Thunderstruck: Stockton Slams Phoenix 7-1
by Andrew Nordmeier
March 9, 2006 - ECHL (ECHL)
Phoenix RoadRunners
The Stockton Thunder had an identity crisis when they played the Phoenix Roadrunners Wednesday night at the US Airways Center. The uniforms were black, yellow and white and had the image of Thor on the front of them. The men inside those uniforms were not your regular Thunder players.
Stockton (11-34-11) took a 3-0 lead after a period and blitzed Phoenix into submission when they pasted the Roadrunners 7-1. Stockton set season highs with the seven goals and a mind-boggling 52 shots on goal. Joel Irwin, Nathan Martz and Kevin Gardner each scored twice to power the Stockton offensive ouburst.
"No question, offensively, it was our best effort of the year," Stockton Head Coach Chris Cichocki said, "It's nice to have some fun in the third period instead of biting my fingernails."
Phoenix (19-35-3) looked like a team with no desire to play the game and was caught merely watching on the defensive end for most of the night.
"The desire to win, the desire to do the work, the desire to pay the price and the desire to follow the system. That's what changed." Phoenix Head Coach Ron Filion said about the differences in his yeam between Tuesday's 2-1 win and this 7-1 shellacking. "Nobody cared, it's that simple. (There were) Zero positives, from goaltending to forwards to defensemen; they're all in the same box. Nobody cared. Nobody showed up."
Martz struck first with a shorthanded goal at 10:11 of the opening period. He found the rebound of Mike Lalonde's shot and dove headlong to tip it in the net before Roadrunner goaltender Ryan Cyr could get back over to make the save. Gardner beat Cyr on the power play at 13:05 and Irwin's first of his two came with 47 seconds left in the first period.
Phoenix showed a pulse when Jake Riddle scored shorthanded at 2:55 of the second period to cut it to a 3-1 game. That would be the only thing that went right for Phoenix on this net as Riddle stole the puck from a Stockton defender and beat Thunder goaltender Jake Moreland.
Mike LaLonde beat Cyr at 11:42 and Gardner scored again at 15:22 to make it 5-1 and end Cyr's night. Mike Mole came on in relief and didn't fare much better.
Mole allowed third period goals to Martz and Irwin to close out the scoring. Stockton outshot Phoenix 52-31 and finished 1-of-6 on the power play. Phoenix drew the collar in four tries.
"We want to finish strong. We have a great fan base and a following in Stockton," Cichocki said, "We have eight home games left there and we want to win as many as we can and finish on a positive note."
Phoenix will try to get back on track for the final month of the season when they head to Bakersfield Friday night to start a two-game California swing.
"At this time of the year you have to count on the professionalism of your players," Filion said, "Hopefully, there are still some real pros in this locker room and they show up. Two brutal games in our last four is unacceptable."
Three Stars
3. Irwin-STK Two goals (19, 20) and an assist
2. Gardner-STK Two goals (9,10) and an assist
1. Martz-STK Two goals (12,13) and an assist
Notes: Phoenix has failed to score in the first period in its last eight games...In Cyr's four decisions with Phoenix, the team has contributed three goals of offensive support...Phoenix allowed the first goal for the 42nd time this season and is 8-31-3 when they do...The last time Phoenix scored a shorthanded goal was November 21st against Victoria when Peter Trovato scored down a man...Stockton is 8-3-2 when scoring four or more goals this year...Stockton is 7-0-4 when leading after two periods...Phoenix defenseman Brent Henley came back into the lineup after serving a one-game suspension...Attendance was 3,002.
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