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Thunder pushes the series to game six on Goulet's hat trick, Micflikier's career night

April 21, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


STOCKTON, Calif. - Stephane Goulet scored the first hat trick in Stockton Thudner playoff history and Jacob Micflikier scored a career-high and Thunder playoff-record five points (1g-4a), sinking the Las Vegas Wranglers in a 6-3 Thunder victory in game 5 of the National Conference Quarterfinals before a crowd of 4,456 at Stockton Arena on Sunday.

The Thunder, who also set a team single-period playoff record with four goals in the first 20 minutes, kept their season alive with the win and now trail in the best-of-seven series at a 3-2 deficit, setting up game 6 in Las Vegas on Tuesday.

#8 STOCKTON VS. #1 LAS VEGAS - NATIONAL CONFERENCE QUARTERFINALS

Game 1: Stockton 4 at Las Vegas 2

Game 2: Stockton 4 at Las Vegas 5 (OT)

Game 3: Las Vegas 3 at Stockton 2

Game 4: Las Vegas 4 at Stockton 3 (OT)

Game 5: Las Vegas 3 at Stockton 6

Game 6: at Las Vegas - Tuesday, April 22 - 7:05 p.m. (Orleans Arena)

Game 7: at Las Vegas - Wednesday, April 23 - 7:05 p.m. (Orleans Arena) *

* If necessary

The first goal came from Thunder alternate captain Brandon Schwartz at the 1:02 time mark as he banked a shot from the left goal line off the back of Las Vegas goaltender Kevin Lalande for a 1-0 lead. Lalande was puled in the first period by allowing four goals in 11 shots.

Stephane Goulet hiked the lead to 2-0 at the 6:09 mark, with assists coming from Jacob Micflikier and Ryan O'Marra. Micflikier flung a pass into traffic from the right circle, followed by Goulet jumping on the loose puck and burying a screened shot from the low slot.

Kelly Czuy's third goal of the playoff got the Wranglers on the board just 38 seconds later, cutting the Thunder lead to 2-1.

Micflikier immediately followed with his fourth goal of the playoffs, stuffing a backhander from the rush past Lalande's glove just 1:10 after Czuy's goal to push the Thunder advantage to 3-1.

The Thunder then chased Lalande for emergency backup goaltender Tyler Sims on Goulet's second goal of the game 30 seconds later, roofing a snap shot from the slot that was set up by Micflikier's pass from the right circle for a 4-1 Thunder cushion.

Adam Cracknell completed the six-goal first period with his first of two goals in the game at the 13:51 mark of the first period, cutting the Thunder lead to 4-2.

Cracknell's second goal of the game, a power-play goal in the second period on a slapshot from the right point, cut the Thunder lead to one goal with 9:08 gone in the middle frame.

O'Marra, who scored a playoff career-high four points (1g-3a) in the game, buried a snap shot with 9:58 gone in the third period to lift the Thunder to a 5-3 lead. After Las Vegas pulled Sims for an extra attacker with under three minutes left, the Thunder cleared the zone after winning a defensive zone faceoff and Micflikier found Goulet down the middle of the ice, who slipped a shot from the blueline into an empty net to complete the hat trick with 2:02 left in the third for a 6-3 Thunder lead.

Goaltender Tim Boron made 27 saves for the Thunder.

NOTES: Before the game, David Rohlfs was placed on three-day injured reserve and Tom Zanoski was activated off the injured reserve list ... other scratches for the game were defenseman Joe Dustin (injured reserve), Luke Lynes (injured reserve) and Fredrik Johansson (healthy) ...

The series resumes on Tuesday, April 22, when the Thunder face Las Vegas in game 6 at Orleans Arena at 7:05 p.m. The game can be heard live on radio at 1420-AM KSTN (potentially joined in progress) and is available on the internet (video and audio) at www.stocktonthunder.com, courtesy of B2 Networks.

The Thunder has led the ECHL in attendance for three consecutive seasons and drew 239,337 fans to Stockton Arena in 2007-08. Season tickets for 2008-09 and 2008 Kelly Cup Playoff ticket packages are now on sale and individual ticket information for the 2008 Kelly Cup Playoffs will be announced soon. For more information about tickets, merchandise, or other inquiries contact the Stockton Thunder offices at (209) 373-1500 or visit www.stocktonthunder.com.

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