Thunder Couldn't Stop the Reign

The Stockton Thunder played their second game of the season tonight against the Ontario Reign, and they were greatly improved from the unfortunate defeat the night before. What I saw in the 1st period was a cohesive team, they skated fast, the guys passed to each other as if they'd been doing it their whole life, they were in sync, defense was sharp, and Tyson Sexsmith in goal looked calm and composed. Thunder's Mark Arcobello scored early at 1:14, with assists from Aaron Clarke and Craig Valette. Before 1st period ended, Ryan Constant had scored a second goal on a powerplay. Shots on goal were Stockton-13, Ontario-3.

It didn't take long into the 2nd period for Ontario's Eric Doyle to score on a shot that went over Sexsmith's glove and appeared to hit the crossbar then out, but the refs determined that it went in. This isn't where things started to fall apart for the Thunder though, as Jim McKenzie, with an assist from Chris Lawrence, scored about a minute later to put Stockton up 3-1.

Later on in the 2nd period Ontario scored an a powerplay, and then managed to tie the game at 3-3. Fraser Clair continued his scoring streak and put the Thunder up 4-3 heading into the 2nd intermission.

3rd period, all we wanted was for the Thunder to build on their score. What we got was the Reign tying the game up with less than 10 minutes to go in the game, and they did it on a 5-3 powerplay. And this is where the team we saw last night showed up again. Sloppy passes, couldn't keep the puck out of their defensive zone, poor entry or dump and chase into the offensive zone.

Thunder's Ryan Constant and the Reign's Chaz Johnson got matching roughing calls within the last couple of minutes of regulation. While 4 on 4, Stockton had some great chances to get ahead but just couldn't get the puck past Ontario's goalie Martin Jones.

In overtime, there were scoring chances for both teams, but with a little over a minute left, Ontario's Johnson somehow got the puck past Sexsmith and that was that.

Stockton Thunder's next match, just their third game of the season, is also against the Reign. The Thunder needs a killer instinct, needs to play the whole three periods just like they did in the first. They need to play a complete game. Next Friday, October 22, 2010, the Thunder needs to shut down the Reign. They almost had it tonight, but in sudden death overtime, almost doesn't get a win.

Triple Header LIVE TweetCast / Oilers vs Flames / OKC Barons vs Monsters / Thunder vs Reign

Welcome to the Triple Header LIVE TweetCast. Tonight we have 3 games that we are going to follow.

GAME #1

Lake Erie Monsters vs OKC Barons at 6:05pm MDT

OFFICAL GAME SHEET

LISTEN TO THE GAME HERE

ERIC'S GAME PREVIEW

GAME #2

Edmonton Oilers vs Calgary Flames at 8:08pm MDT on CBC

CHURCH OF EBERLE PREVIEW
GAME #3

Ontario Reign vs Stockton Thunder at 8:30pm MDT

LISTEN TO GAME HERE

Stockton Thunder Lose Opening Game 6-3 / A Game Recap

GAME RECAP: Ontario 6 - Stockton 3

10/15/2010 11:15 PM - Thunder set back on Opening Night before 6,117 fans
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FINAL STATS: Box score
VIDEO: Highlights and postgame locker room comments
AUDIO: Game highlights

STOCKTON, Calif. - Kellen Briggs made 24 saves and the Ontario Reign led wire-to-wire, capitalizing off five unanswered goals to send the Stockton Thunder to a 6-3 defeat on Opening Night, before 6,117 fans at Stockton Arena on Friday night.

The Thunder, who were led offensively by Fraser Clair with three points (2g-1a), dropped its fourth straight season opening defeat. Ontario's Tim Kraus, Jordan Morrison and rookie Aaron Lewadniuk each chipped in with two points.

Ontario got out to a fast start with three goals in the first ten minutes and took a 3-0 lead after the first period.

Shawn Collymore buried a one-timer from between the circles just 53 seconds into the game, followed by a Jeff Corey goal where he turned the defense inside-out, from off the rush and slipped a backhander through Tyson Sexsmith's five hole for a 2-0 edge with 2:31 into the first period.

Kyle Kraemer's bid from 40 feet out, straightaway, slipped through traffic and boosted the Ontario lead to 3-0 with 10:23 gone.

Ontario padded the lead to 4-0 in the second period on Matt Delahey's drive from the right point for a power-play goal at 1:32. Chaz Johnson then capitalized on a rebound at the left goal post following Sexsmith's stop on Eric Doyle's bouncing shot, boosting the edge to 5-0 at 7:48.

The Thunder finally got on the board with 4:05 left in the second when Clair banged in a rebound from the right circle, after Chris D'Alvise and Jason Pitton failed to connect on a two-on-one, tic-tac-toe style set-up.

The goal sparked a response by the Thunder who used a more physical approach to outshoot Ontario, 24-18 over the final two periods and claim three goals in the final 25 minutes.

Following Lewadniuk's first pro goal at 9:34 of the third period where he cashed in a rebound at the left goal post, Clair cut the deficit to 6-2 following a turnover with 4:09 to play, going to the backhand on Briggs from the right circle.

Jesse Gimblett, who began the third period with a scrap against Ontario's Luke Beaverson at 6:14, collected the first goal of his professional career with 21.4 seconds to play when he capitalized with a screen in front of Briggs and re-directed Clair's wrist shot from the left circle for a power-play goal.

Sexsmith took the loss in net with 24 saves.

NOTES: The Thunder scratched Trevor Hunt (injured reserve), Jordan Foreman (injured reserve) and Scott Howes (healthy) ... Sexsmith stopped a penalty shot by Tim Kraus with 15:28 left in the first period, closing the five-hole on Kraus' wrist shot ... the Thunder were outshot, 30-27 by Ontario but had a 13-8 shots edge in the third period ... the Thunder went 1-for-3 on the power-play ... Stockton's last season opening win was in 2006-07, when they opened on the road with a 6-1 victory over Bakersfield.

Stockton and Ontario will play in a rematch tomorrow at Stockton Arena, beginning at 7:30 p.m. (1280 KWSX/StocktonThunder.com).

