Thunder win third straight, surpass .500 mark

Published on February 5, 2009 under ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


STOCKTON, Calif. - Goaltender Andrew Perugini had to make only 19 saves to increase his winning streak to six straight games in net, helping the Stockton Thunder (21-20-5, 47 points) sink the Alaska Aces in a 3-1 victory before a crowd of 3,469 at Stockton Arena on Wednesday.

The Thunder, who were equipped with just 14 skaters in the lineup, won their third straight game to surpass the .500 mark for the first time this season and climbed back to a five-point deficit behind the Ontario Reign for first place in the Pacific Division.

Cory Urquhart, Ryan Huddy and James Bates scored for the Thunder while Alaska countered with a second period goal from Alexandre Imbeault.

The Thunder scored twice in a span of 1:50 in the opening period to assume a 2-0 lead, beginning with veteran Cory Urquhart's 18th goal of the season with 10:25 left in the frame. Urquhart scored into an open net from the right wing after Alaska goaltender Kevin Regan misplayed Mike Lalonde's dump-in, who lost the puck off the glass partitions behind the net.

Huddy widened the lead at 2-0 with his team-leading 24th goal of the season when he jammed a rebound through the legs of Regan, seconds after Damian Surma produced a rebound with a shot from the base of the left circle.

In bizarre fashion, Imbeault scored on an identical goal to Urquhart's to cut the deficit to 2-1 at 2:56 of the second period. Alaska dumped the puck into the offensive zone and the puck re-directed off the same partition and away from Perugini, where Imbeault buried a backhander from the slot into an empty net.

Bates buried his 11th goal of the year at 1:11 of the third period for a 3-1 Thunder lead, blasting a slap shot from the right circle past Regan's blocker.

The Thunder consumed the clock after Bates' goal with an impeccable puck-possession game. The Aces, who posed two separate three-goal comebacks in the third period in the last two weeks, were shut out in the final period on just nine shots-on-goal.

Regan, who was making his Aces debut after being reassigned from Providence of the American Hockey League, made 30 saves in the defeat.

NOTES: The Thunder scratched Marc-Andre Bernier (injured reserve), Jordan Bendfeld (injured reserve), Cleve Kinley (injured reserve), Mark Adamek (injury, day-to-day) ... the Thunder outshot the Aces 33-28 ... assured of a season series victory for the first time in the four years of head-to-head play, the Thunder improved to 5-0-1 this year against Alaska ... the loss snapped Alaska's streak of eight straight games without a regulation loss ... despite both teams combining for just 20 penalty minutes, half of that total was from an Adam Huxley fight with Alaska enforcer Robin Richards in the second period.

The Thunder returns to play on Friday, visiting Ontario at 7:00 p.m. at Citizens Business Bank Arena. The game can be heard on radio at 1420 KSTN and is available online (audio is free-of-charge) for viewing for a $7 charge at http://www.stocktonthunder.com/ (courtesy of B2 Networks).

The proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League's Edmonton Oilers and American Hockey League's Springfield Falcons, the Thunder was voted "Best Local Sports Team" by readers of the San Joaquin Magazine, has led the ECHL in attendance for three consecutive seasons and drew 239,337 fans to Stockton Arena in 2007-08. Season, group, individual tickets and mini plan packages 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/.

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