Thunder Goes Pink IX Rolls Along with Ryan Constant Bobblehead Night

February 21, 2015 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


The Thunder's signature breast cancer awareness event continues tonight as the first 500 fans in the building will receive a Ryan Constant Bobblhead in a Thunder Goes Pink uniform.

Arena: Stockton Arena

Date : Saturday, February 21

Time : 7:30 p.m. Doors at 6:30 p.m.

Giveaway : Ryan Constant Pink Bobblehead to the first 500 fans

Broadcast : ECHL.TV and Spreaker beginning at 7:15 p.m.

This Year's Record : Stockton is 2-5-0-0 vs. Idaho

Follow the Thunder Facebook Page for occasional updates or follow @StocktonThunder on Twitter for the play-by-play tweeting!

Thunder Goes Pink IX Continues Tonight

The Thunder continue a three-in-three on pink ice tonight through Sunday with the team and fans celebrating the lives of those who've been impacted by breast cancer, and really, any kind of cancer.

Today sees Ryan Constant immortalized in a Thunder bobblehead, which also happens to be the only ever Thunder bobblehead in a pink uniform. In addition to the fun giveaway, a number of other tributes and fundraising items will be around the stadium. Remember, all event proceeds will be donated to St. Joseph's Foundation - Breast Health Services to help women in our immediate area who are impacted by this horrible disease.

Pink Jerseys

As everyone knows part of the fun of this weekend is the ice painted pink, but also the jerseys which will be black and pink. The jerseys will be available for bidding tonight via silent and live auctions.

Those of you in attendance tonight have the chance to bid on the jerseys of Mike Pereira, Bryon Paulazzo, John Ryder, Loic Leduc and Klarc Wilson will also be available at the silent auction table on the concourse. After Saturday's game, the Thunder will host a live auction featuring the jerseys of Ryan Constant, Adam Phillips, James Henry, Jack MacLellan, Kent Simpson, Keith Seabrook, Cody Reichard, Tyler Maxwell, Tyler Shattock and Garet Hunt. Bidding for all of the silent and live auction jerseys will begin at $300 or more with the proceeds benefiting St. Joseph's Foundation - Breast Health Services.

A few other pink jerseys will be available via raffles. There will be a free raffle on each night this weekend with the chances of winning Brad Stebner or Peter Sivak's pink jerseys. Fill out a raffle form given upon arrival and drop it off at the Thunder Information Booth. Didn't get one when you walked into the building? Don't worry, just head to the Info Booth located just inside the North Entry and fill one out for your chance to win.

The last jersey available will actually be a very interesting jersey as the paid raffle jersey for tonight will actually be a special Thunder Goes Pink VIII Marc Cantin jersey. What makes this jersey so unique is that Cantin was actually going to be #2 should he have been sent to the Thunder earlier in the year. When the Thunder got him later on, he was put in the #4 uniform due to Brad Stebner. A cool, collectible jersey from last season, up for grabs today!

Good luck to all of you in your quest for a pink game worn or issued jersey and happy bidding!

Voting Open for 2014-15 ECHL Fantasy Team

The ECHL is giving fans the opportunity to vote for players to comprise the 2014-15 Fantasy Team, of which, one player from each Member Team will be selected to wear a special ECHL Fantasy Team jersey at an upcoming home game.

The Thunder have preselected three players, Garet Hunt, Tyler Maxwell and Jack MacLellan to appear on the team's ballot while fans have the opportunity to also write-in a selection of their choice. The top vote-getter on the Thunder will wear a special fantasy team jersey on Saturday, March 14 when the Thunder play the Idaho Steelheads.

Voting is now open on ECHL.com . Fans are limited to one ballot during the voting period, which runs until 11:59 p.m. ET on Monday, Feb. 23. Fans can vote for up to one player on each ECHL Member Team's ballot before hitting the "Cast Vote" button at the bottom of the voting page. The results of the Fantasy Team voting will be announced the week of Feb. 23.

Prep for Pink Weekend

The Thunder have played in 19 games on Stockton Arena Pink ice in the history of the Thunder Goes Pink promotion, which is in its ninth season.