A two-time recipient of the ECHL "Award of Excellence," Thunder was voted "Best Local Sports Team" by readers of the San Joaquin Magazine, led the ECHL in attendance for four consecutive seasons and drew over 200,000 fans for the fifth consecutive season in 2009-10. Season Tickets, mini-plans and individual tickets for 2010-11 are on sale now. For more information about tickets, merchandise, or other inquiries contact the Stockton Thunder offices at (209) 373-1500 or visit http://www.stocktonthunder.com/

-Reprinted at OilersJambalaya.com with permission from the Stockton Thunder-

Stockton Thunder / Prepping Locker Room and Ice / #StkThunder

OKC Barons Send Two To Stockton Thunder / #StkThunder

Arcobello, Gimblett Assigned From OKC

10/12/2010 3:14 PM - Thunder reduce roster to 22 players with first two assigned from Oklahoma City

6-foot-3, 215-pound forward Jesse Gimblett skated with the Edmonton Oilers and Oklahoma City Barons in training camp after a stellar final year at the University of Calgary. (photo by Steven Christy/OKC Barons)

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MORE: MARK ARCOBELLO CAREER STATISTICS
MORE: JESSE GIMBLETT CAREER STATISTICS

STOCKTON, Calif. - The Stockton Thunder, proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League's Edmonton Oilers and San Jose Sharks, announced today the Oklahoma City Barons of the American Hockey League have assigned rookie center Mark Arcobello (ARK-oh-bell-oh) and left wing Jesse Gimblett to the Thunder.

Both players are the first two assigned to Stockton this season from Oklahoma City and will be available to suit up for the Thunder beginning on Opening Night, this Friday against the Ontario Reign at 7:30 p.m. at Stockton Arena.

Arcobello, 22, previously skated in 131 career games through four seasons (2006-10) in college with Yale University, scoring 116 points (49g-67a) and posting 203 penalty minutes.

Finishing over a point-per-game average in his final two seasons, the 5-foot-9, 165-pound pivot was named second-team All-Ivy last season with a career-high 36 points (15g-21a) in 34 games as a 2009-10 senior. He led the program in scoring as a 2008-09 junior, racking up 35 points (17g-18a) and a career-high 17 goals in 34 games.

Gimblett, 25, enters his first full season as a pro after signing an amateur tryout contract last season with the Springfield Falcons (AHL), collecting one assist in four games with six penalty minutes.

The 6-foot-3, 215-pound forward previously skated in 114 career games through four seasons (2006-10) in college with the University of Alberta, scoring 92 points (49g-43a) and posting 156 penalty minutes. Last season, Gimblett scored a career-high 17 goals and 28 points (17g-11a) in 25 games.

The Newtonville, Ontario native also suited up in 327 career junior games through five seasons (2001-06) with Owen Sound and Saginaw of the Ontario Hockey League, scoring 170 points (77g-93a) and posting 356 penalty minutes.

Additionally, it was announced the team's roster has been reduced to 22 players and the following players have been placed on waivers:

Matt Pamidi (G)


Dan Bartlett (C)


Brian Cooke (D)


Jordan Cyr (LW)


Shane Ferguson (F)


Sean Menton (RW)


Marcus Watson (C)

A two-time recipient of the ECHL "Award of Excellence," Thunder was voted "Best Local Sports Team" by readers of the San Joaquin Magazine, led the ECHL in attendance for four consecutive seasons and drew over 200,000 fans for the fifth consecutive season in 2009-10. Season Tickets, mini-plans and individual tickets for 2010-11 are on sale now. For more information about tickets, merchandise, or other inquiries contact the Stockton Thunder offices at (209) 373-1500 or visit www.stocktonthunder.com.

-Written by the Stockton Thunder-

Stockton Thunder - A Little Fun Before the Storm

This afternoon the Stockton Thunder hockey team held its FanFest event at Stockton Arena. It was a great opportunity to see the team that would be hitting the ice on October 15, 2010, the first Thunder game of the new season.

Fans in attendance were first treated to a skills competition. The glass on one side of the arena was taken down. The absence of glass created a more intimate environment and allowed a few of the hockey players to able to interact with the crowd. Center Craig Valette was one of the first guys to skate over to the kids sitting in the row in front of me and chat with them about their mohawks and if they'd ever played hockey. Coach Thomas even surprised some people by stretching his leg out on the wall right in front of them so he could warm up.

After Director of Broadcasting and Media Relations Mike Benton welcomed the crowd, Coach Thomas had a few of the guys do the Puck Control Relay. Then the team competed to see who had the fastest slap shot. Valette went first and his shot registered at 98mph, which would end up being the fastest time among all the guys. After everyone took their turn, defenseman Ryan Constant had the second fastest time at 93mph. Coach Thomas wanted to see which one of the two would still have the fastest shot so Valette and Constant ended up having to "rock-paper-scissors" to see who would go first. Valette still came out victorious by shooting at 98mph again.

The last event in the skills competition was the Breakaway Relay. The guys were divided into two teams, one team shooting against goalie Tyson Sexsmith, and the other team shooting against goalie Jason Lindner. Coach Thomas explained to the crowd that this exercise was important because the Thunder had problems winning in shootouts last season. The guys definitely took special liberties with this skill, a few of them tried some really fancy between-the-leg shots, some spin-o-ramas, and deke & delay moves. Either the Thunder will still have issues with the shoot-outs, or the goalies were extra sharp. Sexsmith only let in one goal, and Lindner gave up two.

The next session of FanFest featured an autograph session for half the team, while the other half participated in a Q&A session with the fans asking the questions. After half an hour the guys would switch. I ended up getting pictures and autographs first then sat in on part of the second Q&A session. I don't think there was an official attendance tally for FanFest, but this was the most people I've ever seen at a meet & greet event. The line for autographs was enormous and I was lucky to be near the front. Photographs from the event can be viewed here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=106117&id=1367406758&l=5724343cfc

The Q&A session really showed off the team's personality. Even sitting on a stage with microphones in front of their faces and a crowd of about 100 people in front of them, the Thunder were really laid back and at ease. Seeing how they interacted with each other you could tell immediately who the jokers and clowns were and who was more reserved.

