Thunder snaps skid on Cameron's two goals, Konkle scoring in debut

January 6, 2011 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


VICTORIA, British Columbia - Rookie winger Bretton Cameron capped off the first multi-goal game of his career with a game-winner on a breakaway late in the third period, boosting the Stockton Thunder (13-10-6, 32 points) to a 3-2 victory over the Victoria Salmon Kings before a crowd of 3,186 at Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre on Wednesday.

Cameron scored with 4:35 left in the game, beating David Shantz with a forehand snapshot that helped Stockton erase a 0-5-2 skid and win their fourth in a row in Victoria.

Jarrett Konkle also scored in his Thunder debut and goaltender Bryan Pitton made 33 saves, picking up the win in his first game back from the American Hockey League.

‚¬Å“Everyone chipped with a solid game, ‚¬Â said Thunder head coach Matt Thomas. ‚¬Å“It was one of those where a lead didn't last long and we had to make a great play at the end to pull it out. ‚¬Å“We got a great effort from ‚¬ËœPitz' in net and we're needing goals from ‚¬ËœKonks' - he came up huge for us. Bretton was outstanding to cap off a good team win, where the guys found a way tonight. ‚¬Â

Both teams battled through a scoreless first period, with the Thunder opening up with a 10-5 shots advantage. Among them was a P.A. Bureau rebound that goaltender David Shantz denied with a diving save at the right goal post, after Steve Vanoosten was stopped on a drive from the right point.

Cameron opened the scoring with his seventh goal of the year, coming shorthanded with 9:09 left in the second period when he stickhandled past P.J. Atherton and buried a snap shot from the right circle on a 2-on-1 break.

Just 23 seconds later, Victoria leveled the score when Chad Painchaud found Ryan Dingle, tape-to-tape with a pass from the left wing. Dingle slammed a one timer with Pitton sliding to the right post for his first goal of the year.

The score carried into the third period and Konkle restored the Thunder lead with his first goal of the season with 3:34 elapsed, burying a quick wrist shot over Shantz's blocker. He began the play exchanging passes with Mark Arcobello, who raced off the bench on a line change and found Konkle in the slot while in transition.

Matt Stefanishion's sixth goal on the year tie the game again, 2-2 with 8:17 left when he slammed in a one-timer from beneath the hash marks, converting Milan Gajic's threaded pass from behind the net.

With both teams battling for a scoring chance to break the tie, the Thunder finally found an opportunity and took the lead back on Cameron's second goal of the game with under five minutes left for the eventual game-winner.

Cameron converted Arcobello's lead pass and sniped his shot past Shantz from beneath the hash marks for his eighth goal this season.

The Thunder dodged one final Victoria rally, blocking Chad Painchaud's open net one-timer at the right circle with under a minute remaining, and forced a Ryan Dingle backhander wide from the slot, in the closing seconds.

Shantz was handed the defeat with 32 saves.

NOTES: The Thunder scratched Craig Valette (healthy), Daryl Marcoux (injured, day to day), Jim McKenzie (injured reserve), Trevor Hunt (injured reserve) and Tyson Sexsmith (injured reserve) ‚¬Â¦ Stockton was tied with Victoria, 35-35 in shots on goal ‚¬Â¦ Victoria broke a scoreless drought of over 155 minutes on Dingle's second period goal ‚¬Â¦ the Thunder are now 7-3-0 in the last ten lifetime games in Victoria, dating back to 2008-09.

The Thunder returns for its next game on the road Friday, visiting the Victoria Salmon Kings at 7:05 p.m. at Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre. The game can be heard on radio at 1280 KWSX and viewed live on the internet (pay-per-view video charge) at www.StocktonThunder.com, courtesy of AmericaOne.

A two-time recipient of the ECHL ‚¬Å“Award of Excellence, ‚¬Â Thunder was voted "Best Local Sports Team" by readers of the San Joaquin Magazine, led the ECHL in attendance for four consecutive seasons and drew over 200,000 fans for the fifth consecutive season in 2009-10. Season Tickets, mini-plans and individual tickets for 2010-11 are on sale now. For more information about tickets, merchandise, or other inquiries contact the Stockton Thunder offices at (209) 373-1500 or visit http://www.stocktonthunder.com/.

THREE STARS:

1. STK - 11 Bretton Cameron

2. VIC - 27 Chad Painchaud

3. VIC - 47 Geoff Waugh



ECHL Stories from January 6, 2011


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