Thunder get four points from Urquhart on bobblehead night in front of 7,522

Published on February 15, 2009 under ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


STOCKTON, Calif. - The Bakersfield Condors scored five unanswered goals, including four in the final period of play to erase a 3-0 deficit and defeat the Stockton Thunder (24-22-5, 53 points), 5-4 before a crowd of 7,522 at Stockton Arena on Saturday night.

Veteran Cory Urquhart scored twice and added two assists on the same night that he was honored with a bobblehead doll giveaway. Mike Lalonde and Ryan MacMurchy added first period goals, as the trio combined for 10 points on the Condors defense.

Bakersfield was led by a three-point game (1g-2a) from Mike Wirll while Dave Bonk scored the eventual game-winner on a defensive zone turnover in the third period. Thunder goaltender Andrew Perugini made 32 saves and suffered his first loss since Dec. 27, snapping a Thunder record-tying nine-game winning streak.

Lalonde began the scoring at 4:13 of the opening period when he picked up a loose puck on the doorstep and snuck a shot through goaltender Dave McKee's five-hole.

MacMurchy's sixth goal of the season hiked the Thunder lead to 2-0 with 9:14 left in the first period, converting on a 4-on-1 rush with a snap shot from the left circle that beat McKee to the glove side.

Urquhart netted his 21st goal of the year with 5:47 left in the opening period for a 3-0 Thunder lead, taking Lalonde's centering pass and ripping a one-timer under the crossbar.

Mike Wirll started the rally for Bakersfield by cutting into the Thunder lead at 3-1 with his 13th goal of the season just 33 seconds into the second period, when he picked up a rebound at the right circle and spun it past Perugini's glove side.

Andrew Ianiero ripped a one-timer past Perugini's glove on the power-play with 7:53 gone in the third period to cut the deficit to 3-2 and Danny LaPointe followed quickly with a converted one-timer at the doorstep on a feed by Bruce Graham to level the score at 3-3 with 5:56 left in regulation. Chad Painchaud followed and took a lead pass from Mark Derlago in the neutral zone and beat Perugini with a snap shot from the left circle to lift the Condors to a 4-3 cushion just 1:54 later for his 15th goal of the year.

Bonk followed with the eventual game-winner for his 18th goal of the year with 2:07 left in regulation when Perugini tried to play a covered puck from the crease and lost it to a Wirll poke check at the doorstep. Wirll worked the puck around the scrambling goaltender and found Bonk at the right post, who tucked in a backhander for a 5-3 Bakersfield edge.

Urquhart re-directed MacMurchy's slap shot from the blueline for his second goal of the game with one second remaining in regulation for a consolation marker on a 6-on-4 skating situation.

NOTES: The Thunder scratched Marc-Andre Bernier (injured reserve), Jordan Bendfeld (injured reserve), Cleve Kinley (injured reserve) and Ryan Constant (injured reserve) ... the Thunder fell to 1-4-0 in the season series to Bakersfield ... The Thunder and KAT Country 103 radio personality D.J. Walker, a licensed minister in California, helped marry 103 couples on the ice surface of Stockton Arena in the first intermission as part of the "Great American Wedding Rink" promotion.

The Thunder returns to play tomorrow, hosting the Ontario Reign at 4:00 p.m. at Stockton Arena. The game is available on radio at 1420 KSTN is available for viewing online (audio is free-of-charge) 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/.

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



ECHL Stories from February 15, 2009


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central