Sports stats



"Thunder Goes Pink III" Split is Followed By First Battle vs. Ontario

November 10, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


THIS WEEK'S OPPONENTS: (all times PT)

at ONTARIO REIGN (Wednesday, Saturday - 7:00 p.m.) - 1420 KSTN**, B2 Networks

The first lifetime matchup between the Thunder and Ontario Reign is Wednesday, the start of four games in five nights for Stockton. Both teams face each other eight times in the regular season. The Thunder is 2-3-0 on the road and makes its first stop at Citizens Business Bank Arena in four occasions during the season. It is the first coaching matchup between Stockton's Chris Cichocki and counterpart Karl Taylor since Dec. 30, 2005, when Taylor coached the Reading Royals.

at FRESNO FALCONS (Friday - 7:35 p.m.) - 1420 KSTN, B2 Networks

The Thunder faces their Pacific Division rival Fresno Falcons, the second of 10 meetings between both clubs in 2008-09 and the first at Selland Arena. The Falcons are in their first season at Selland Arena since 2003 after five seasons at Save Mart Center. Both teams last met on Oct. 18 on the ECHL's opening night, when Fresno defeated the Thunder 3-2 at Stockton Arena. The game begins a three-game in three-night spurt for the Thunder.

vs. BAKERSFIELD CONDORS (Sunday - 4:00 p.m.) - 1420 KSTN, B2 Networks

The Thunder returns home for the fourth time of the regular season with a Sunday matchup against the Bakersfield Condors, the first at Stockton Arena between both teams this season. It is the third of nine games against the Condors for the 2008-09 season and in the last meeting, the Thunder defeated the Condors 8-3 at Rabobank Arena on Nov. 1. Stockton carries at lifetime record of 11-9-7 against Bakersfield and is 1-1-0 against the Condors this year. Mike Lalonde has scored 16 points (7g-9a) in 15 games (all-time) against Bakersfield.

1420 KSTN is the Thunder's flagship radio station and all Thunder games can be heard live on the Internet (free-of-charge) and are available for viewing at a $7 "pay-per-view" charge at www.stocktonthunder.com, courtesy of B2 Networks. Radio broadcaster Mike Benton provides play-by-play commentary, with the "Thunder Forecast" pre-game show starting 15 minutes before each broadcast. ** Internet-only broadcast at www.StocktonThunder.com on Saturday

UPCOMING PROMOTIONS
Sunday, November 16 vs. Bakersfield Condors, 4:00 p.m.

STEPHANIE BROWN TRAFTON APPEARANCE
- Come see 2008 United States Olympic gold medalist Stephanie Brown Trafton, who is scheduled to participate in Sunday's pregame ceremonial puck drop!
FAMILY DAY (presented by MetroPCS, 99.3 KJOY)
- $34 family upper premium / end zone admission (four tickets, four hockey pucks) with coupon available by visiting participating MetroPCS locations.
COATS FOR KIDS DAY (presented by News10, KB Home, KAT Country 103)
- All fans in attendance who donate a coat receive free admission to that day's game. Coats will be accepted beginning at Noon outside Stockton Arena's North Entrance.
BE A WINNER! DAY (presented by Chase Chevrolet of Stockton)
- Students who earned honor roll status for a recent grading period will receive free tickets for today's game!

TEAM LEADERS:

Points - Cory Urquhart (11)
Goals - Cory Urquhart (3), Garet Hunt (3)
Assists - Cory Urquhart (8)
Plus/Minus - Garet Hunt (+5)

UPCOMING MILESTONES:

o Mike Lalonde is 12 points away from surpassing Nathan Martz as the Thunder career scoring leader
o Ryan MacMurchy is 9 games away from 100 in his professional career
o Cory Urquhart is 19 goals away from 100 in his ECHL career
o Craig Valette is 17 points away from 100 in his professional career

