Stockton Thunder has success on extended road trip

STOCKTON, Calif. – The Stockton Thunder may have turned the table following an extended road trip of six games in eight nights returning with a 4-1-1 record, garnering nine of possible 12 points. With only 14 games under their belt this season, they have improved their overall record to 7-4-1-2.
 
“This was a defining road trip for us this season,” said Coach Matt Thomas. “We had to find a way to get as many points as we can.”
 
The Thunder faced Las Vegas in the first two of the six road games, resulting in a heart-breaking loss in overtime in the first, then a shootout win in the second.
 
The Saturday night game in the City of Lights was a tough loss for the Thunder. The potential game winning goal was taken back by officials as they declared the whistle blew just prior to the puck falling from Goaltender David Browns glove just into the net.
 
“We played a strong road game. That goal taken back was a game changer. But that happens, and you have to get the job done. It’s not a loss, it’s a point on the road,” said Thomas following the game. “You have got to take the positives from it. I think for a young team, it’s a good learning experience.”
 
The Thunder led the game 3-2 going into the third period. Goals from Nathan Deck, his first professional goal, and Jordan Foreman in the first period put the Thunder up to an early lead. Eric Lampe scored late in the first to close the gap. Goals by each team, Mike Little and Scott Campbell came in the second period. Stockton’s heartbreaker came with only ten seconds remaining in regulation, when Peter MacArthur caught a rebound at the top of the crease to sneak the puck past Olivier Roy for the tying goal.
 
During overtime, with only 25 seconds remaining, Adam Miller stole the puck from the neutral zone, streaked towards the Thunder net, and fired a shot past Roy’s blocker side for the game winner.
 
The game wasn’t without its standard chippiness from both teams. Only two seconds after the opening puck drop, Wranglers Adam Huxley and Thunder Garet Hunt dropped gloves. Then after the dust settled, two seconds later, Robbie Smith and Thunder Cameron Abney went head-to-head. By the end of the game, Stockton had seven infractions at 26 minutes and Las Vegas received eight for 31 minutes of penalty minutes. Stockton converted two of their four power play chances, while Las Vegas failed only one opportunity.
The second game, on Sunday was a hard fought Thunder win in a shootout. Coach Thomas wasn’t pleased with the play of the game, but was satisfied with the goaltending by Thomas Heemskerk, a San Jose Sharks prospect.
 
“He was good. He had to make a lot of quality saves. Our goal tenders are the bright spot since the start of the season,” said Thomas.
 
But Thomas admits the season is young, just as his players are. With only 14 games under their belt, they still have time for adjustments and finding their groove.
 
“We are a young team. We have 13 players under twenty-two,” said Thomas. “We have some goal scorers that need to score goals. Our young legs should be an advantage for us.”
 
Stockton’s Foreman scored his fourth goal of the season in the first period. Wranglers Ryan Weston scored early in the second to even the match at one apiece. Bretton Cameron scored early in the third period to put the Thunder ahead again, only to have MacArthur score the tying goal at 7:46 of the third period. Despite both teams pounding away at the netminders, they held their ground. In the net for the Wranglers, Joe Fallon set aside 21 shots, while Heemskerk had 38 saves during regulation play.
 
The shootout required eight shooters apiece, with Stockton’s Kevin Baker, Ryan Martindale and Tony DeHart each scoring. Wrangler’s Barry Goers and Mike Madill each scored for Las Vegas, but the previous nights hero, Adam Miller was denied resulting in the Thunder 3-2 shootout win.
 
A Monday travel day, led to a Tuesday night game in Bakersfield. Stockton outshot the Condors 31-21, to pick up a 4-2 win. Former Thunder goaltender, Bryan Pitton took the loss in the net, while Heemskerk took home another win.
 
Thunder goals in the game came off the sticks of Gabriel Levesque, Cameron, Hunt, and Baker. The Hunt goal was his first of the season. Bakersfield goals were from Peter Boyd and Jesse Gimblett (also a former Thunder player).
 
This marked the Thunder’s first match of the season against the Condors, since former Stockton assistant coach Matt O’Dette became the head coach for Bakersfield.
 
The Thunder hit the road again, traveling to Ontario, California for their final three game series of the trip. Ontario took the first game 4-2 over the Thunder. The Reign scored late in the first period on a goal by C.J. Stretch, answered in the second period with a power play goal from the stick of Baker to tie the game at one each.
 
In the third period, Ontario’s Geoff Irwin scored two goals, with assists on each from Stretch and Derek Couture. Stockton’s Milan Kytnar scored a power play goal, but they were not able to close the gap as Chris Cloud scored a late third period goal to seal the game. The loss went to Heemskerk. In the net for Ontario, Darcy Kuemper had 35 saves for the win.
Friday night in Ontario at the Citizens Business Bank Arena, before 6,787 fans, the Thunder came back. Stockton’s Veteran Matt Foy started the scoring in the first period, only to be answered by an Irwin power play goal three minutes later. Couture scored the only goal of the second, on a power play to put the Reign up 2-1 going into the second break. Stockton returned in the third with two goals, Kytnar and Baker to top the Reign with the final 3-2 score.
 
In the net for Stockton, Olivier Roy finally took home his first win of the season, with a season high 40 saves. Jean-Francios Berube took the loss in the game, with 24 saves on the effort.
 
In their final road game, the Thunder took home a 3-1 win over the Reign. Ontario started the scoring on a goal by Couture, but it would be their only goal of the night. Roy stopped anything else that came in his path, with 30 saves for the night. Goals from Foy (second period, power play), and Jesse Fratkin’s first and second goal of the season, assured the win for the Thunder. Kuemper was credited with the loss with 20 saves for the night.
 
Over the past three games against Ontario, the Thunder was only three for eleven on the power play. They mounted up 66 penalty minutes on 21 penalties.
 
Stockton is 6-2-1-1 in their last 10 games and in second place in the Pacific Division with 17 points overall. They trail the Wranglers by four points. The Thunder will have a short rest, and face Alaska at home on Wednesday night.
 
Stockton will face Las Vegas at home over the coming weekend and will have an opportunity to take the first place position in their division.
 
In other team news, alternate captain Garet Hunt, in his fourth season with the Thunder, became the all-time leader in career games (187) with the Thunder during the road trip.
 
Contact the writer at Shellie.Lima@prohockeynews.com
Contact the photographer at Jack.Lima@prohockeynews.com