One of the first questions from a fan was where their worst road trip was. Defenseman Anthony Aiello said the recent preseason trip they took over the weekend was bad because of the bus ride to Ontario. Jason Pitton stated that in Alaska, they never saw one minute of daylight. Scott Howes, Tyson Sexsmith, and Chris D'Alvise also named Alaska. Assistant Coach Matt O'Dette made the crowd laugh by saying visiting Bakersfield was the worst.

Another fan asked the team who their favorite hockey idol was. Aiello said "Ray Borque". One of Jason Pitton's was "Doug Gilmour". "Glen Metropolit" was listed as Scott Howes idol. No surprise that goalie Tyson Sexsmith's choice was "Patrick Roy". Coach Thomas named "Wendel Clark". Steve Vanoosten said "Steve Yzerman" was his idol. And once again, Matt O'dette drew laughs and applause when he said Garet Hunt (who played for the Thunder the last two seasons and is now on the Worcester Sharks) was his idol.

The last question posed seemed like an easy one, but the guys seemed a little bashful to answer. The question was who their favorite female celebrity was. The names "Megan Fox", "Heidi Klum", "Jenna Fisher", "Faith Hill", and "Carrie Underwood" were thrown out there after much hesitation. Coach Thomas said he was glad the guys were focused-they were able to answer who their favorite hockey idol was faster.

Let's hope the guys are very focused. All the Thunder fans are impatient and excited for the 2010-2011 season to be underway. With each year the team has been in existence, they've exceeded the successes of the year before. The Stockton Thunder made it to the Kelly Cup Conference Finals last year, and while that was fantastic, they want more, and I can't wait to be among the crowd that's there for it.

-Written by Lyndall Mae-

OilersJambalaya.com Now Has A 24/7 LIVE TweetCast

That's right folks. A 24/7 LIVE TweetCast. You will never miss another piece of Edmonton Oilers news again.

If the Oilers break some news, we will be there. If the OKC Barons hold an impromptu press conference, we will be there. The Stockton Thunder dominates and makes it to the Kelly Cup again, we will be there.

With the LIVE 24/7 TweetCast, you will always be in the know.

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-Written by Smokin' Ray-

Stockton Thunder Recap: Stockton 3 - Alaska 1 / #StkThunder

PRESEASON RECAP: Stockton 3 - Alaska 1

10/05/2010 9:57 PM - Tyson Sexsmith stops 31 shots in Thunder preseason opening win
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FINAL STATS: BOX SCORE

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Goaltender Tyson Sexsmith made 31 saves to win in his preseason debut, helping guide the Stockton Thunder to 3-1 victory over the Alaska Aces in the 2010-11 ECHL preseason opener at Sullivan Arena on Tuesday.

Sexsmith, who was assigned to the Thunder on Monday from the San Jose Sharks, kept Alaska off the board early and was helped out by two power play goals from Matt Jones and Sean Menton. Forward Chris Lawrence got the game-winning goal in the first period as Stockton led wire-to-wire.

"I thought it was a great effort and I liked the way we worked hard," said Thunder head coach Matt Thomas. "Obviously executing on power plays early in the game was crucial for us. I thought we worked it around pretty well. Defensively there's room to grow but were very solid in competing. I thought Tyson made it easy for us to play in front of him, which is always a nice thing to get from a goaltender."


Tyson Sexsmith was nearly flawless on
every shot he saw, recording 31 saves.
(photo by Sean Blair)

The Thunder came out rolling with the first two goals of the game. Jones, a recent free agent signee after starting his career on an NHL contract with the San Jose Sharks, put the Thunder ahead 1-0 on a power-play goal with 12:19 left in the opening period by knocking a shot from mid-air past goaltender Travis Yonkman, after Alaska failed on several clearing attempts.

Lawrence boosted the lead to 2-0 with nine minutes left when he hammered a slapshot from the right circle past Yonkman, all set up by Daryl Marcoux's feed.

Sexsmith a third round draftee of the San Jose Sharks in 2007, settled in by stopping all 11 shots he saw in the first period.

Alaska sliced the gap in half just 11 seconds into the second period when Garry Nunn converted off a late two-on-none break, slipping Scott Burt's feed into a near wide open net.

Rookie Sean Menton restored the two-goal cushion just 1:09 later when he collected his first goal of the preseason. Craig Valette set up the chance by barely missing wide of the net off the rush from the left wing, but Menton parked the rebound, which caromed hard off the boards, past a twisting Yonkman.

Sexsmith kept Alaska at bay with nine saves in the final period for the victory.

NOTES: The Thunder scratched Ryan Constant, Chris D'Alvise, Shane Ferguson and Steve Vanoosten ... the Thunder wore special preseason jerseys which will be auctioned off after Friday's home game against the Ontario Reign ... the Thunder officially converted at 2-for-5 on the power play and nearly had a third power-play goal just after an Aces penalty expired (Lawrence goal) ... Yonkman took the loss for Alaska in net with 22 stops.

Stockton and Alaska will square off in a rematch on Wednesday night at Sullivan Arena, beginning at 8:15 p.m. Opening Night is Friday, Oct. 15, when the Thunder opens the 2010-11 regular season at home against the Ontario Reign, starting at 7:30 p.m. at Stockton Arena.

A two-time recipient of the ECHL "Award of Excellence," Thunder was voted "Best Local Sports Team" by readers of the San Joaquin Magazine, led the ECHL in attendance for four consecutive seasons and drew over 200,000 fans for the fifth consecutive season in 2009-10. Season Tickets, mini-plans and individual tickets for 2010-11 are on sale now. For more information about tickets, merchandise, or other inquiries contact the Stockton Thunder offices at (209) 373-1500 or visit http://www.stocktonthunder.com/.

-Written by the Stockton Thunder-

*posted by OilersJambalaya.com with the permission of the Stockton Thunder hockey club*

The Plight of Pitton

Bryan Pitton (left) and Glenn Fisher
after the 16-round shoot-out on 1/30/10.
Photo taken by Becky Welsh and used with permission.

At this point of the preseason, goalie Bryan Pitton is still with one of Stockton Thunder's AHL affiliates, the Oklahoma City Barons. I don't like to make predictions about where certain players will end up in the hockey food chain, but I wouldn't be surprised either way if he were to remain up with the Barons or sent back down to play again with the Thunder.

