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Thunder Hosts Ontario Reign

October 23, 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, opens up Pacific Division play tonight against the Ontario Reign. Stockton Arena doors open at 6:00 p.m. with the puck dropping at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are still available at the box office as our Family Day packages on StocktonThunder.com.

Fans who can't make it out to the game can watch and listen live online. Streaming video is available to fans through AmericaONE and costs $8 for a single game or $150 for a season pass. Live audio of the game is available through StocktonThunder.com or on Spreaker.com.

The Thunder looks to extend its perfect start to the season after posting a 5-0 shutout win over the Colorado Eagles on Saturday. Nine different players registered points on the night and several new faces made key contributions. However, it was the veterans that got things started just moments into the game as captain Garet Hunt deflected home a slapshot from the point by alternate captain Ryan Constant. Last year's leading playoff scorer, Ryan Hayes, also picked up an assist on the goal.

From that point on, four new Thunder players registered their first goals for the team with Kirill Kabanov, Brayden Irwin, Mike Keenan and Mike Dalhuisen all adding their names to the scoresheet. Kabanov's goal made it 2-0 in the first period and he followed it up with an assist later in the game. Irwin, Keenan and Dalhuisen all scored powerplay goals to make Stockton a perfect 3-for-3 with the man-advantage.

Kabanov, Keenan and Dalhuisen are all assigned players from the Thunder's AHL affiliate, Bridgeport, and Kabanov and Dalhuisen each completed a Gordie Howe hat trick with a goal, assist and fight in their first ECHL games.

In goal, Brian Foster had a quiet first two periods before turning away a late charge by Colorado in the third period to post his sixth-career ECHL shutout. Foster stopped all 29 shots he faced and earned first star honors for his effort.

Like the Thunder, the Reign is coming off its best finish in franchise history last season when it one its first ever playoff series, a 4-0 sweep of the Utah Grizzlies, before falling in the conference semi-finals against Idaho. Ontario was also the Pacific Division champion, claiming the title ahead of Stockton.

The Reign opened the season in similar fashion with a 3-0 shutout of Bakersfield. Matt White registered two goals and Mario Lamoureux scored what proved to be the game-winner in the first period. Ontario allowed just 15 shots from the Condors as goaltender Michael Hutchinson had a relatively quiet night to start the season in the shutout.

The Thunder and Reign will be no strangers to each other this season as the two sides face-off 14 times throughout the 2013-14 regular seasons. That total is up from last year when Stockton and Ontario played 12 times with the Thunder posting a 6-5-1-0 record against its Pacific Division rival.

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