Thunder tie all-time low 13 shots allowed, stopped on Ouzas' 42-save shutout

November 25, 2010 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


STOCKTON, Calif. ‚¬" Goaltender Michael Ouzas made a season high 42 saves for his fifth career shutout, helping the Las Vegas Wranglers defeat the Stockton Thunder (8-3-5, 20 points), 1-0, before a crowd of 4,018 at Stockton Arena on Wednesday night.

The Thunder, who were shut out for the first time this season, came within three shots of matching their season-high and outshot Las Vegas, 42-13 in the game to tie the team's all-time record for least shots allowed. Ouzas also had all 20 shots turned away in the second period. In turn, it was the first time the Thunder lost back-to-back games in regulation and are now 0-2-1 in the last three games.

Garrett Zemlak took the loss for the Thunder with 12 stops. Ned Lukacevic scored the only goal in the first period.

"I thought we played a very strong game," said Thunder head coach Matt Thomas. "We don't like the result but I told the guys you can live with getting beat by a hot goalie. Ouzas was phenomenal and made a few stops he wasn't supposed to make. We had three keys to the game ‚¬" out-compete them for sixty minutes, be physical and get enough traffic to create opportunities. For the most part, we did all of them but just couldn't bury a few open-net opportunities."

Lukacevic put Las Vegas ahead, 1-0 with his seventh goal of the season just 6:14 into the first period on a power-play. He corralled Vince Bellissimo's lead pass in transition and buried a wrist shot from the left circle.

Ouzas then withstood all 14 shots he saw in the first period and the Thunder were also kept off the board on two open-net misses by Jason Pitton from the right goal line and Mark Arcobello's backhander that floated wide from the base of the left circle.

In the second period, the Thunder fired 20 shots on Ouzas but still trailed by a goal after Jesse Gimblett was denied on a wrap-around attempt with a forehand shot, and Jason Pitton's slap shot on Ouzas was stopped from the right circle, late in the period. Garet Hunt barely missed on a backdoor play as well, flipping a feed from Bretton Cameron just wide of the left post.

Zemlak kept the game close by a key save in the period, stopping former Thunder forward Ryan Huddy's snap shot between the circles.

The Thunder outshot Las Vegas, 8-3 in the final period and still mounted pressure late in the game, despite a late two-minute Las Vegas power-play. Pitton's bid for a shorthanded goal with less than two minutes left, a snap shot from the right circle, was deflected out of play by a last second block by the Wranglers defense.

With Zemlak pulled for an extra skater, Fraser Clair had one last chance in the final seconds but had his rebound bid blocked from below the right circle while Ouzas scrambled to recover in net.

NOTES: The Thunder scratched Trevor Hunt (healthy), Jordan Foreman (injured reserve), Tyson Sexsmith (injured reserve) and Craig Valette (injured reserve) ... Stockton fell to 5-3-2 at home this season ... Las Vegas converted at 1-of-3 on the power-play and improved to 5-1-0 in the last six games ... Huddy and another former Thunder forward, Geoff Paukovich, returned to Stockton Arena since last suiting up for the Thunder in 2008-09 ... the 13 shots allowed was last accomplished on December 1, 2006 vs. Long Beach.

The Thunder wraps its five game homestand at Stockton Arena for its next game on Friday against the Utah Grizzlies at 7:30 p.m. 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. LV - 29 Michael Ouzas

2. LV - 43 Ned Lukacevic

3. STK - 34 Garrett Zemlak



ECHL Stories from November 25, 2010


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