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Thunder Four Goal Rally In Third Period Clinches Second Straight Win

October 31, 2009 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


STOCKTON, Calif. - Rookie forward Colin Power snapped a 1-1 tie with the first goal of his pro career in the third period with 6:31 to play, igniting a four-goal rally to help the Stockton Thunder (2-4-0, 4 points) bury the Victoria Salmon Kings in a 5-1 victory, before 3,371 fans at Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre on Friday night.

The win was Stockton's second straight and gave goaltender Andrew Perugini his second consecutive win after he stopped 22 shots for the first star of the game honors. James Bates led Stockton's offense with two goals and an assist, while Oren Eizenman chipped in with a pair of helpers. Perugini's counterpart, Glenn Fisher took the loss with 31 saves.

The Thunder power-play continued to motor by scoring for the fifth time in six games on a 2-for-3 effort.

Victoria struck first on Chad Painchaud's second goal of the year with 7:44 left in the first period, capitalizing on a turnover when Olivier Latendresse walked out from behind the net to the right side and connected on a centering feed to Painchaud, slipping the puck into a half-open cage.

Bates leveled the score at 1-1 with a power-play tally, his second goal of the season at 8:18 of the second period. Eizenman took Chris D'Alvise's setup in the right corner and centered the puck for Bates, who fired a one-timer over Glenn Fisher's blocker side.

Before Power netted the go-ahead goal, Fisher stood up to a swarming Thunder forechecking attack which included a point-blank save on captain Craig Valette at the right goal line. Yet, Power capitalized on the continuous pressure when he roofed a rebound over Fisher's glove for a 2-1 lead, following an outnumbered attack when Power was set up in the slot by Bates' centering pass.

Judd Blackwater cashed in a rebound to lift the Thunder lead to 3-1 with 5:04 to play for his fourth goal of the year and Jason Pitton followed with his first goal of the season to increase the Stockton cushion to 4-1 just 1:51 later, slipping a rebound past Fisher's stick side after Jordan Bendfeld produced the loose puck with a slap shot from the right point.

Bates put the finishing touches on his multi-goal effort and the five unanswered goal rally with 15 seconds left in regulation on the power-play, spiking the Thunder lead to 5-1 when he took a rebound at the right goal line and lifted it under the crossbar after Fisher denied Kenny MacAulay's drive from the high slot.

Wes Goldie, who scored a Salmon King record 48 goals last season and had 27 points in 24 lifetime games against Stockton, was held scoreless on just two shots on goal.

NOTES: The Thunder scratched Matt O'Dette (injured reserve), Chris Davis (injured reserve), Luis Tremblay (injured reserve), Bobby Davey (healthy) and Riley Emmerson (healthy)... Davis was placed on the three-day injured reserve list before the game (Tremblay was transferred to 7-day I.R.)... newcomer Colton Yellow Horn picked up an assist in his Thunder debut... rookie defenseman Steve Vanoosten made his professional debut with a +1 rating, paired with MacAulay on defense... the Thunder outshot Victoria, 36-23.

The Thunder returns to play with a Sunday rematch at Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre against the Salmon Kings at 1:05 p.m. The game can be heard on radio at 1420 KSTN 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 - 35 Andrew Perugini

2. VIC - 60 Glenn Fisher

3. STK - 71 Colin Power

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