I cringe when I see via my Twitter feed the negative reactions of Barons fans when learning Pitton will be starting in net, even in these preseason games and scrimmages. It's the same unfortunate reaction Thunder fans had in his rookie year (2008-09) when he had a 9-19-3 record backing up goalie Andrew Perugini who was 21-13-2 that year.

One thing I don't like to see when Pitton has been in net for the Thunder is him leaning against the top of the net with both elbows. I don't care if play happens to be at the other end of the ice, this pose makes him appear uninterested and apathetic (whether that's the case or not). A goalie needs to always be alert no matter how far away he thinks the play or puck is. Freaky things can happen to a goalie in a game. Pucks being cleared during the other team's penalty kill might end up in net, your own player may accidentally hit it in their own goal (cough-cough Dan Boyle), etc. How can Pitton be in his "ready" mode when he's leaning on the net like that?

Another thing about Pitton, which is regrettably not unique to him as a goalie, is that he leaves the net to play the puck at unfavorable times. Not every goalie can play a 3rd defenseman like the Blackhawks' goalie Marty Turco. Fortunately not all of Pitton's misplaying the puck results in the other team's scoring. But when I'm watching the Thunder and the all the people around me groan, hold their breath, or yell at Pitton to "get back in the net", I wonder if someone can work with him more closely about when the right and wrong time is to leave the crease.

I want to take a closer look at Bryan Pitton's goalie career with the Stockton Thunder, because not all of it is negative. In fact, he's had some incredible games and made Thunder history a few times.

• Statistics for his rookie year with the Thunder in '08-'09 in 34 games played: 3.39 GAA, 9-19-3 win/loss record, .886 save percentage


• Statistics for the Thunder in his '09-'10 year: 22 games played, 2.85 GAA, 9-9-3 win/loss record, .921 save percentage


• He had a 2-6-0 record in 8 games played for the AHL's Springfield Falcons when he was recalled last season


• Pitton was recalled to the Thunder's NHL affiliate, Edmonton Oilers, three times last season


• The first shut-out of his career was on 1/30/10 versus the Victoria Salmon Kings in a goalie battle with Glenn Fisher. The game was tied at 0 through regulation and sudden death overtime. The Salmon Kings ended up winning in the shoot-out, but it ended up being a 16-round shoot-out (the longest in Stockton Thunder history)


• Pitton was a two time recipient of the Reebok Hockey ECHL Goaltender of the Week recognition. He was awarded on 12/29/09 and 2/2/10


• The most memorable game thus far in Stockton Thunder history took place 5/5/10. It was Game 3 of the National Conference Finals in the Kelly Cup Playoffs versus the Idaho Steelheads. Pitton was paired against Steelheads goalie Richard Bachman. The game ended up going 0-0 into triple overtime. 36 seconds into the third overtime, defenseman Ryan Constant finally ended the longest playoff game in Thunder history by getting the puck past Bachman. It was a tearjerker win for sure.

When Pitton's confidence level is up is when he plays the best. Each time he returned to Stockton after being recalled by the Oilers, there was a noticeable positive difference with the way he played. A good goalie needs to learn how to play through adversity too, though. Bryan Pitton is still a young guy who has some time to develop into a stronger, more consistent goalie. I'm sure Thunder fans will welcome him with open arms should he be sent back to Stockton. And if the Barons decide to keep him, I hope the fans there will be just as supportive. After all, player development is one of the main roles of being an NHL "farm" team.

Introducing Russ Jericho

Fellow Oilers/Barons/Thunder fans,

My name is Russ Jericho. If my name seems familiar as of recently, that might be because I've been mentioned a few times here already, via Twitter and my graphic contributions here thus far (September & October schedule wallpapers).

Let me tell you a little bit about me, I'm one of the more "unusual" fans, so to speak... I'm a hockey fan, yes, but I'm born and raised in the United Kingdom. I'd go so far as to say I'm the biggest Oilers fan and probably the only Barons fan in the UK. Hockey's not the most talked about sport over here, as the UK is dominated by football, the sport most of you know as "soccer". I can't stand the sport, I can't stand this country much either, and if I had the money I'd get a one-way ticket out of this dump!

I've a bit of an outspoken nature... Sometimes it's a good thing, sometimes it's bad... But if you want a straight answer, I'm the sort of person that gives it to you straight, no BS.

I'm also a married man with two wonderful children, my step-son, Kai (5 years) and my daughter, Alexa (7 1/2 months). They're my world, and if you don't hear from me for a while, it's because my job as a Dad is more important than anything else.

What my blogs will consist of are my general thoughts and feelings on the Oilers and the Barons organisations and the plugging of my artwork, all of which will be Oilers and Barons related media.

I'll also be the first person to jump to the defence of my hockey teams too, I'm allowed to criticise my team, but if some non-fan does, they better be prepared for war!

What I'm doing at this minute is complaining my ass off to EA Sports because they've totally F'ed up the Barons Home and Away jerseys in NHL 11. If you're a fan, and you have this game, you already know what I'm talking about! I also try to correct player equipment settings and have realistic audio in-game too. There's nothing worse than scoring an awesome goal with Ales Hemsky to hear "¡Olé!" by the Bouncing Souls!

Expect to see some tidbits from me on Twitter and Oilers/Barons NHL 11 edits on http://petrpuck.blogspot.com/.

Well, that's me.

GO OILERS GO!
GO BARONS GO!

-Written by Russ Jericho-

Hunt Brings Thunder to Worcester

Stockton Thunder players Chris D'Alvise and Matt Jones were released from the AHL's Worcester Sharks training camp, per a press release on Worcester's site. The only remaining Thunder player still on the roster is left-winger, Garet Hunt.

Anyone who has seen the Thunder play knows who Garet Hunt is. His role on the team is to be a fighter, an enforcer. He's been voted Stockton Thunder's "Fan Favorite" the last two seasons. People love to watch him fight. Most of his opponents have a height advantage on Hunt, but he is no joke. His fists pummel his rival so fast they become a blur. He does have a lot of female fans swooning over his good looks-but my god, he's also got a mean game face. I sit near the penalty box and have had the pleasure of seeing Hunt give the "death stare" several times.

