Thunder sweep host Salmon Kings, Clair finishes two-goal game with OT winner

Published on December 5, 2010 under ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


VICTORIA, British Columbia - Fraser Clair capped a two-goal game with game-winning goal, coming with 21.9 seconds remaining in sudden death overtime to lift the Stockton Thunder (11-4-4, 26 points) to a 5-4 overtime win over the Victoria Salmon Kings, before a crowd of 3,363 at Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre on Saturday.

Clair, who broke a 12-game goal-scoring drought with the effort, capped off a five-point run in the last two games and converted Chris Lawrence's centering pass from the left corner at the goal mouth to boost the Thunder to a three-game road sweep of Victoria and a team record 6-0-2 streak on the road.

Pierre-Andre Bureau capped off a two-goal game (first goal in his pro career) and Lawrence also chipped in with two points (1g-1a). Goaltender Bryan Pitton improved to 7-0-1 with 33 saves.

"We earned a hard fought, team win," said Thunder head coach Matt Thomas. "It certainly wasn't pretty, but it was simply guys just finding a way to win as a group. We had many step up tonight - Fraser getting two goals, Bureau getting involved with two, and Ringwald with two points. Chris Lawrence was a man amongst boys, especially in overtime. It was a great team win that the guys manufactured for sure."

The Thunder rolled to a 2-0 lead through the first period, starting on Bureau's first goal of his pro career to break a scoreless tie at 4:54. Bureau darted toward the front of the net and re-directed Garet Hunt's pass from the left circle past David Shantz's blocker.

Clair then earned his fifth goal of the season on the power-play, with 4:29 left in the period for a two-goal lead. Chris Lawrence's wrist shot missed wide past the left goal post, but Clair tucked the rebound past Shantz's stick.

For the second straight game though, the Salmon Kings erased a 2-0 deficit and began the rally on Matt Stefanishion's fourth goal of the season at 10:37 of the second period, showering a handful of stuffed animals onto the ice after a disallowed goal ignited hundreds of bears onto the ice just minutes earlier.

Just 1:34 later Chad Painchaud leveled the score at 2-2 on his sixth goal of the season, sniping a wrist shot to the upper right corner of the net from off the rush.

Victoria continued their rally on P.J. Atherton's power-play goal just 1:50 into the final period, burying a one-timer from the high slot for a 3-2 edge.

The Thunder answered with a pair of goals however in a span of 1:25, beginning with Bureau's second of the game when he caught a piece of Dan Ringwald's wrist shot from the left point off a faceoff win. Then, Lawrence converted a long bomb pass from Cameron Brodie by racing up the right wing, beating Shantz with a backhander to restore the lead, 4-3 at 10:28.

Victoria answered the highlight reel goal with Turek's version, dangling through the Thunder defense from off the rush for a power-play goal goal with 6:46 left in regulation, restoring the tie at 4-4 on a power-play.

Capitalizing off a 4-2 edge in shots in overtime, the Thunder finished a forecheck in the final minute with Clair's game-winning goal. Lawrence flipped a pass from the left corner to the goal mouth, finished off by Clair's re-direction past Shantz's stick and sending the Thunder bench into eruption which spilled onto the ice.

Shantz's record moved to 5-8-2 with 39 saves.

"Overall we're thrilled with the results from this road trip," said Thunder owner Brad Rowbotham, who was in attendance for all three games with his daughter, Kelsey and son, Cole. "We're continuing to enjoy success in first place as our hockey staff and team have done a tremendous job in filling holes with the injuries and call-ups that have affected our roster recently."

"Regardless of results, we found the road trip very enjoyable by being able to connect with the team and much of their traveling family."

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