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Thunder Visit Alaska

November 14, 2014 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


The Thunder take on the Alaska Aces in the first of a three-in-three on the International ice surface of Sullivan Arena.

Arena: Sullivan Arena

Date: Friday, November 14

Time: 8:15 p.m. PST

Broadcast: ECHL.TV and Spreaker beginning at 8:00 p.m. PST

This Year's Record: Stockton is 1-1-0-0 vs. Alaska

Follow the Thunder Facebook Page for occasional updates or follow @StocktonThunder on Twitter for the play-by-play tweeting!

Last Time Out

Lukas Sutter scored his first professional goal while Roberts Lipsbergs registered his first pro point (an assist) and Prab Rai added his second point in a Thunder uniform but the Ontario Reign put up another crooked number on the Thunder and ended up taking the game 7-1.

Tonight

The Thunder are in Alaska for the first time this season but playing the team in a tough three-in-three beginning tonight and carrying through to Sunday. The team's have already played twice this season with both teams coming away on top once.

In Alaska's first win back on October 24, the Aces were able to muster up a come-from-behind win and took down the Thunder but the following day, the Thunder handled the Aces and beat the team 4-1. Brad Stebner started the scoring in the win with his first pro goal but the Aces tied the score. However Ryan Hayes scored the first of his two goals en route to the Thunder victory.

Who to Watch

Today it's centerman James Henry who has been held pointless in six straight games, five of which coming without his linemate Peter Sivak who is back in the lineup tonight and could go for the Thunder and could once again find himself with Henry, which could get the duo clicking once again.

While paired together, Henry had a four-game point streak while Sivak had a five game point streak that ended during his last game with the team when former Thunder goaltender Olivier Roy shutout the Thunder.

One positive stat to get James going tonight is that he leads the team in points against the Aces as in his two games the forward put in a goal and added 3 assists.

Peter Sivak Returns to the Thunder

Former Alaska Aces forward and 2013 Kelly Cup Champion Peter Sivak returns to the Thunder after a brief stint in the AHL with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. Sivak has 2 goals and 5 assists in just 6 ECHL games, including a goal and 2 assists against his former team.

Sivak is an extremely intelligent player with years of pro experience overseas and in North America during the past three years. Sivak burst onto the scene when former San Francisco Bulls coach Pat Curcio signed the forward to a contract back in 2012-13. The Cheb, Czech Republic native played 64 games that season and had 33 goals and 23 assists while also registering 4 goals and an assist while with the Worcester Sharks of the AHL.

The following season saw Sivak sign with the Aces where he had 83 points in 67 games played and was the Plus Performer of the year after finishing +49. For the second straight season Peter also spent time in the AHL when he was loaned to the Abbotsford Heat but was held pointless in 3 games played.

Sivak played two games with the Sound Tigers this season back on November 1 and 2, scoring a goal in his first foray back to the AHL.

About Alaska

The Alaska Aces will be wearing special jerseys tonight and tomorrow for their Military Appreciation Weekend games. The team also looks slightly different as the team traded Ross Ring-Jarvi to the Missouri Mavericks in order to reunite former Thunder broadcaster Mike Benton with former Thunder defenseman Colten Hayes. He has 1 goal in 2 GP for the Aces.

By far and away the best player for the Aces has 7 goals and 6 assists this season. The former 4th round pick of the Montreal Canadiens back in 2011 was assigned to the Aces by the Minnesota Wild after he signed a contract with the team due to his impressive performance during the 2014 NHL Prospects Tournament in Traverse City, Michigan while with the Wild as an invitee.

Archambault's 13 points ties him first in the league among rookies.

13 feet 4 inches

13 feet four inches is the difference between the width of the ice surface in Stockton and the rink here at Sullivan Arena.

The home rink for the Alaska Aces might sacrifice a foot and a half behind each net, but the width is what makes the home ice advantage so helpful for the Aces. With the added space of the international ice surface, it means more time and space for defenseman at the point to get shots off and of course more space for players to move laterally around the ice in attempts to evade would be defenseman.

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