I don't want to say his role as the team's enforcer is diminishing, but this past '09-'10 season, I noticed that Hunt wasn't just doing a lot of fighting, he was all over the ice-blocking pucks, taking more shots on goal, and trying to create more scoring chances for his team.

Garet Hunt's stats from the '08-'09 season and the '09-'10 don't vary much. According to the statistics on the ECHL's website, in '08-'09 he played a total of 76 regular and playoff games, had 8 goals, 11 assists, and had 270 penalty minutes. In '09-'10 he played a total of 65 regular and playoff games, scored 8 goals, 9 assists, and had 223 penalty minutes.

These stats don't tell me much, it's watching Hunt active on the ice that I sense and see a lot of improvement with his speed and shooting. He works hard off the ice too. I've bumped into him at the gym several times and have seen his intense workouts. Watching his interviews and fights via Worcester's site, I see he's bulked up a lot more since last season.

I was happy to hear that he had been invited to the Worcester Sharks' training camp. He's been making an impression there. Although the Sharks lost the exhibition opener on 9/29/10 4-0 to the Providence Bruins, Garet Hunt had a short but spirited fight with Jack Christian.

Exhibition game number two on 10/01/10, versus the Stockton Thunder's previous AHL affiliate Springfield Falcons, went much more favorably. The final score was 2-1. And again, Hunt fought. But he also scored the game winning goal.

It's a fact of life that in the ECHL we see a lot of players come and go on a regular basis. Garet Hunt will be greatly missed if Worcester decides to keep him. But it's pretty awesome that he is getting a chance to show the AHL what an impact player he can be, and we wish him luck. He's a guy that's been working hard to move up and he deserves this chance.

-Written by Lyndall Mae-

Stockton Thunder, Why?

I wanted to introduce myself to the Oilers Jambalaya readers so they could get a feel of where I'm coming from when I write about the Stockton Thunder. I still feel like a "newbie" fan. I got hooked on hockey a few years ago after watching Dallas Stars goalie Marty Turco in net on television (during a free preview of Center Ice) and have been obsessed with the sport, and goalies, ever since. And because of my obsession, my boyfriend and some friends eventually took me to the Stockton Arena to see my first live hockey game.

If I remember correctly, the Idaho Steelheads were in town to play the Stockton Thunder. My friends and I sat in the upper level seats, right behind the goal where the Thunder shoots twice. The speed of the skaters, bodies smashing against glass, puck ricocheting around the rink, and the applause from the crowd was and still is intoxicating.

I attended a few more games after that and eventually became a season ticketholder. I've been a season ticketholder for three years and have been lucky to see some amazing talent on the ice. NHL and AHL games are exciting to watch live, but there's something different about ECHL games that I absolutely love.

It's hard to pinpoint exactly what that is. These minor league teams are operating on tight budgets. There are players from all walks of life-fresh out of college, veterans that were drafted by an NHL team but never got to play in the big show, guys that were sent down from an AHL team for more training/experience, etc. These guys aren't making big bucks in the ECHL, but they play grittier and they play hard and for the love of the game-only a small percentage of people make it into the NHL and these guys are aware of that.

What I find really special about the Stockton Thunder is that despite the economy and the newness of the sport in this region (even with the San Jose Sharks nearby), this team gets a large, rowdy crowd night after night. Players love it here, and I hear great compliments about the arena and city from even the opponents' fans.

I hope I can do the Thunder some justice by being able to share information with the readers. Check back soon for more about Coach Thomas' new (and evolving) 2010-2011 Stockton Thunder.

Thanks for reading!

--Lyndall

Jason Pitton Returns to the Stockton Thunder / #StkThunder

Jason Pitton - 8th Returning From 09-10

09/28/2010 10:21 AM - Forward is eighth to return from last year's Conference Finals squad

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MORE: JASON PITTON CAREER STATISTICS
VIDEO: (Coming soon) Matt Thomas comments on bringing back Jason Pitton

STOCKTON, Calif. - The Stockton Thunder, proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League's Edmonton Oilers and San Jose Sharks, and Thunder head coach Matt Thomas announced today the team has re-signed left winger Jason Pitton (PITT-in). Per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Pitton, 24, is the eighth player to return from last year's Thunder team that advanced to the National Conference Finals for the first time.

"Jason became a key contributor to our success and everyone remembers how much of a force he was in our playoff run last season," said Thomas. "He's a big body, a great skater, has a great set of hands and brings quite a bit of toughness to our identity. We want to be a big, strong team that can score goals, make you pay physically and he fits that identity to a 'T' with his playing style."

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Jason Pitton (17) lays a check into Logan MacMillan of the Bakersfield Condors. (photo by Sean Blair)

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The 6-foot-2, 230-pound forward was selected by the New York Islanders in the eighth round (244th overall) in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft and enjoyed a career-high 11 goals and 24 points (11g-13a) in 38 ECHL games. He led the Thunder with seven goals in the Kelly Cup Playoffs and totaled 14 points (7g-7a) in 15 postseason games.

Currently, he is attending AHL training camp with the Manitoba Moose and was signed by Springfield on Jan. 21 on a professional tryout agreement last season. He suited up 25 AHL games, scoring one goal, one assist and adding 22 penalty minutes.

The Brampton, Ontario native has collected 37 career points (16g-21a) in 61 ECHL games with Stockton and Utah. In 161 career games in the AHL, Pitton has registered 24 goals, 54 points (24g-30a) and 198 penalty minutes with Bridgeport and Springfield.

"It wasn't too hard of a decision to come back considering I had such a great time last year with our great group of guys in the room, the fans and the enjoyable experience of playing in Stockton night in and night out," said Pitton. "I know with Matt Thomas and Matt O'Dette back here again, we'll have that same type of feel to it. I've been working off the ice at refining my physical conditioning and on the ice with my hands, and I can't wait use that to contribute offensively."

Pitton scored 60 goals, 104 points (60g-44a) and collected 122 penalty minutes in 204 career games through four seasons (2002-06) in the Ontario Hockey League with Sault Ste. Marie and Guelph.

