Sports stats



Wranglers send the Thunder to defeat

January 21, 2012 - ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


STOCKTON, Calif. - Newcomer Chris Doyle's pair of goals led a rally that fell short in the final seconds as Jeff May broke a 4-4 tie with 1:01 left in regulation, to help the Las Vegas Wranglers send the Stockton Thunder (15-17-4, 34 points) to a 5-4 defeat at Stockton Arena on Friday.

After arriving via a waiver pickup from South Carolina, Doyle chipped in with his third multi point and second multi goal game of the season, helping the Thunder climb out of 3-0 and 4-2 deficits. Jordan Fulton and Ian O'Connor also contributed with goals for the Thunder.

"I'm proud of how we battled back after digging ourselves a hole," said Thunder head coach Matt Thomas. "It's a heartbreaking loss but we have to move on. Chris was good tonight and did exactly what we needed him to do - get involved with scoring opportunities. He made plays and scored two goals for us. We needed someone like that to step up."

Joe Fallon earned his league leading 20th win of the season with 29 saves. Josh Lunden buried two goals and had an assist to lead the Las Vegas offense. May's game winner capped off a two goal effort.

Las Vegas weathered a storm of Thunder scoring chances in the opening minutes and responded with three goals in a span of 2:12 in the first period.

Lunden scored his seventh of the season to open the scoring at 8:45 and May followed up with a wrist shot through traffic from the blueline, completing an offensive zone faceoff win for a 2-0 Las Vegas edge with 10:02 left.

Adam Miller then skated behind the net and caught Olivier Roy off the glove side post, slipping a shot from behind the right goal line and off Roy's skate for a 3-0 bulge with 9:03 remaining.

The Thunder responded with back to back goals in a span of 1:17 in the second period to slice the deficit to one goal. Doyle's first goal in a Thunder uniform cut the deficit to 3-1 at the 1:24 mark when he stashed a backhander past goaltender Joe Fallon's blocker.

O'Connor then slammed a Nathan Deck centering pass from behind the net past Fallon's right pad for his ninth goal of the season.

Roy kept the game in reach with two highlight reel saves on Geoff Paukovich at the blocker post and followed with a diving glove save on Eric Lampe's wraparound attempt at the right post.

Lunden's second goal of the game with 6:01 left in the second period restored Las Vegas' two goal advantage at 4-2 when he cashed in off a deflected shot from the left circle.

Doyle's second goal of the game got the Thunder back to within a goal at a 4-3 deficit at the 6:25 mark of the third period when he sent a second chance rebound past Fallon from the slot.

Stockton Arena then was sent into bedlam when Thunder tied the game, 4-4 on Fulton's sixth goal of the year at the 9:40 mark when he capitalized on a rebound after Fallon stopped Matt Foy's bid from the right circle.

After Fallon turned away a series of Thunder chances in a bid for their first lead, the Wranglers cashed in with the game winner with 1:01 remaining on May's second goal of the game. Roy made the first stop on an Eric Lampe attempt at the right circle, but May cleaned up the second chance bid with a wrist shot under the crossbar.

Roy took the loss with 26 saves.

• Discuss this story on the ECHL message board...

ECHL Stories from January 21, 2012


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central