Thunder sweep Condors in three straight

STOCKTON, Calif. – The Stockton Thunder were victorious over the weekend, defeating their rival to the south, the Bakersfield Condors in three games.   The Thunder sported pink and black trimmed uniforms, and skated on pink-tinted ice to raise money for breast cancer awareness in their fifth annual “Thunder goes Pink” weekend.
 
“It was a special win. I don’t think a fan could leave the building this weekend unhappy,” said Thunder Coach Matt Thomas following the third win in as many days.
 
The Thunder finished the weekend with 5-1-1-1 and 12 points, putting them in first place in their division.   The Condors are now 4-6.
 
After loosing a comeback shootout to the Condors last weekend in a single game match-up in Bakersfield, the Thunder wanted to make up for lost time.    In Friday’s game, the Thunder raised the roof before 6,707 fans in a 7-0 shutout.
 

Bryan Pitton stops Andrew Ianiero%27s shot

Stockton’s Goalie Bryan Pitton had returned just in time from the Oklahoma City Barons of the AHL to post his second career shutout in the win.   Goals by Captain Craig Valette, Jesse Gimblett and Chris Lawrence in the first period put the Thunder up 3-0.  
 
After a scoreless second period, the battle of physical will and determination proceeded to the third period.   The line of Frasier Clair, Chris D’Alvise and Jason Pitton added up to three more goals.   Clair and D’Alvise scored within the first three minutes of the period.
 
J. Pitton’s power play goal came at 13:13 into the period.   Then less than two minutes later, Gimblett put the icing on the cake with his second goal of the night.
 
The game wasn’t without excitement, as there was some unfinished business from previous matchups that led to fighting calls early in the first period between J. Pitton and Condor’s Antonin Manavian.   Things settled down, but the third period turned into more of a battle royal than a hockey game.
 
Condor’s Evan Stoflet and Anthony Aiello exchanged blows about five minutes into the third earning fighting majors.   With just under five minutes remaining in the game the tension overflowed.   Four separate fighting majors were handed out.
 
The Thunder outshot the Condors 27-19, while Peter Hirsh posted 20 saves for the loss. Stockton scored two of six on the power play, holding the Condors at zero for three.
 
In Saturday’s game, D’Alvise scored his third career hat trick, leading the Thunder to their second victory with a final score of 4-2.
 
The 9,015 fans got everything they wanted and then some in this game.   More of the tension and frustration from the Bakersfield squad showed up early in the game, spilling over from the previous evening.   Both teams were aggressive and physical, but Stockton still dominated the puck possession and held the Condors to 23 shots on the night.
 
Josh Tordjman, the net minder for Bakersfield stopped 34 shots for the night.    
 
Stockton’s D’Alvise put the Thunder on the board late in the second period.     Stockton led 1-0 until 11:05 into the third period, when Carter Smith found a way to solve B. Pitton in the net to tie the game.    
 
It was a breakaway pass up the middle from J. Pitton to D’Alvise that put Stockton back in the lead on a short-handed goal at 14:15.   Then, at 16:56, Bretton Cameron scored his first professional career goal to give the Thunder the 3-1 lead.
 
Former Thunder team member, Stephane Goulet stuffed the puck in the net past B. Pitton with only 25 seconds remaining to close the gap 3-2, but an empty net goal with only two seconds remaining by D’Alvise would seal the deal, with a hat-trick to boot.    
 
The Condors were handed their third straight loss on Sunday, in a 4-0 shut-out, that ended with a battle that kept Stockton’s net minder from getting the shut-out credited to his statistics, but a win no less.
 
A power play goal early in the second period by Steve Vanoosten carried the teams into the second intermission at 1-0.   Ryan Constant posted a power play goal at 3:10 in the third period.   Aaron Clarke posted his second goal of the season at 14:50, then Aiello posted the final power play goal at 15:30, to assure the Thunder the win, with a final score of 4-0.
 
The entire game was physical and one sided.   The Thunder kept the Condors to only 19 shots on goal, while they blasted away at Tordjman with 35 shots.
 
Thomas was impressed with the Condor’s goalie for the last two nights, despite the score, Tordjman played well.   Thomas’ team worked them over.
 
The third period resulted in a number of penalties, but the skirmish that took place at the 15:24 marker had every fan on their feet.   Following a snagged puck in front of the Thunder net, by goalie Tyson Sexsmith, skirmishes broke-out between several of the skaters.   Then Tordjman skated the length of the ice, from his net, and approached Sexsmith requesting a place on his dance card.
 
The goalies dropped their gloves and after a few blows, was broken up by the linesmen.   As a result, Tordjman and Sexsmith were presented fighting majors and were taken from the game.   A total of 41 minutes of penalties were assessed to five players, Pascal Morency and Tordjman for the Condors and Cameron, J. Pitton and Sexsmith of the Thunder.   Both goaltenders were given game misconducts and leaving the crease penalties, as well.  
 
Sexsmith was a little disappointed that he lost the chance to post the shut-out, but said, “There’s nothing I could do. It’s part of hockey; it happens.”
 
B. Pitton posted three more saves in the final minutes of the game, while Hirsch came in for the Condors facing a single shot.
 
“We kept our foot on the gas petal. You really have to tip your hat to Tordjman, keeping the shots out of the net.”   He continued about Tordjman, “was phenomenal and it was an opportunity for the guys to experience a three-in-three and understand how critical it is to get these wins on a Sunday.”
 
Following the win Sunday, Thomas shared a bit of the pre-game talk. We have to keep our “focus and not get too far ahead of ourselves and understand that good teams find a way to win on a Sunday. Great teams find a way to keep a streak going, and not take a night off.”
 
“We executed well, passed the puck well, and our speed is right where we needed it to be. I really like their effort and execution.   Our forwards are making a lot of nice plays.” He continued, “We have the size, speed and skill on each line and it adds for dangerous combination.”
 
Stockton was three for eight on the power play for the night before 5,021 fans.
 
This year the annual “Thunder Goes Pink” celebration weekend included a 5-K walk/run on Saturday morning. The weather held out, and it was a beautiful morning.   Thunder President Dan Chapman was pleased with the weekend.
 
“We couldn’t have asked for a better weekend in terms of success on the ice and the big crowds.   Our fans really stepped up and raised a lot of money. It’s one of the weekends we look forward the most, and it certainly lived up to our expectations,” said Chapman.
 
The Thunder get ready to hit the road for three games in Idaho, beginning Wednesday evening, before returning to their home ice to face Idaho again at home for two more games.
 
The Condors return home to rest up for a couple of days, and then face the Utah Grizzlies on Wednesday.
 
Contact the writer at Shellie.Lima@ProHockeyNews.com Contact the photographer at Jack.Lima@ProHockeyNews.com