Thunder forward nets game-winning overtime goal in 3-2 Stockton victory

January 28, 2006 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


SAN DIEGO, Calif. * Stockton Thunder (7-22-5, 19 points) forward Nathan Martz's overtime goal, a crafty rip over San Diego Gulls (18-16-5, 41 points) goaltender Tyler Weiman's left shoulder, lifted the Thunder to a 3-2 overtime winner over the Gulls before 5,068 at iPayOne Center on Friday.

The Thunder gained its first Pacific Divisional win since a November 5, 2005 victory over San Diego, a 4-3 overtime victory.

Both teams skated to a scoreless first period, with Thunder goaltender Jake Moreland denying a handful of threatening San Diego scoring chances, part of his seven saves in the period.

Joel Irwin put Stockton up 1-0 with a second period goal, his first goal in 11 games, sniping home a 10-foot wrist shot from the slot with 6:20 gone. After Pierre-Luc Sleigher's game-tying goal with 11:04 elapsed, Irwin picked up his second marker on the night with a breakaway goal 13:33 into the period, feeding off a nifty Mike Lalonde long-bomb pass to stake Stockton to a 2-1 advantage.

San Diego got back in the game with David Svagrovsky's game-tying goal 3:01 into the third, shifting past the Thunder defense with a backhander through Moreland's five-hole. The Thunder All-Star goalie bounced back to post 16 saves in the period, stopping a handful of close-range shots.

The Thunder carried a late power play into overtime, after San Diego's Steve Hildenbrand was penalized for delay of game in the third period, after accidentally clearing the puck over the glass from the Gulls' defensive zone.

It cost them dearly. With a Hildenbrand barely out of the box, Martz teed up a Joel Irwin cross-ice feed from the right circle for the game-winning marker only 25 seconds into overtime, sending the Thunder bench into eruption.

Moreland paced the Thunder's defensive effort with 41 saves in goal.

The Thunder returns to play on Saturday against the Long Beach Ice Dogs, with a 7:30 p.m. PT faceoff slated at Stockton Arena. The game can be heard live on the internet (free-of-charge) and is available for viewing at a $6 "pay-per-view" rate at www.stocktonthunder.com, courtesy of B-2 Networks.

Thunder season tickets, individual tickets, and mini packages are on-sale now. Individual tickets can be purchased in person at Stockton Arena's Ticket Office, online at www.stocktontickets.com, or by phone at (209) 373-1700. For more information about tickets, merchandise, or other inquiries contact the Stockton Thunder offices at (209) 373-1500 or visit www.stocktonthunder.com.



ECHL Stories from January 28, 2006


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