Thunder Visits Ontario Friday, Saturday

Published on November 16, 2009 under ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


THIS WEEK'S OPPONENT: (all times PT)

at Ontario Reign (Friday - 7:30 p.m., Saturday - 7:00 p.m.) - 1420 KSTN, B2 Networks

The Thunder hits the road for two games, back-to-back this Friday and Saturday against the Pacific Division rival Ontario Reign at Citizens Business Bank Arena, the fourth and fifth of ten games this year between both clubs. In the crosshairs is a six-game winless streak in which the Thunder is 0-3-3. The Thunder is 2-1-0 this season against the Reign and last faced the Reign on Nov. 4, defeating Ontario 3-2 on a goal by Craig Valette in the last minute of regulation. Through the first 13 regular season games in the all-time series, the Thunder is 6-6-1 against Ontario.

1420 KSTN is the Thunder's flagship radio station and all Thunder games can be heard live on the Internet (free-of-charge) and are available for viewing at a $7 "pay-per-view" charge at www.stocktonthunder.com, courtesy of B2 Networks. Radio broadcaster Mike Benton provides play-by-play commentary with the "Thunder Forecast" pre-game show starting 15 minutes before each broadcast.

PROMOTIONAL NEWS

Wednesday, Nov. 25 vs. Idaho Steelheads, 7:00 p.m.

FAMILY NIGHT (presented by 99.3 KJOY and Metro PCS)

- $29 upper premium / end zone admission (four tickets, four hot dogs, four soft drinks, coupon for $4 dollars off in the Fan Attic) with coupon available by visiting participating MetroPCS locations. An $84 value.

THUNDER'S THANKSGIVING FEAST

- "All You Can Eat" Italian Buffet dinner in Comcast Club of Stockton Arena and game ticket all for $25!

Friday, Nov. 27 vs. Idaho Steelheads, 7:30 p.m.

LICENSE PLATE FRAME GIVEAWAY

- The first 1,000 fans (ages 18 and over) will receive a commemorative Thunder License Plate Frame!

Saturday, Nov. 28 vs. Idaho Steeleheads, 7:30 p.m.

GARET HUNT CARICATURE T-SHIRT GIVEAWAY (presented by Comcast, The Record, AM 970 ESPN Radio and B&B Heating and Air)

- The first 1,000 fans (ages 17 and under) will receive a Garet Hunt Caricature-style T-Shirt!

COMMUNITY UPDATE

Coats For Kids

(Sunday, November 15)

This past Sunday, the Thunder partnered with News10 and KAT Country 103 to collect new or gently used coats to donate for local youth through the Salvation Army for the annual "Coats For Kids" event. Each donor received a complimentary ticket to Sunday's Thunder home game against the Idaho Steelheads. A total of 622 coats were donated, making the event a success with nearly 6,000 fans in attendance!

PREGAME, POSTGAME PARTIES FEATURING LIVE MUSIC

Back by popular demand, the Stockton Thunder is hosting pregame and postgame parties inside the new "Kings Room" of Stockton Arena, open before each home game and after each Friday and Saturday home game. Discount on drink specials are available, in addition to special live music that will entertain Thunder fans before and after the upcoming games (subject to change):

Friday, Nov. 27: To be announced

Saturday, Nov. 28: Solidify

2009-10 TEAM LEADERS:

Points - Oren Eizenman (12)

Goals - Judd Blackwater (7)

Assists -Kenny MacAulay (10)

Plus/Minus - Ryan Constant, Steve Vanoosten (+3)

Penalty Minutes - Garet Hunt (67)

UPCOMING MILESTONES:

o Mike Bayrack is 32 points away from 400 in his ECHL career

o Judd Blackwater is 16 games away from 100 in his professional career

o Kelly Czuy is 25 points away from 100 in his professional career

o Kenny MacAulay is 5 games away from 100 in his ECHL career

TEAM NOTES

- Kenny MacAulay is tied for second in the ECHL with 10 power-play assists

- Judd Blackwater is tied for the ECHL lead with 5 power-play goals

- Andrew Perugini ranks fourth in the ECHL with 243 saves

- Stockton needs 19,802 fans to reach 1,000,000 in club history attendance through four seasons-plus