TEAM NOTES:

o Ryan Huddy scored his first ECHL goal on 11/7 vs. Victoria (3-2 shootout win)
o Rookie goaltender Andrew Perugini is 2-0-0 with a .926 save percentage in his first two pro games
o Cory Urquhart leads the Thunder in scoring with 11 points (3g-8a) in 7 games
o Stockton's penalty-kill ranks fourth in the ECHL (87.3 percent) and killed all 14 power-play chances in two games (11/7-8) vs. Victoria
o Stockton had its first sellout of the season (13th in club history) of 9,737 on 11/8 vs. Victoria
o Stockton leads the ECHL in attendance with an average of 8,829 fans (3 games)

The team's upcoming schedule for the coming week is as follows: (subject to change)

TUE., NOV. 11:
9:00 a.m. - Travel to Ontario, Calif.
4:30 p.m. - Practice at Center Ice Arena (Ontario)

WED. NOV. 12:
11:15 a.m. - Morning skate at Citizens Business Bank Arena (Ontario)
7:00 p.m. - GAME AT ONTARIO
1420 KSTN / StocktonThunder.com

THURS. NOV. 13:
12:30 p.m.: Practice at Citizens Business Bank Arena (Ontario)

FRI. NOV. 14:
11:15 a.m. - Morning skate at Citizens Business Bank Arena (Ontario)
1:15 p.m. - Travel to Fresno
7:35 p.m. - GAME AT FRESNO
1420 KSTN / StocktonThunder.com

SAT. NOV. 15:
11:15 a.m. - Morning skate at Citizens Business Bank Arena (Ontario)
7:00 p.m. - GAME AT ONTARIO
(Internet only) StocktonThunder.com

SUN. NOV. 16:
No morning skate
2:30 p.m. - pre-game media access ends
4:00 p.m. - GAME VS. BAKERSFIELD
1420 KSTN / StocktonThunder.com

MON, NOV. 17:
Day off

WEEK IN REVIEW

Friday, November 7: STOCKTON 3 - VICTORIA 2 (SO)

Rookie goaltender Andrew Perugini made 31 saves while Jeff Kyrzakos scored a game-winning goal in the fifth round of a shootout to cap a come-from-behind effort for the Thunder, who edged the Victoria Salmon Kings in a 3-2 shootout win before a crowd of 8,027 at Stockton Arena on Friday. Playing the game in pink-accented jerseys on an identical-colored ice surface for "Thunder Goes Pink III," the Thunder improved to a lifetime record of 5-0-0 in the third year of the event and benefited from goals by Ryan Huddy and Adam Huxley in regulation. The Thunder posted their first win of the season at home.

Saturday, November 8: VICTORIA 3 - STOCKTON 1

Goaltender Todd Ford made 24 saves to help the Victoria Salmon Kings send the Thunder to a 3-1 loss before a sellout crowd of 9,737 at Stockton Arena on Saturday night. "Thunder Goes Pink III" ended with both teams splitting the two-game series and the Thunder lifetime record in the series moved to 5-1-0. The Thunder drew a combined 17,764 fans for the two games, which were played on a pink-tinted ice surface. For each night, $2 sold to each ticket benefited American Cancer Society - Stockton Field Office and the St. Joseph's Foundation - Breast Cancer Services. Ryan MacMurchy scored his second goal of the year for Stockton while Victoria countered with goal each from Olivier Filion, Curtis Billsten and Shawn Landolt.

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING (courtesy of The Record)

"We have good skilled players, and I think our puck movement has been really good on special teams," Cichocki said. "That's a key."

- Head Coach Chris Cichocki on the Thunder power play and penalty kill units, The Record, 11/4/08

"I worked very hard over the summer on my skills," said Huxley, in his third season with the team. "I can still do the other things - I can still fight - but I really want to improve in other areas."

- Left winger Adam Huxley, who scored a goal in Friday's 3-2 shootout win vs. Victoria, The Record, 11/7/08

"It's very emotional to look out and see a lot of people I know, other cancer survivors," said Linderman, who has enjoyed singing for years. "I'm singing for all those women and those who have passed on. I've made a lot of wonderful friends, but you also lose a lot of wonderful friends."

- Trish Linderman, a survivor of breast cancer who was Saturday's national anthem singer at "Thunder Goes Pink III," The Record, 11/7/08

• Discuss this story on the ECHL message board...

ECHL Stories from November 10, 2008


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