Stockton Thunder raising the bar

STOCKTON, Calif. – The Stockton Thunder finished the weekend with four of six points, keeping the first place position in the Pacific Division within reach.   Stockton is 27-16-4-5, with 63 points, only four points behind the leading Las Vegas Wranglers.  
 
The Thunder defeated the Victoria Salmon Kings in two of three games over the weekend, before large home crowds at the Stockton Arena.  
 
On Friday, following a five game road trip, the Thunder appeared to be sluggish at best, having difficulty making passes and keeping puck possession, resulting in a 3-1 loss.   Despite opening the scoring with a goal at the ten minute mark by Jarrett Konkle in the first period, they were unable to find the net again in the game.
 
David Shantz in the net for Victoria stopped the remaining 21 shots, while Rick Cleaver (powerplay) and Rob Hennigar posted goals in the second period to give the Salmon Kings the lead and ultimate winning goal, with an empty net goal late in the third period by former Thunder Ryan MacMurchy to seal the win at 3-1.
 
In the net for Stockton, newly acquired Zane Kalemba posted his first loss since joining the team in his fifth game.   Kalemba was signed earlier in the month on emergency goaltender status as Tyson Sexsmith was called up to Worcester.   Kalemba appeared in matches this season with the Reading Royals and Elmira Jackals.
 
Coach Matt Thomas was disappointed to say the least in the teams’ first home appearance since February 11.   But the Thunder pulled themselves back together and made a strong finish for the weekend.
 
In Saturday’s matchup, the Thunder returned to make a statement before the home crowd of 7,549, breaking their home record for most goals in a game, with an 8-1 final.   Stockton’s Chris Lawrence scored his first ever professional hat trick, while Steve Vanoosten and Jordan Fulton each recorded Gordie Howe hat tricks.
 
The game opened with a fight between Derek Couture and Garet Hunt just after the puck drop, followed immediately by a second bout between Matt Siddall and Jordan Foreman, to get the crowd into the game.   Tempers flared again just after the three minute mark, when Gord Burnett and Chris Lawrence dropped gloves.
 
Play settled down, and Stockton’s Pierre-Andre Bureau found the net on a feed from Jarrett Konkle at 4:57.   Jordan Fulton was also awarded an assist on the play. Chris Lawrence scored his first goal of the night at 11:56, in a loose puck battle in front of the net, while Shantz worked feverishly to fend it off.   Ultimately, Lawrence was able to get a tip-in over Shantz’s shoulder for the goal.
 
Stockton scored again late in the period on a power play, with a goal by Steve Vanoosten from high in the slot, to end the period 3-0.
 
The second period led to the Thunder scoring three more unanswered goals.   Jordan Fulton scored a power play goal at 12:07, with assists to Vanoosten and Lawrence. Chase Ryan scored at 14:26 with an assist to Garet Hunt, resulting in a skirmish in front of the net again.    Shantz received a slashing minor, while Hunt was assessed a roughing and unsportsmanlike conduct.
 
Lawrence scored his second goal of the night late in the period to send the team off to intermission leading by six.
 
The third period began with what seemed to be a parade of Thunder players visiting the penalty box for various minor penalties.   Victoria’s Chris Beckford-Tseu assumed net duties to attempt to change the momentum.  
 
An attempt to clear a puck from the Salmon Kings zone by Jordan Fulton resulted in a delay of game penalty.    The Salmon Kings used this opportunity to break Kalemba’s shut-out, with a goal by Couture, assisted by Kiel McLeod and Matt Stefanishion.
 
The remainder of the game resulted in several penalties and fights.   All said by the end of the night, there were nine fights.   Couture and Craig Valette, Michael Wilson and Fulton, Burnett and Chris Brodie, Matt Siddall and Vanoosten, and even as the final buzzer sounded, Ryan Dingle and Fulton became entangled.  
 
Stockton finished the scoring with goal a goal by Fraser Clair assisted by Jordan Bendfeld and Fulton.   Then in the final two minutes, Lawrence knocked in a rebound for his 14 goal of the year, and a hat trick for the night.   Stockton finished the Salmon Kings with a final score of 8-1.
 
“ Lawrence has an unbelievable shot and when he uses it, it’s pretty lethal. He’s starting to figure that out. He’s dangerous with his hands,” Said Thomas.
 
Lawrence was thankful to his line mates and team for setting up the shots for his first professional hat trick.   “I got some lucky shots. I’m pretty stoked it happened.”
 
Usually a player that will set up his line mates, Lawrence said that “Thomas has been harping on me to shoot the puck more. I’m starting to think of shooting instead of passing now.   It’s great when the guys are patting you on the back.   I’m happy to be helping the team.”
 
Several players attributing to the Thunder’s win on the night, Thomas was pleased with his team’s performance as he talked in his post game comments. “We need different individuals every night to raise their game and get results.”
 
Sunday’s late day game, and after a physical game the previous evening, it was anyone’s call how the game would match up. This would be Victoria’s sixth road game in about ten days.
 
When all the dust settled, Stockton’s goalie Kalemba earned his first shut-out with 24 saves and moves to 3-1-1 since joining the team.
 
With Victoria’s Shantz back in the net, Lawrence blasted a slapshot that sailed past him from the blue line, for the first goal of the night at 11:11.
 
Stockton’s Clair and Brodie each scored goals in an otherwise uneventful second period.
 
A power play goal in the third period by Stockton’s Lawrence at 6:29 was the final goal of the night, but more than enough needed to sink the Kings with a shut-out before a Sunday crowd of 5,556.   The final score 4-0.  
 
Late in the third period, tempers flared, resulting in double minor roughing penalties for Victoria’s Burnett and Stockton’s Fraser Clair, with Stefanishion receiving a charging minor, and ten minute misconduct, and Bendfeld a five-minute fighting.
 
Coach Matt Thomas thought the team felt bad that Kalemba didn’t get the shut-out on Saturday.   He said, “I think there was an extra effort [by the team] to get Kalemba that shut-out.”
 
Thomas was happy with Kalemba’s play over the weekend, especially Sunday.   “He kept the game simple for himself, he controlled rebounds; put rebounds to the right area and had good placement in terms of what he was doing with the puck when it came his way.   [Kalemba’s] a focused goalie and understands the system and what he guys are doing in front of him and he plays accordingly.”
 
Kalemba was awarded the coveted team jacket by his peers for the shut-out tonight; a tradition in the locker room. “It felt good. Guys were blocking shots and helping with rebounds.”  
 
When asked about his thoughts going into the third period, after getting so close to the shut-out last night.   “I try to have the same mentality, all the time, whatever the score is. If you light up a goal, it’s going to swing the momentum.
 
This was Kalemba’s first time since going pro playing three games in three days. He said fatigue was there but, “mentally probably the toughest. The hardest part is to stay focused and being mentally ready.”
 
Stockton moves to 3-5-1-1 against the Salmon Kings for the season. Clair leads Stockton with 41 points in 52 games (16 goals, 25 assists) and is plus-10.   Lawrence increased to 40 points, in 44 games (16 goals, 24 assists) and leads the team with a plus-17.
 
While the Salmon Kings get to return home to rest briefly before a series of home games next weekend, the Thunder will face Bakersfield Condors at home on Tuesday, and then head out on the road for a three game road trip south.
 
 
Contact the writer at Shellie.Lima@prohockeynews.com Contact the photographer at Jack.Lima@prohockeynews.com