- Stockton ranks second in ECHL attendance with an average of 6,365 fans (7 home games)

- Stockton leads the ECHL in road power-play at 34.5 percent (10-for-29)

The team's upcoming schedule for the coming week is as follows:

(subject to change, all times PT)

TUE, NOV. 17:

10:00 a.m. - Practice at Stockton Arena

WED, NOV. 18:

10:00 a.m. - Practice at Stockton Arena

THURS, NOV. 19:

10:00 a.m. - Practice at Stockton Arena

Travel to Ontario, Calif. afterwards

FRI, NOV. 20:

11:15 a.m. - Morning skate at Citizens Business Bank Arena (Ontario, Calif.)

7:30 p.m. - GAME @ ONTARIO (Citizens Business Bank Arena)

1420 KSTN/StocktonThunder.com

SAT, NOV. 21:

11:15 a.m. - Morning skate at Citizens Business Bank Arena (Ontario, Calif.)

7:00 p.m. - GAME @ ONTARIO (Citizens Business Bank Arena)

1420 KSTN/StocktonThunder.com

SUN. NOV. 22:

Day off

MON. NOV. 23:

10:00 a.m. - Practice at Stockton Arena

WEEK IN REVIEW

IDH 3 - STK 1 (11/15/09): Rookie goaltender Richard Bachman made 20 saves helping the Idaho Steelheads edge the Thunder, 3-1 before 5,359 fans at Stockton Arena on Sunday night. Idaho, who swept the three-game weekend series and extended their record to 6-0-0 over the Thunder this year, got a game-winning goal from Evan Barlow (1g-1a) in the second period to improve to 11-2-1 overall (23 points) and surpass the Elmira Jackals' 22 points for the league's top record. Garet Hunt scored the only Thunder goal in the third period, whose winless skid reached an 0-3-3 mark.

IDH 4 - STK 2 (11/14/09): Evan Barlow scored twice and the Idaho Steelheads broke a 2-2 tie with goals in the last minute of the second period and in the first minute of the third period to edge the Thunder, 4-2 before a crowd of 5,716 at Stockton Arena on Friday night. The loss, which was the first at home in regulation for the Thunder since Oct. 23, cemented a game where the Thunder missed two of their top three scorers in Oren Eizenman (automatic one-game suspension) and James Bates (on AHL recall to Springfield). Judd Blackwater and Jason Pitton (1g-1a) scored each for Stockton, while Barlow's efforts were spelled on Idaho goals from Kevin DeVirgilio and Trevor Ludwig.

IDH 2 - STK 1 (SO) (11/13/09): Goaltender Richard Bachman made 26 saves to outduel counterpart Andrew Perugini and stopped three of four shots in a shootout to help the Idaho Steelheads edge the Thunder, 2-1 in a shootout before 5,101 fans at Stockton Arena on Friday. Adam Huxley scored the shootout winner in his first return to Stockton Arena since last season, to spell Idaho shootout markers from Evan Barlow and Tyler Spurgeon. Perugini made 26 saves to help force overtime. The Thunder (4-1-3 in the last eight games), received a goal from Oren Eizenman in the first period (100th point of his professional career) and Michael Neal scored for Idaho in the second period.

BAK 3 - STK 2 (11/10/09): Sasha Pokulok snapped a 2-2 tie with a game-winning power-play goal with 5:53 left in regulation, which was enough for the Bakersfield Condors to send the Thunder to a 3-2 defeat before a crowd of 4,948 at Rabobank Arena on Tuesday night. The Thunder, who had their six-game unbeaten streak in regulation snapped in the process, were aided with goals from Steve Vanoosten (first of his pro career) and Oren Eizenman. Shawn Weller and John deGray also scored for Bakersfield while Justin Pogge got the win with 18 saves in net.

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING

(courtesy of The Record)

"That was a great goal; he went hard to the net. We need more guys to do that," Thomas said. - Head coach Matt Thomas on Garet Hunt's second goal of the year on Sunday, The Record, 11/16/09

"Our power play has been the reason we've won games," Thunder coach Matt Thomas said. "It's often been very good, and it's been a real asset for us."

- Thomas on the Thunder power-play, which ranks 3rd in the ECHL entering the week, The Record, 11/12/09

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