Thunder Take Fifth Win In Utah This Season, Close First Place Gap To 4 Points

Published on March 13, 2011 under ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah - Garet Hunt buried a pair of goals, Fraser Clair collected three points (1g-2a) and goaltender Zane Kalemba made 29 saves to help lead the Stockton Thunder (31-22-9, 71 points) to a 6-1 rout of the Utah Grizzlies before 5,016 fans at Maverik Center on Saturday.

The Thunder avenged a two goal defeat 24 hours earlier and won for the fifth time in six games this year in Utah, closed the gap to four points behind the Las Vegas Wranglers for first place in the Pacific Division. Assured of a winning record on the road, the Thunder also received offensive contributions in goals from Jason Pitton, P.A. Bureau and an empty-netter from Jordan Fulton.

"It was a great effort by our team tonight," said Thunder head coach Matt Thomas. "We were able to take advantage of some great, individual performances led by Hunt and Clair. The third period goal by Clair gave us the momentum to have a strong period the rest of the way and Zane held strong in net as well."

Hunt's ninth goal of the year gave the Thunder a 1-0 lead as a power-play expired, just 2:35 into the game. After Cameron Brodie and Fraser Clair missed wide on a pair of one-timers from the point, Hunt followed up one rebound stop by Utah goaltender Shane Connelly and buried a rebound from the left post.

Jordan Fulton had a pair of chances - one breakaway and one 2-on-1 set-up at the left post early in the second to expand the lead, but Connelly stopped both shots.

Tanguay followed up by tying the game just 1:34 into the second period when he converted Brian Kilburg's threaded pass from the left wing with a redirection at the right post.

The Thunder finally restored the lead on Jason Pitton's eighth goal of the season with 1:09 left in the period, taking Fraser Clair's clearing pass at the left wing and beating Connelly over the glove with a wrist shot on a 2-on-1 break from the left circle.

Holding onto the one-goal deficit after the second period, the Thunder executed a similar rally to Wednesday's 5-1 win, where they scored three times in the final period. In Saturday's game, they used four goals to pull away and made Utah pay on a five-minute major headshot penalty to Matt Clarke, delivering the hit the Bureau.

Utah's Brock Wilson turned the puck over in the defensive and Clair jumped on the pass, immediately rifling a wrist shot past Connelly beneath the circles with 11:41 left for his 18th goal.

Hunt's second goal of the game boosted the Thunder lead to 4-1, scoring off the rush for his career-high 10th goal of the season. Craig Valette set the play up by skating down the left wing and slipping a pass around the Utah defensive to a wide open Hunt beneath the circle, who snuck a wrist shot past Connelly's blocker.

After Utah gained a power-play and pulled Connelly for a 6-on-4 skating advantage with 3:06 left in the game but Fulton made the strategy backfire with his 13th goal, coming shorthanded with 2:05 left.

Bureau's 8th goal of the season put the finishing touches on the game with 15 seconds remaining, converting a one-timer in the slot which was set up by Jason Pitton behind the Utah net.

Connelly was dealt the loss with 37 saves.

NOTES: The Thunder scratched Chase Ryan (injured reserve), Bretton Cameron (injured reserve), Daryl Marcoux (injured, day-to-day) and Kelly Czuy (injured, day-to-day) ‚¬Â¦ Stockton improved to 7-3-0 in the series and 5-1-0 at Maverik Center ‚¬Â¦ they outshot Utah, 43-30 and had 15 skaters register an even plus/minus rating or better ‚¬Â¦ after Clarke's headshot on Bureau, a fight broke out between Steve Vanoosten and Clair before penalties were issued ‚¬Â¦ Kalemba's win broke a personal three game winless skid.

The Thunder returns for its next game tomorrow, visiting the Utah Grizzlies at Maverik Center at 3:05 p.m. to conclude the season series. 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 "Award of Excellence," 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 - 9 Fraser Clair

2. STK - 17 Jason Pitton

3. UTA - 44 Brian Kilburg

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