StocktonThunder

VIDEO: Chris D’Alvise morning skate interview from the locker room
AUDIO: Mike Benton’s KWSX Thunder Update Preview Podcast

GAME: Stockton Thunder vs. Alaska Aces
DATE: Friday, January 27, 2012
TIME: 7:30 p.m.
SITE: Stockton Arena
RADIO: 1280 AM KWSX/StocktonThunder.com (AmericaOne)/92.5 FM (in-house feed)
TICKETS: Click here – starting at just $7 per seat

NHL AFFILIATES

Stockton Thunder: Edmonton Oilers, San Jose Sharks
Alaska Aces: St. Louis Blues

HOME GAME PROMOTIONAL NOTES

Tonight’s Promotion: ADULT BLACK REPLICA JERSEY (presented by Jackson Rancheria, AT&T/yp.com, Financial Center Credit Union and 104.1 The Hawk)
National Anthem Singer: Los Medanos College Trumpet Trio
Public Address Announcer: Mike McKnight
In-Arena Emcee: TBA

NEXT HOME GAME

Saturday, Jan. 28 vs. Alaska Aces, 7:30 p.m.
YOUTH BLACK REPLICA JERSEY (presented by Financial Center Credit Union, Instant Tax Service, 97.7/98.3 KWIN and Recordnet.com)

TONIGHT’S MATCHUP

The Thunder hosts the defending Kelly Cup champion Alaska Aces for a three game series to be played in three straight days, starting tonight at Stockton Arena. The Thunder is 21-24-14 all time against the Aces and tonight’s game marks the fifth game of ten this season between both teams. Alaska defeated the Thunder, 4-2 the last time the teams met on Jan. 14 at Sullivan Arena. The series will feature two of the league’s top three goal scorers in the last five years – Kevin Baker (Stockton) and Wes Goldie (Alaska). Tonight’s game begins a string where the Thunder plays at home for five of the next six games.

PUTTING OUT THE WELCOME MAT

Tonight will feature the home debut of new Thunder forwards Matt Reber (Utah) and Max Campbell (Greenville), who were acquired in two separate transactions on Tuesday. Additionally, center Chris D’Alvise, assigned from Springfield yesterday and named Thunder Rookie of the Year in 2009-10, will make his season debut tonight. Milan Kytnar also makes his first return to the Thunder lineup since making his NHL debut with the Edmonton Oilers on Jan. 11.

THUNDER BOOMING AGAIN

In the last five games, the Thunder have blasted through with 19 goals, including seven in last Saturday’s 7-5 victory over Las Vegas where they poured on a season high 43 shots on goal. In the game, the Thunder came within two goals of tying a Thunder record of nine goals set in one game (Dec. 10 vs. Bakersfield).

SEASON SERIES

Wed. Nov. 23 Alaska 4 at Stockton 1
Thur. Jan. 12 Stockton 0 at Alaska 3
Fri. Jan. 13 Stockton 1 at Alaska 3
Sat. Jan. 14 Stockton 2 at Alaska 4
Fri. Jan. 27 Alaska 7:30 p.m.
Sat. Jan. 28 Alaska 7:30 p.m.
Sun. Jan. 29 Alaska 4:00 p.m.
Fri. Mar. 2 Alaska 7:30 p.m.
Sat. Mar.3 Alaska 7:30 p.m.
Sun. Mar. 4 Alaska 4:00 p.m.

LAST TIME OUT:

STK 2 – AK 4 (1/14/12): Nick Mazzolini broke a 2-2 tie with 4:57 left in regulation with an eventual game winning goal and Adam Courchaine made 23 saves, helping the Alaska Aces send the Stockton Thunder (15-16-4, 34 points) to a 4-2 defeat to at Sullivan Arena on Saturday. The Thunder, who were swept in a three game series for the first time since December of 2010, were helped with back to back goals by Ian O’Connor and Jordan Fulton. Goaltender Olivier Roy kept the Thunder in the game with a series of quality saves and turned in a 27 save effort in the loss.

LAST THREE GAMES

STK 0 – IDH 1 (1/25/12): Jerry Kuhn turned away all 36 shots he faced for his third shutout of the season, outdueling Olivier Roy and helping the Idaho Steelheads send the Stockton Thunder (18-18-4, 40 points) to a 1-0 defeat at Century Link Arena on Wednesday. The Thunder, playing their fifth game in six days, settled for a two game series split in spite of Roy’s 30 saves, including 16 in the third period. Kuhn kept the Thunder at bay with a series of close range saves including a dramatic game-saving stop on Kevin Baker at the right post with 15 seconds left in regulation. Matt Case’s second period goal stood as the game winner.

STK 4 – IDH 1 (1/24/12): Goaltender Alex Stalock made 29 saves and Ian O’Connor scored a pair of goals to lift the Stockton Thunder (18-17-4, 40 points) to a 4-1 victory over the host Idaho Steelheads at Century Link Arena on Tuesday. Behind an attack of four unanswered goals, Stockton moved into sole possession of fifth place in the Western Conference with its third consecutive win and improved to 5-1-1 in Boise since 2009-10, benefiting from additional goals by Garet Hunt and Jordan Fulton.

STK 4 – LV 2 (1/22/12): Goaltender Olivier Roy made a career high 48 saves while Jordan Fulton chipped in with a three point game (1g-2a) to help the Stockton Thunder (17-17-4, 38 points) hold off the Las Vegas Wranglers in a 4-2 victory at Stockton Arena before 4,097 fans on Sunday. The Thunder went 2-1-0 in a three game and three day series against the first place Wranglers, moving into a tie for sixth place in the Western Conference with the idle Utah Grizzlies. Chris Doyle, Matt Foy and Nathan Deck also chipped in with goals for Stockton.

UPCOMING MILESTONES

• Matt Thomas is 11 wins away from 300 in his professional coaching career
• Kevin Baker is 22 goals away from 200 in his professional career
• Matt Foy is 14 points away from 200 in his professional career
• Chris D’Alvise is 16 points away from 100 in his Thunder career

CHRIS CONTROL

Chris D’Alvise enters his third season with the Thunder ranking fourth on the team’s all time scoring chart with 84 points. He was named Thunder Rookie of the Year in 2009-10 and has collected four hat tricks in less than two full seasons in the ECHL. Below is where D’Alvise ranks on the Thunder all time scoring list:

GOAL ORIENTED

Thunder right winger Kevin Baker was signed as a free agent on Aug. 24 and brings a wealth of offensive accomplishments to the Thunder roster. He was named ECHL Most Valuable Player in 2008-09 and his 57 goals that season were most in the league since 2000-01. He ranks third in ECHL all-time goal scoring (since 2006-07) with 166 goals. On Dec. 10 vs. Bakersfield, he collected his first hat trick of the season.