OPENING NIGHT AND TICKET INFORMATION

Opening Night is Friday, Oct. 15, when the Thunder opens the 2010-11 regular season at home against the Ontario Reign, starting at 7:30 p.m. at Stockton Arena. The Thunder and Alaska Aces meet in the preseason opener on Oct. 5 at Sullivan Arena, beginning at 8:15 p.m. The Thunder and Ontario Reign square off in the only preseason game at Stockton Arena on Friday, Oct. 8 at 7:30 p.m.

Training camp opens Sunday, Oct. 3 at Stockton Arena, beginning at 5:00 p.m.

A two-time recipient of the ECHL "Award of Excellence," Thunder was voted "Best Local Sports Team" by readers of the San Joaquin Magazine, led the ECHL in attendance for four consecutive seasons and drew over 200,000 fans for the fifth consecutive season in 2009-10. Season Tickets and mini-plans for 2010-11 are on sale now. For more information about tickets, merchandise, or other inquiries contact the Stockton Thunder offices at (209) 373-1500 or visit http://www.stocktonthunder.com/.

-Written by the Stockton Thunder-

*Reprinted by OilersJambalaya.com with permission from the Stockton Thunder hockey club*

California Natives Among Five to Main Camp In Stockton / #StkThunder

California Natives Among Five to Main Camp

09/27/2010 12:32 PM - Four with California connections among those earning training camp invites

 

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VIDEO: Sanders, Watson Comments after Friday session

  

STOCKTON, Calif. - The Stockton Thunder, proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League's Edmonton Oilers and San Jose Sharks, announced the following five player have been extended and accepted training camp tryout agreement offers from the Thunder Free Agent Tryout Camp, which concluded on Sunday:

 

Brian Cooke (D) - Los Angeles, Calif.

Jason Lindner (G) - North Vancouver, B.C.

Sean Menton (RW) - Monrovia, Calif.

Drew Sanders (F) - Modesto, Calif.

Marcus Watson (C) - San Jose, Calif.

 

Cooke, a 6-foot-2, 198-pound defenseman, skated as a red shirt freshman for the hockey program at Wayne State University (NCAA) in 2006-07 before the team disbanded and previously was a first team All-star defenseman (South Division) for the Bridgewater Bandits Junior A team of the Eastern Junior Hockey League. A native of Los Angeles, he served as a Head Counselor for the Los Angeles Kings "Kings Camp 2010" during the summer and ended his Amateur hockey career with the LA Kings Midget AAA Major team.

 

Lindner, a 6-foot, 185-pound goaltender, suited up for Utah Valley University of the American Collegiate Hockey Association and spent two years each with the Weyburn Red Wings Junior A and Delta Ice Hawks Junior B teams. During the 06-07 season with Weyburn, he ranked third in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League with 2,753 minutes while recording a .903 save percentage and one shutout in 56 games. He served as a referee last season in the Pacific International Junior Hockey League.

 

Menton, a 5-foot-8, 180-pound forward, suited up in six games for the Merritt Centennials of the British Columbia Hockey League last season and recorded two penalty minutes. The 21-year old also skated for Salem of the Empire Junior Hockey League in 2007-08 and recorded nine points (4g-5a) and 47 penalty minutes in 37 games. He was also named Player of the Game in three contest of the Provincial Championships in Alberta with the North Peace Navigators and scored two goals and added an assist in three games.

 

Sanders, a 5-foot-8, 175-pound forward, returns to Thunder training camp for the second time in his career after skating with the team and suiting up in one preseason game in 2007-08. The 27-year old last suited up for the Jersey Rockhoppers of the Eastern Professional Hockey League in 2008-09, ranking tied for second on the team with 41 assists and fourth in scoring with 58 points (17g-41a) in 50 games.

 

The Modesto native attended local Fred C. Beyer High School and appeared in 129 career games at Sacred Heart University (NCAA) while scoring 26 career points (5g-21a) with 82 penalty minutes. He skated for the local Stockton Colts youth hockey program for two seasons (1992-94).

 

Watson, a San Jose native, has suited up in 103 career junior games in the Western Hockey League with the Prince George Cougars, scoring 27 points (10g-17a) and adding 50 penalty minutes. The 6-foot-2, 198-pound pivot also added an assist and four penalty minutes in six games with Moncton of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League in 2006-07. His experience includes an invite to San Jose Sharks development camp in 2007 and participating in the Junior Sharks program.

 

Training camp opens at Stockton Arena at Sunday, Oct. 3 at 5:00 p.m. A full camp roster will be announced soon.

 

OPENING NIGHT AND TICKET INFORMATION
Opening Night is Friday, Oct. 15, when the Thunder opens the 2010-11 regular season at home against the Ontario Reign, starting at 7:30 p.m. at Stockton Arena. The Thunder and Alaska Aces meet in the preseason opener on Oct. 5 at Sullivan Arena, beginning at 8:15 p.m. The Thunder and Ontario Reign square off in the only preseason game at Stockton Arena on Friday, Oct. 8 at 7:30 p.m.

 

A two-time recipient of the ECHL "Award of Excellence," Thunder was voted "Best Local Sports Team" by readers of the San Joaquin Magazine, led the ECHL in attendance for four consecutive seasons and drew over 200,000 fans for the fifth consecutive season in 2009-10. Season Tickets and mini-plans for 2010-11 are on sale now. For more information about tickets, merchandise, or other inquiries contact the Stockton Thunder offices at (209) 373-1500 or visit http://www.stocktonthunder.com/.

-Written by the Stockton Thunder-

 

Stockton Thunder Opens Training Camp / #StkThunder

Training Camp Opens Sunday, Oct. 3

09/22/2010 2:08 PM
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STOCKTON, Calif. - The Stockton Thunder, proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League's Edmonton Oilers and San Jose Sharks, has announced the team's training camp for the 2010-11 season will officially start Sunday, Oct. 3 at Stockton Arena.

The Thunder is scheduled to use Stockton Arena as its flagship practice site. "Fan Fest" will highlight the final week of training camp, beginning at 3:00 p.m. at Stockton Arena on Sunday, Oct. 10. Admission for the event is free to the general public and additional information will be announced soon.

All practice sess ions at Stockton Arena are open to the media.

