Thunder Weekly: Thunder Defeats Alaska Twice

March 5, 2012 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


LAST WEEK: 2-1-0

THIS WEEK'S OPPONENT: (all times PT)

at Colorado Eagles

Tuesday and Wednesday: 6:05 p.m.

Radio: 1280 AM KWSX/ StocktonThunder.com

The Stockton Thunder opens up a four game road trip against the Colorado Eagles beginning on Tuesday at Budweiser Events Center. The game will be the eighth of nine matchups between the teams this season and the Thunder is 3-4-0 against Colorado this season. The Thunder last faced Colorado on Feb. 19 in a 3-1 victory at Stockton Arena. The Thunder enters the game with a magic number of six to clinch a Kelly Cup Playoff berth and is five points behind Colorado for fourth place in the Western Conference. Wednesday will be the final time both teams meet for the head to head series.

at Utah Grizzlies

Friday and Saturday: 6:05 p.m.

Radio: 1280 AM KWSX/ StocktonThunder.com

The Stockton Thunder visits the Utah Grizzlies for two games on Friday and Saturday at Maverik Center. Friday's game will be the first time the teams have faced each other since Nov. 5 at Stockton Arena, when the Thunder defeated Utah 3-2. It will also be the first set of matchups held at Maverik Center since last year's Western Conference Quarterfinal playoff round, won by Utah 3-1. The Thunder is 1-0-1 against Utah this season. They will face the Grizzlies in a total of six times this season and carry a lifetime record of 23-23-6.

1280 AM KWSX is the Thunder's flagship radio station and all Thunder games can be heard live on the Internet (free-of-charge) and available for viewing at a "pay-per-view" charge at www.stocktonthunder.com, courtesy of AmericaOne. Radio broadcaster Mike Benton provides play-by-play commentary with the "Thunder Forecast" pre-game show starting 15 minutes before each broadcast.

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

(subject to change, all times PT)

Tuesday, MAR. 6

10:15 a.m. - Morning skate at Budweiser Events Center

6:05 p.m. - GAME at COLORADO

1280 KWSX/StocktonThunder.com

Wednesday, MAR. 7

10:15 a.m. - Morning skate at Budweiser Events Center

6:05 p.m. - GAME at COLORADO

1280 KWSX/StocktonThunder.com

Thursday, MAR. 8

Travel day to West Valley City, Utah

Friday, MAR. 9

10:15 a.m. - Morning skate at Maverik Center

6:05 p.m. - GAME at UTAH

1280 KWSX/StocktonThunder.com

Saturday, MAR. 10

10:15 a.m. - Morning skate at Maverik Center

6:05 p.m. - GAME at UTAH

1280 KWSX/StocktonThunder.com

Sunday, MAR. 11

Travel day to Stockton

Monday, MAR. 12

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

COMMUNITY UPDATE

THOR APPEARANCE - HOSPITAL VISIT

Thursday, Mar. 8 - Lodi Memorial Hospital - Lodi, CA. (Noon - 1:00 p.m.)

- Thunder mascot "Thor" will visit patients on Thursday at Lodi Memorial Hospital!

WEEK IN REVIEW:

STK 4 - AK 3 (SO) (3/4/12): Captain Jason Morgan scored a goal in the fifth round of a shootout and Thomas Heemskerk made 35 saves to help the Stockton Thunder (29-24-5, 63 points) complete a come-from-behind rally and edge the Alaska Aces in a 4-3 shootout victory before 5,778 fans at Stockton Arena on Sunday. The win was Thunder head coach Matt Thomas' 300th of his ECHL career, becoming the eighth coach in league history to accomplish the feat. Stockton also reduced its magic number to six for a clinch of a playoff berth and took four points out of a possible six against Alaska - who entered the weekend with the league's best record.

STK 4 - AK 0 (3/3/12): Goaltender Olivier Roy made 36 saves and broke a Stockton Thunder (28-24-5, 61 points) record with his fourth shutout of the season, helping the Thunder sink the Alaska Aces in a 4-0 victory before a season high crowd of 9,398 at Stockton Arena on Saturday. With Roy sporting the ECHL's "Golden Goalie" jersey in lieu of the All-Star Game this season, the Thunder reduced its magic number to eight for a clinch of a Kelly Cup Playoff berth and Kevin Baker - wearing a special designed Thunder crest on his jersey as a "Silver Skater" - paced the offense with a three points (2g-1a). Jordan Fulton and Chris D'Alvise each chipped in with a goal while Gabriel Levesque earned an assist in his first game back from injury.

AK 4 - STK 2 (3/2/12): Ethan Cox buried two goals and goaltender James Reid earned his first professional win with 24 saves, enough to help the Alaska Aces go wire to wire and defeat the Stockton Thunder (27-24-5, 59 points), 4-2 before 4,644 fans at Stockton Arena on Friday. The Thunder dropped their third straight defeat and saw its magic number stay at 10 to clinch a Kelly Cup Playoff berth, with division rival Bakersfield idle for Friday evening. Chris D'Alvise and Colten Hayes chipped with goals for Stockton in the second period.

2011-12 TEAM LEADERS:

Points - Kevin Baker (50)

Goals - Kevin Baker (24)

Assists - Matt Foy (31)

Plus/Minus - Mike Little (+17)

Penalty Minutes - Garet Hunt (205)

UPCOMING MILESTONES

- Kevin Baker is 14 goals away from 200 in his professional career

- Jody Pederson is 2 games away from 100 in his professional career

- Jordan Fulton is 2 games away from 100 in his Thunder career

- Chris D'Alvise is 2 games away from 100 in his Thunder career

TEAM NOTES

- Mike Little leads ECHL rookies with a +17 rating

- Kevin Baker leads the ECHL with 248 shots

- Gabriel Levesque has two assists in two games since returning from injury

- Stockton is third in ECHL attendance with an average of 5,832

- Stockton is 7-2-2 in one goal games on the road

- Stockton is 11-3-1 in the last 15 home games

The Thunder Season Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased by calling (209) 373-1500 or by visiting www.stocktonthunder.com. Thunder Season Ticket Holders enjoy the highest-demanded seating locations in Stockton Arena, benefits including admission to Season Ticket Holder-only events, discount opportunities on Thunder merchandise, a free e-newsletter, an exclusive gift, admission to the first two rounds of the Kelly Cup Playoffs and more.

For more information about tickets, merchandise, or other inquiries contact the Stockton Thunder offices at (209) 373-1500 or visit http://www.stocktonthunder.com/.



ECHL Stories from March 5, 2012


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