going to do all the dirty work that's necessary, and I think he's going to be able to contribute more offensively this year than he was able to last year. He's going to be a pretty important guy, and he's going to be an important cog in our penalty-killing unit.''

Prior to joining the Thunder last season, Bergland, 23, played four seasons at Providence College, where he produced 82 points (33 goals, 49 assists) in 138 career games. He was named Stockton's "Rookie of the Year" in his first pro season.

The Thunder will open the 2013-14 season on Oct. 19, when the team also will unveil the Western Conference championship banner before a 7:30 p.m. faceoff against the Colorado Eagles.

Season tickets and mini-plans, all of which include Opening Night, are on sale now for the 2013-14 season. For information, call the Thunder office at 209-373-1500 or visit www.stocktonthunder.com.

Stockton is a two-time winner of the ECHL's "Award of Excellence," and the Thunder led the ECHL in attendance for four consecutive seasons after joining the league in 2005. Including playoffs, the club has drawn more than 200,000 fans in each of its eight seasons in the league and has ranked in the league's top-5 in attendance in each of those seasons.

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