In those 19 games played, the Thunder have posted a 14-2-3 record. This is the third time in the history of the event that the teams will play on pink ice for a three-in-three with the Thunder hosting Bakersfield for three (all Stockton wins) in 2010-11 and hosting Bakersfield and Alaska in the 2012-13 promotion (again all Thunder wins).

The team is was riding a six-game pink winning streak and have at least picked up a point in the last 12 pink games dating back to November 6, 2009, however, those streaks were snapped last night in the 1-0 loss to Idaho.

Last night marked the first game dropped in regulation since a 3-1 loss to the Victoria Salmon Kings back on November 8, 2008. It was also the second time in the promotion's history that the Thunder were shutout. In that game, which took place on November 4, 2011 against Utah, it was a 1-0 Utah shootout win so the Thunder did pick up the point.

The Thunder played the Steelheads one other time on Pink Weekend on November 2 and 3, 2007. Glenn Fisher shutout Idaho on the first night while Brandon Schwartz won it for the Thunder the second night in the 4-0 and 3-2 victories for the Thunder.

Last Time vs. Idaho

It was a true goaltending duel between two goalies that have played in the NHL.

Kent Simpson and Jack Campbell were absolutely marvelous last night, making saves that kept the game tied or close throughout the game.

The lone goal would come from Colton Beck who followed up a point shot that was initially saved by Simpson. Beck picked up the loose puck and pushed it over the goal line.

It wasn't pretty, but it was the only one that mattered as the Steelheads win 1-0. After the final whistle sounded, a total of 106 combined penalty minutes were given out after a skirmish in front of the Thunder bench resulted in some fisticuffs. Mind you, these teams play eight times (counting tonight) in the next 22 days.

Tonight

The Thunder will try to snap a two game losing and scoreless streak when they take on the Steelheads in game two of Thunder Goes Pink IX. Last night it was the goaltending that starred for both teams, and with the physicality picking up at the end of the game, who knows what we could be in store for tonight.

One thing is certain though, the Thunder will have to try to find the back of the cage as they've been held without a goal for 121 minutes and 21 seconds. Their last goal came on Valentine's Day when they scored an empty net goal at the 18:39 mark against Colorado. Since then Doug Carr and Jack Campbell have shutout the Thunder in back to back contests.

Who to Watch

Since coming back down from the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, Kent Simpson has been the man for the Thunder. He's played in four-straight games and has only allowed 9 goals, never more than three in a game since his return.

The goaltender, who saw action with the Chicago Blackhawks last season, appears to have really picked up his game in recent games. While he's posted the best goals-against-average and save-percentage on the team this season, there's something about his recent starts that make you think Simpson is playing on a different level recently. Perhaps it was a couple games at the next level that got him going, or perhaps he's hitting a hot streak at the right time, but the goalie has kept the Thunder in games and has given the team chances to win.

Simpson hasn't allowed four or more goals in a game since December 14 and he's only allowed more than four goals in a game on four occasions for the Thunder this season. Keep an eye on the crease today should Simpson get the nod in his fifth-straight start.

All-Time Watch

The scoring situation between Garet Hunt, Ryan Constant and Mike Lalonde is in danger of falling to one of the Thunder's star players very soon.

Lalonde's 156 career Thunder points is in jeopardy as Garet Hunt pulled within 2 points of the tying the record with 154 while Ryan Constant sits right behind him at 151.

Both Hunt and Constant have missed time due to injuries this season as Hunt missed 11 games while Constant was placed on Injured Reserve on December 14.

Hunt is the only one close to Lalonde's all-time record of 72 goals with his 60 markers, putting the Thunder captain 12 shy of tying the record.

Interesting Fact

The last Thunder Goes Pink goal was scored last season on November 2 by the captain, Garet Hunt. It was his second of the season and it was assisted by Ryan Hayes and current Idaho defenseman Mike Dalhuisen. The goal occurred at the 14:06 mark of the third period in the Thunder's 6-1 win over Utah that day.



ECHL Stories from February 21, 2015


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