Thunder wraps up opening road trip and opens home slate on Saturday

October 23, 2007 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


THIS WEEK'S OPPONENTS: (all times PT)

at LAS VEGAS WRANGLERS (Tuesday - 7:05 p.m.) - 1420 KSTN, B2 Networks

The Thunder aims for its first win of the 2007-08 campaign with a Tuesday night matchup against the Las Vegas Wranglers. On the line for Las Vegas is a 15-game regular season winning streak, dating back to March 10, 2007. In the all-time series, Las Vegas is unbeaten in six of seven games (6-0-1) against the Thunder at Orleans Arena. The Thunder and Wranglers meet nine times this season.

at PHOENIX ROADRUNNERS (Wednesday - 7:11 p.m.) - 1420 KSTN, B2 Networks

The four-game road trip wraps up with a Wednesday night affair against the Phoenix RoadRunners at U.S. Airways Center, a place where the Thunder has only one regulation loss in the all-time series (4-1-1). Phoenix's 3-0-0 start is their best in ECHL history. Last year, the Thunder was 5-0-1 against Phoenix, who clinched its first Kelly Cup Playoff berth in team history with a 27-40-5 record (59 points) and the eighth seed. The Thunder and Phoenix face each other seven times this year, with the first four meetings at U.S. Airways Center, which doubles up as the host facility to the NBA's Phoenix Suns.

vs. ALASKA ACES (Saturday - 7:30 p.m.) - 1420 KSTN, B2 Networks

The curtain rises on the 2007-08 hockey season at Stockton Arena with a Saturday night tilt against the Alaska Aces, who return 11 players from last season's roster but usher in new head coach Keith McCambridge, who took over for AHL-bound Davis Payne. The Thunder posted a 1-2-3 record against the Aces last year and won its first game in the all-time matchup at Stockton Arena on January 21. Both teams face each other nine times this season and the first three meetings are scheduled at Stockton Arena.

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 $6 "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.

In addition, Valley Brew Family Restaurant is in its second season as official host of the Thunder Watch Party (via B2 Networks' "Bar and Pub Network") for all road games, with prizes, broadcast-interactive contests and more scheduled for all road games this week.

Located at 157 W. Adams Street in Stockton, Valley Brew Family Restaurant is placed in the heart of Stockton's "Miracle Mile" district and features an array of acclaimed burgers, beverages, appetizers, specialties and more, offering customers free wi-fi internet access inside the restaurant.

UPCOMING PROMOTIONS

SATURDAY, 10/27 OPENING NIGHT (presented by Jackson Rancheria, Food-4-Less, Coors Light, KAT Country 103 and News10)

- All fans in attendance, dressed in costume as their favorite famous movie character, will receive two ticket vouchers good to select Thunder home games.

UPCOMING MILESTONES:

o Chris St. Jacques is one point shy of 100 in his professional career and six points shy of 100 in his ECHL career

o Chris St. Jacques is eight games shy of 200 in his professional career

TEAM NOTES:

o The Thunder is hosting the 2008 ECHL All-Star Game and Skills Competition at Stockton Arena on Jan. 22 and 23 and has led the ECHL in attendance for the last two seasons, drawing an average of 6,780 in 2006-07

o Jesse Bennefield and Brad Farynuk have two points each (2g-2a) in two games

o Glenn Fisher made 29 saves in his professional debut on Sunday

o The Thunder has led the ECHL in attendance for two consecutive seasons and had an average of 6,780 fans last year, the highest league total since 2000-01

o Stockton is tied for first in ECHL penalty killing (1.000) at a 13-for-13 rate

o Stockton is 2-0-0 all-time in home openers at Stockton Arena

WEEK IN REVIEW

Friday, October 19 Bakersfield 3 at Stockton 2

Tim Konsorada capped a three-goal comeback by the Bakersfield Condors with a game-winning goal coming with 1:36 left in regulation, sending the Thunder to a 3-2 loss in the 2007-08 season-opener on Friday night at Rabobank Arena. Rookie David Rohlfs scored his first pro goal in the second period, giving the Thunder a 1-0 lead followed by Jesse Bennefield's first goal of the year nearly five minutes later. Goaltender Cam Ellsworth stopped 26 shots for the Thunder cause while Bakersfield was led by Yutaka Fukufuji's 28 saves.

Sunday, October 21 Las Vegas 4 at Stockton 1

Former NHL forward Peter Ferraro had a goal and two assists while twin brother and former NHL teammate Chris Ferraro added a goal, an assist and a +4 rating to lead the Las Vegas Wranglers in a 4-1 decision over the Thunder on Sunday at Orleans Arena. Brad Farynuk scored the only Thunder goal just 1:50 into the game, countered 16 seconds later by Shawn Limpright's game-tying goal that errantly bounced off the end-boards and the skate of Thunder goaltender Glenn Fisher. Despite the loss, Fisher made 29 saves in his professional debut.

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING (courtesy of The Record)

"He's my type of player. He plays hard on both sides of the ice, he creates offensively and he's always mentally in the game."

- Head Coach Chris Cichocki, praising the efforts of newcomer and 2007 all-star Brandon Schwartz

"I think everyone needs to play simple hockey. This is pro hockey, and even minor mistakes mean that the puck ends up in the back of the net. We just need to make the simple plays."

- Jesse Bennefield on the Thunder strategy for winning its first game of the year

"Yes, Stockton is young, but they look like they have a lot of hungry, young players who are gung-ho and will be tough for anybody to handle. Going into the season, I'd say Stockton is definitely one of the top four teams (in the National Conference)."

- Bakersfield Condors head coach Marty Raymond, assessing the Thunder roster



ECHL Stories from October 23, 2007


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