StocktonThunder

GAME: Stockton Thunder vs. Bakersfield Condors
DATE: Saturday, December 1, 2012
TIME: 7:30 p.m.
SITE: Stockton Arena
RADIO: 1280 AM KWSX/StocktonThunder.com (AmericaOne)
TICKETS: Click here

VIDEO: Game day preview from Stockton Arena – Mike Benton

NHL AFFILIATES

Stockton Thunder: Edmonton Oilers
Bakersfield Condors: Independent

HOME GAME PROMOTIONAL NOTES

Tonight’s Promotion: FLEECE BLANKET GIVEAWAY (presented by The Record, Angelina’s
Spaghetti House and 104.1 The Hawk)
National Anthem Singer: Tokay High School Band
Public Address Announcer: Mike McKnight 
In-Arena Emcee: Alan Sanchez 
Pregame warmup-worn jersey auction: Garet Hunt, Harrison Reed, Nathan Deck, Gabriel Levesque and Tony DeHart

NEXT HOME GAME

Tuesday, Dec. 4 vs. Las Vegas Wranglers (7:00 p.m.)

TONIGHT’S MATCHUP

The Stockton Thunder returns home to start a three game homestand against Bakersfield Condors. It will be the fifth of 11 meetings between both teams this season and the Thunder has dominated the series so far with a 4-0-0 record, outscoring the Condors at a 19-9 clip. They carry a record of 33-27-12 against Bakersfield and defeated the Condors in the last meeting 6-3 on Nov. 23 at Stockton Arena. It will also be a reunion between Thunder head coach Matt Thomas and Bakersfield counterpart Matt O’Dette – previously a Thunder defenseman, captain and assistant coach from 2008-11. Thomas has the upper hand in the matchup with a lifetime 12-5-0 record.

NOTE OF THE NIGHT

The Thunder is 6-0-2 when leading after one period this season.

2012-2013 Head to Head Schedule:

Sat. Oct. 27 Stockton 4 at Bakersfield 3
Sun. Oct. 28 Bakersfield 2 at Stockton 3 (OT)
Fri. Nov. 2 Bakersfield 1 at Stockton 6
Fri. Nov. 23 Bakersfield 3 at Stockton 6
Sat. Dec. 1 Bakersfield 7:30 p.m.
Sun. Dec. 9 at Bakersfield 5:00 p.m.
Thur. Dec. 27 at Bakersfield 7:00 p.m.
Fri. Dec. 28 at Bakersfield 7:00 p.m.
Tue. Feb. 5 at Bakersfield 7:00 p.m.
Thur. Feb. 21 at Bakersfield 7:00 p.m.
Sun. Mar. 17 Bakersfield 4:00 p.m.

LAST THREE GAMES:

ONT 5 – STK 4 (OT) (11/30/12): Colton Yellow Horn finished off a rally by the Ontario Reign with a game winning goal just 27 seconds into sudden death overtime, sending the Stockton Thunder (11-5-2, 24 points) to a 5-4 overtime loss at Citizens Business Bank Arena on Friday. The Thunder held a 3-1 lead in the third period and was paced by Yannick Riendeau’s three points and Harrison Reed’s pair of goals.

AK 6 – STK 2 (11/28/12): The Stockton Thunder (11-5-1, 23 points) saw their seven-game home winning streak ended in front of 3,316 fans at Stockton Arena, falling to the Alaska Aces 6-2 on Wednesday. Defenseman Ryan Constant led the Thunder with a goal and assist while Tyler Bunz (8-4-1) recorded 27 saves. The loss marks the first losing streak the Thunder have had all season and it was their first on home ice since Oct. 12.

SF 6 – STK 3 (11/24/12): Dean Ouellet collected a hat trick and goaltender Thomas Heemskerk made 34 saves to help the San Francisco Bulls send the Stockton Thunder (11-4-1, 23 points) to a 6-3 defeat before 3,389 fans at the Cow Palace on Saturday. The Thunder had its three game winning streak snapped and lost for only the third time in 13 games. Stockton led the game in shots at 37-24.

UPCOMING MILESTONES
• Ryan Constant is 2 games away from 300 in his ECHL career
• Ryan Constant is 4 assists away from 100 in his professional career
• Mike Little is 15 games away from 100 in his ECHL career

JUSTIN TIME

Center Justin Maylan leads all Thunder rookies with 17 points in 16 games this season (T-4, ECHL rookies) and has collected seven points in the last six games. Maylan collected an assist last night at Ontario.

AN OFFENSE DRESSED TO THE NINES

The Thunder tied a club record for most goals in a game (9) on Nov. 12 in a 9-6 victory at Utah, matching the record previously set on Dec. 10, 2011 against Bakersfield. The Thunder also notched a season high for most goals (5) in a period, accomplishing the feat in the second period at Maverik Center on Nov. 12. The Thunder is averaging 4.1 goals per game this season, ranking second in the ECHL.

BOLTING OUT OF THE GATE

The Thunder’s 7-1-1 record was its best nine game stretch to begin the season since 2006-07, when the Thunder and Edmonton Oilers were in the first season of their affiliation agreement. During that stretch, the Thunder offense earned six occasions where they produced four goals or more in a game.

THE DECK IS STACKED

Defenseman Nathan Deck has six points in the last six games and leads all Thunder defensemen with 16 points in 18 games (T-4, ECHL defensemen). Deck is in his second year with the Thunder and was named the team’s “Unsung Hero” at the end of last season.

COVERED WITH OIL

The Edmonton Oilers return as the NHL affiliate of the Thunder for the seventh straight season, helping advance eight players from the Thunder onto playing in the National Hockey League. The Thunder has also never missed the playoffs since first connecting with the Oilers in 2006-07. Edmonton has won five Stanley Cup championships and sent seven players onto induction in the Hockey Hall of Fame. Among the players assigned to Stockton, beginning this season, was LW Philippe Cornet, who made his NHL debut with Edmonton and led the AHL affiliate Oklahoma City Barons with 24 goals last season.

OH CAPTAIN MY CAPTAIN

Garet Hunt was named the sixth captain in Thunder history on Oct. 12, taking the “C” for the first time in his career for full-time duty. Hunt served as an alternate captain for the Thunder last season and has helped guide the team to the playoffs for four straight seasons since his 2008-09 rookie campaign. Hunt is the Thunder all time leader with 262 games played.