The training camp roster lineup will vary for all practice sessions. Those media members seeking specific players should check with the Thunder media relations department in advance for the best time to gain access to individuals as it will likely change daily. Media availability for Thunder head coach Matt Thomas will be held immediately following the conclusion of each day's session.

A training camp roster will be announced soon.

All media wishing to cover practice sessions must contact the Thunder media relations department at (209) 373-1500. As per club media policy, the training room and restrooms inside the team dressing room are strictly off-limits at all times. Players receiving medical treatment in training room during the access period will be available to the media following treatment.

STOCKTON THUNDER 2010-11 TRAINING CAMP SKATE TIMES
DATE                   LOCATION           TIME
SUNDAY Oct. 3 Stockton Arena 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
MONDAY Oct.4 Stockton Arena 10:00 - Noon
TUESDAY Oct. 5 Stockton Arena (Non-traveling players) 10:00 - 11:30
Sullivan Arena (Pre-game skate) Noon - 1:00 p.m.

Game at Alaska (Sullivan Arena) 8:15 p.m.
WEDNESDAY Oct. 6 Stockton Arena (Non-traveling players) 10:00 - 11:30
Sullivan Arena (Pre-game skate) Noon - 1:00 p.m.

Game at Alaska (Sullivan Arena) 8:15 p.m.
THURSDAY Oct. 7 Stockton Arena 5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
FRIDAY Oct. 8 Stockton Arena (Pre-game skate) 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

Game vs. Ontario (Stockton Arena) 7:30 p.m.
SATURDAY Oct. 9 Citizens Business Bank Arena (Optional) 11:00 a.m. - Noon
Game at Ontario (Citizens BB Arena) 6:00 p.m.
SUNDAY Oct. 10 Fan Fest (Stockton Arena)* 3:00 - 5:00 p.m.

* Denotes open to the public
** Times and dates s ubject to change

STOCKTON THUNDER 2010-11 PRE-SEASON SCHEDULE (all times PT)
DATE                  OPPONENT LOCATION TIME
TUESDAY Oct. 5 @ ALASKA Sullivan Arena 8:15 p.m.
WEDNESDAY Oct. 5 @ ALASKA Sullivan Arena 8:15 p.m.
FRIDAY Oct. 8 ONTARIO Stockton Arena 7:30 p.m.
SATURDAY Oct. 9 @ ONTARIO Citizens Business Bank Arena 6:00 pm

-Written by the Stockton Thunder-

Stockton Thunder / Training Camp Time! / #StkThunder

Training Camp Time!

09/17/2010 4:34 PM -
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OILERS: Complete 2010-11 Training Camp coverage
SHARKS: Complete 2010-11 Training Camp coverage

VIDEO: Bryan Pitton's pregame comments before Wednesday night
VIDEO: Jordan Bendfeld and "Fight Club"
VIDEO: Mike Benton joins Worcester Sharks head coach Roy Sommer
MORE: German connection hits Sharks camp

Summer is finally over. Both affiliates, the Edmonton Oilers and San Jose Sharks, hit the ice beginning Saturday to open 2010-11 main training camps. The Thunder has you covered to keep in the know of all things Oil Country and Team Teal.

Both the Oilers and Sharks finished 2-1 in the round robin format of the 2010 Vancouver Canucks YoungStars Tournament in Penticton, B.C.

Bryan Pitton, shown practicing
with the Oilers, is one of two
players with Thunder experience
in NHL Training Camp.
(photo by Andy Devlin/EOHC)

Two players with experience in a Thunder uniform, goaltender Bryan Pitton and defenseman Jordan Bendfeld, are participating in NHL Training Camp starting this weekend.

Bendfeld, 22, was selected in the seventh round (193rd overall) of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft by Edmonton and has skated in 69 career games for the Thunder over the last two seasons (2008-10), scoring 13 points (1g-12a) while posting 116 penalty minutes. He recorded five points (1g-4a) and a +10 rating in 15 Kelly Cup Playoff games last season.

Bendfeld had 15 penalty minutes in two games, against Calgary and San Jose, during the tournament for the Oilers.

Pitton, 22, was selected by the Oilers in the fifth round (133rd overall) in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft and is 18-28-6 with a 3.18 goals-against-average and .901 save percentage in 56 lifetime games with Stockton. Last season, he earned two separate recalls directly to Edmonton and left the ECHL on Feb. 1 on a recall to Springfield of the AHL by ranking second in the league with a .921 save percentage.

Pitton stopped 26 shots on Wednesday against San Jose, his only apperance of the tournament.

The 6-foot-2, 176-pound goaltender broke a Thunder playoff record last year with 49 saves in Game 3 of the National Conference Final, a 1-0 win in triple overtime against the Idaho Steelheads for his first career playoff shutout.

Thunder radio play-by-play announcer Mike Benton, on-site for the tournament's webcast coverage, contributed with reports for the Sharks website, http://www.sjsharks.com/.

-Written by the Stockton Thunder-

Edmonton Oilers Send Kids Packing / Cuts Have Been Made

**This is the Edmonton Oilers Press Release**

Oilers trim roster by twenty

Eight players to report for Barons training camp in Oklahoma City

Monday, 20.09.2010 / 6:30 PM / Training Camp Report
By Edmonton Oilers Press Release

Edmonton Oilers General Manager Steve Tambellini announced today the club has assigned the following eight players to their respective junior clubs today:

Jeremie Blain (D) assigned to Acadie-Bathurst (QMJHL)
Tyler Bunz (G) assigned to Medicine Hat (WHL)
Drew Czerwonka (LW) assigned to Kootenay (WHL)
Brandon Davidson (D) assigned to Regina (WHL)
Curtis Hamilton (LW) assigned to Saskatoon (WHL)
Martin Marincin (D) assigned to Prince George (WHL)
Ryan Martindale (C) assigned to Ottawa (OHL)
Kristians Pelss (LW) assigned to Edmonton (WHL)

The Oilers have also released the following four players from their amateur tryout contracts and assigned them to their respective clubs:

Dallas Ehrardt (D) assigned to Moose Jaw (WHL)
Chase Schaber (C) assigned to Kamloops (WHL)
Dominik Schlumpf (D) assigned to Shawinigan (QMJHL)
Nolan Toigo (D) to UBC (CIS)

The following five players have been assigned to Oklahoma City (AHL):

Jordan Bendfeld (D)
Philippe Cornet (LW)
Milan Kytnar (C)
Matt Marquardt (LW)
Bryan Pitton (G)

The following three players have been released from their amateur tryout contracts with the Oilers and have been invited to Oklahoma City on a tryout:

Jesse Gimblett (LW)
James Livingston (LW)
Mike Thomas (RW)

-Written by the Edmonton Oilers-

Paajarvi Starts Off Fast / Oilers Rookies Win First Young Stars Game

No need for a parade yet, but it sure was damn nice to watch an Oilers game again. The win was a bonus. The Oilers rookies beat the Canucks rookies 4-1 with 2 goals from Magnus Paajarvi. Tyler Pitlick and Jordan Eberle each scored one goal. For those wondering, Taylor Hall had the assist on the Eberle goal.

