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Thunder in Boise for First of Three vs. Steelheads

March 4, 2015 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


The Thunder take on the Idaho Steelheads from Century Link Arena for the first of three tonight at 6:10 p.m. PST looking to string together a win streak

Arena: Century Link Arena

Date: Wednesday, March 4

Time: 6:10 p.m. PST

Broadcast: ECHL.TV and Spreaker beginning at 5:55 p.m. PST

This Year's Record: Stockton is 2-7-0-0 vs. Idaho

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

Last Time vs. Idaho

The Thunder started the game off with a goal just 42 seconds into the game when Vinny Scarsella beat Jack Campbell playing in his third straight for the Steelheads.

However the Steelheads scored five straight goals including four in the first period. Tyler Shattock scored in the third period on the power play but it'd be Idaho who'd skate away with the win 5-2.

The Steelheads spoiled the Thunder's Pink Weekend as they went home with three-straight wins over the Thunder

Tonight

The Thunder continue their season high seven-game road trip as the team takes on the Idaho Steelheads in game four of seven. After falling in the first two games of the roadie, the Thunder came up with a big win over the Utah Grizzlies and hope to build on that tonight vs. Idaho.

Who to Watch

While the offensive outburst stole the headlines in Monday's win the Thunder had a spectacular performance from goaltender Cody Reichard who learned he was the only goaltender available in the morning skate.

After Kent Simpson was called up the American Hockey League, Reichard was thrusted into the starters role and played brilliantly despite allowing two goals in the first period.

After T.J. Syner scored two goals in the first, Reichard transformed into a brick wall, stopping every other shot that he faced and ending the game with 32 saves on 34 shots and his second win in a Thunder uniform during his second go-around with the Thunder.

With Simpson still up with Bridgeport and an emergency backup on the roster today, it will once again be the Cody Reichard show and if Monday was a preview of what will come, the netminder out of Miami University (OH) will be poised for another big game.

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 a point of the tying the record with 155 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 61 markers, putting the Thunder captain 11 shy of tying the record.

Throw the Hats

A special night occurred on Monday as Tyler Maxwell registered his first career ECHL hat trick after scoring two first period goals and adding a third period tally for the hat trick.

In truth, Maxwell was very close to scoring a natural hat trick as he had 9 shots in the game with the majority coming in the first period, however Utah netminder Igor Bobkov made some enormous saves against the Thunder forward.

Maxwell scored the first two goals from nearly the same spot, banking the puck off of the goalie and in from a poor angle, however the third was a two-on-one that Maxwell slid through Bobkov's five-hole.

It was the 18th hat trick to occur in Thunder history during the regular season and first since Andrew Clark did it against the San Francisco Bulls on March 23, 2013.

The very first hat trick in team history came from Lance Monych in Bakersfield on March 11, 2006.

Other players to accomplish the feat in Thunder history include Tim Verbeek, Ryan MacMurchy, Cory Urquhart, Chris D'Alvise (x4), James Bates, Igor Gongalsky, Matt Robinson, Jarrett Konkle, Chris Lawrence, Jordan Foreman, Kevin Baker, Toni Rajala, Andrew Clark and now Tyler Maxwell.

Interesting Fact

Jack Combs went from 10th in the ECHL in scoring to third during Monday's game as he registered his third four-point game of the season after factoring into every Thunder goal on Monday. He had three primary assists and has 5 points in 3 games with the Thunder.

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