
Thunder Host Bulls for Second Time
November 20, 2013 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release
The Stockton Thunder (@StocktonThunder), proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's New York Islanders and AHL's Bridgeport Sound Tigers, hosts the San Francisco Bulls at Stockton Arena for the second time this year tonight. Puck drops at 7:00 p.m. on Family Night/College Night for the Thunder with doors to Stockton Arena opening at 6:00 p.m. and the Silver Bullet Bar opening at 5:30 p.m.
This game marks the beginning of the busiest stretch for the Thunder in November, as they play four games in the next five days. It's the second meeting of the season between the Thunder (7-4-0-1) and the Bulls (4-7-1-1) who sit second and third respectively in the Pacific Division.
The Thunder lost the first match on home ice, 3-2 on November 11th. San Francisco held a 2-1 lead going into the third period, before a power play goal from Thunder defenseman Nathan Deck tied the score with less than seven minutes to play. However, the Thunder turned the puck over in its own zone with three minutes to go and San Francisco's Mark Lee buried a one-timer for what stood as the game-winning goal.
It's been a rough stretch on home ice lately for the Thunder as the team has taken just one point from its last three games at Stockton Arena. That point came last time out when the Thunder lost 4-3 to the Bakersfield Condors in a game that went to a shootout.
The Thunder had to once again rally from behind as it came into the third period trailing 2-0, but the Thunder refused to go down easily. Newly arrived forward Greg Miller got the scoring started for the Thunder with a power play goal just three minutes into the final period. It was Miller's first professional goal in just his second game in Stockton.
Midway through the period Corey Trivino evened things up at 2-2 as he gathered a loose puck off a blocked shot and backhanded it past Bakersfield netminder Chet Pickard. The Thunder was not satisfied with just tying the game and Ryan Hayes put the team in front off another loose puck. Defenseman Landon Oslanski jammed a shot wide on a one-timer, but the puck came to Trivino behind the net and he sent it in front for Ryan Hayes to score before Pickard had recovered.
However, Chase Schaber scored late in regulation to tie the game at 3-3, and the Thunder were forced to kill a 5-on-3 penalty at the end of regulation and a 4-on-3 penalty in overtime, as the team played for a shootout. In the skills competition, Bakersfield's Jordan Knackstedt scored with the first shot, and both goaltenders kept everyone else at bay as Bakersfield picked up just its second win of the season.
Netminder Brian Foster suffered his first loss of the season, though he still has yet to lose a game in regulation with the Thunder. He should expect to see more playing time as the Thunder's other goaltender, Parker Milner, was called up to the AHL last week as part of the roster shuffle after the New York Islanders lost a goalie to injury and had to recall one from Bridgeport. The Thunder has recently signed goaltender Brad Phillips to back-up Foster.
San Francisco has also suffered through a poor stretch of play recently. Since the Bulls picked up that 3-2 win over the Thunder the team has gone 0-2-0-1 over its last three games with the lone point coming in a shootout loss to the Idaho Steelheads.
The Bulls are led by forwards Chris Crane, who leads the team in goals with 4 and Mark Lee who has a team-high 10 points. Both players made an impact against the Thunder. Besides Lee's game-winning goal, Chris Crane had a two-point night, scoring San Francisco's first goal and setting up Lee's winner. Fans should expect to see goalie Tyler Beskorowany in between the pipes after the ECHL's leader in saves this year earned the victory last time out.
Thunder fans can purchase special Family Night ticket plans ahead of tonight's game. Fans can get four tickets, four hot dogs and four sodas for just $38 at the Stockton Arena Box Office. Fans can also receive a free Thunder hat at no extra charge by purchasing their tickets in advance throughStocktonThunder.com. Family Nights take place on every Sunday and Wednesday Thunder home game throughout the season.
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