Well the feed for the game was terrible. Gene Principe sounded like he was yelling all the time and his yelling was squealing. Ugh! It was ear bleeding terrible. But to see the Stockton Thunder's Mike Benton there with Gene was cool. Mike is a good guy and it was nice to see him included in the Young Stars tournament.

At one point the Canucks website said to clear your cache and the stream would work better. I tried it and it did work better. So remember that for Tuesday's game against the Flames.

Paajarvi was very good. His speed made him hard to contain. This guy is going to make the team for sure this year. He looks determined and ready.

Tyler Pitlick was also good tonight. Very noticeable. Great draft choice by the Oilers.

Alex Plante played in all types of situations and didn't look out of place. He's very much improved from the last time I seen him and is looking like he's going to be a force with the OKC Barons this year.

Eberle and Hall garnered a lot of attention from the Canucks but still managed to hook up for a goal. In the early part of the game Hall looked like he was in a playoff game but faded near the end of the game. Good chemistry with Eberle. No doubt they play on the same line when they make the Oilers.

Olivier Roy made some huge saves, but the goal that the Canucks scored was a terrible softy. While Roy did play well and looked good, he was shaky on the soft low shots.

Last thoughts. I found it dumb that Hall wasn't wearing #4, that Eberle isn't wearing #14 and Paajarvi didn't wear #91. Why not? It's their numbers.

Can't wait till Tuesday. Make sure you come back and enjoy the TweetCast vs the Calgary Flames.

-Written by Smokin' Ray-

Thunder Well Represented at Rookie Tourney / #StkThunder

Thunder Well Represented at Rookie Tourney

09/10/2010 10:49 AM -
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MORE: ECHL.com coverage
MORE: Team-by-team breakdown
MORE: Edmonton Oilers official website coverage
MORE: San Jose Sharks official website coverage

STOCKTON, Calif. - The Stockton Thunder will be represented by two players and a staff member at the NHL Young Stars Tournament in Penticton, BC from September 12-16, 2010 at the South Okanagan Events Centre.

The eight-game tournament will feature players from the Calgary Flames, Anaheim Ducks, Edmonton Oilers, San Jose Sharks and host team Vancouver Canucks.
Goaltender Bryan Pitton and defenseman Jordan Bendfeld will be suiting up for the Edmonton Oilers.

Pitton has played for Stockton the last two years, going 9-9-3 with a .921 save percentage in 2009-10, and on two occasions was named ECHL Goaltender of the Week. The 22 year old was a fifth round selection (133rd overall) of the Oilers in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft.

Bendfeld also has played for Stockton each of the last two seasons. He appeared in 52 games with the Thunder in 2009-10 notching 10 assists and added five points (1g-4a) in 15 Kelly Cup Playoffs games as the Thunder advanced to the Conference Finals for the first time in team history. The 22 year old was selected by the Oilers in the seventh round (193rd overall) of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.

Thunder radio play-by-play announcer Mike Benton, who is entering his sixth season with the club, will be serving on the broadcast team for webcast coverage for five games during the tournament, while also contributing with video and written features for the official website of the San Jose Sharks, http://www.sjsharks.com/ .

Too Many Irons In The Fire

Well it's been a madhouse around here lately. We found a huge house for the same price that we were paying at the old place, so we moved. Life is better, yet very hectic right now.

The Young Stars tournament is approaching soon and I'm trying to get that all sorted out and ready to rock. We have TweetCasts planned and the LIVE video feeds of the games that will be on both, OilersJambalaya.com and OilFieldHockey.com. Should be exciting times so make sure you are here to see it all unfold.

We have Shawn as our eyes and ears there at the tournament. He will be at every game and he will be tweeting and posting pictures as it all happens. We thank Shawn up front for his help with this project.

I have also been working on some changes for OilersJambalaya.com. I can't really say what they are yet, but you should dig it. Trust me.

I have also been working on some changes for the NEW Flames Jambalaya. Dearen (pronounced Darren) has been killing it over there at FJ. He's a fantastic writer who's really coming into his own. We will have a few cross promotions with FJ once the season starts and the Oilers battle the Flames. Why not razz the Flames guy after a win right?

I have also been getting together a crew for over at NHL Jambalaya. We have a new guy starting soon and that site will once again be pushing NHL news and rumors. Stay tuned for that.

And... I did it again. Canucks Jambalaya. We will see where this takes us. HELP WANTED

If you know someone who may want to write about the NHL, Flames or Canucks, send them my way. We need more people.

If you haven't checked out the NEW Oil Terminal podcast that Eric and Scott have been doing, you should. They are doing a great job and over the next few weeks, they will have all the kinks worked out of it and it will be smooth sailing. Oh yeah, I am also working on some theme music for the podcast so stay tuned for that. It could be epic! Or not.

For those of you that come here to read our Beers & Jeers game recaps, we are going to once again change the format a little for this season. Less fluff and more meat. We will be asking the readers of OJ what they like and don't like in a recap and we want to make it better than ever. Stay tuned for that.

Well I am sure that I have missed a few of the things that I am currently working on, but it doesn't really matter. OILERS HOCKEY is about to start! WOOOOOOOOO!!!!

OilersJambalaya.com is going to raise the bar this year, we hope you enjoy it with us. Thanks for being a loyal reader here. We love you for it!

-Written by Smokin' Ray-