Stockton Thunder Game Preview vs Bakersfield Condors

Stockton Thunder vs. Bakersfield Condors

TICKETS: Sit wherever you want, for just $10 tonight

DATE:: Friday, October 7, 2011
TIME: 7:30 p.m.
SITE: Stockton Arena
RADIO: 92.5 FM (inside Stockton Arena only)
ONLINE: StocktonThunder.com (AmericaOne)

NHL AFFILIATES
Stockton Thunder: Edmonton Oilers, San Jose Sharks
Bakersfield Condors: None

NEXT HOME GAME
Friday, October 14, 2011 vs. Colorado Eagles (Opening Night) – 7:30 p.m.


TONIGHT’S MATCHUP
The Thunder open the 2011-12 preseason tonight against the Bakersfield Condors at Stockton Arena, the first of back-to-back matchups in as many days against their Pacific Division rivals. Both teams finished tied for first place in the Pacific Division last year and the Condors were awarded the title banner via a tiebreaker. Both teams will become very familiar with each other – there are 13 matchups ahead in the regular season, featuring a coaching matchup of past and present Thunder representatives. Both teams will close the preseason schedule tomorrow night in a rematch at Rabobank Arena.

THUNDER TEAM NOTES
The Thunder will roll out a re-tooled lineup tonight, featuring seven returning players from last year’s team and two newcomers – Jason Morgan and Matt Foy – who have playing experience in the National Hockey League. Morgan has suited up for five NHL clubs, most recently with Minnesota Wild. Coincidentally, Foy joins him as a reunited teammate, who previously skated with Morgan in Minnesota and in the American Hockey League with the Houston Aeros. Additionally, right winger Kevin Baker joins the roster after spending last season in Italy with Ritten-Renon and capturing the ECHL’s Most Valuable Player award with the Florida Everblades in 2008-09.

SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION
The Thunder will be squaring off with familiar faces on the rival bench. The Condors are led by new head coach Matt O’Dette, who was with the Thunder the last three seasons as a defenseman and assistant coach. He either played or coached under head coach Matt Thomas from 2005-11 in Stockton and Fresno. Joining O’Dette on the Condors roster are four former Thunder players – goaltender Bryan Pitton, forwards Matt Marquardt and Jesse Gimblett, and defenseman Trevor Hunt (brother Garet is in his fourth season with the Thunder).

FREE PLAY
The Thunder return to Stockton Arena on Sunday for “Fan Fest” at 4:00 p.m., hosting an event that is free-of-charge and open the public, providing fans with a rare opportunity to interact with Thunder players and coaching staff, collect autographs and photos and pick up brand new Thunder merchandise for the season while experiencing a taste of the Thunder game night experience. Thunder players will participate in events such as Puck Control Relay, Hardest Shot and Breakaway Relay. The expanded event will include a special raffle, offering fans a chance to take their shot at a Thunder goaltender on the ice and a unique “empty net” shot competition for goaltenders.

The Fan Deck will be open during the event, where all fans will have a chance to win Thunder prizes and present kids with a chance to enroll in the new, no cost Thor’s “Kids Club.”Following the Skills Competition, several members of the Thunder will sign autographs for fans on the Fan Deck. Fans can also bring their hockey and lifestyle questions for their favorite player and coaching staff from 5-6 p.m. in the Comcast Club for a special “Q&A Session.”

-WRITTEN BY THE STOCKTON THUNDER-

*This article was reposted at OilersJambalaya.com with the permission from the Stockton Thunder hockey club.*

Stockton Thunder Make Some Cuts

2011-12 Training camp roster stands at 24 skaters and two goaltenders


STOCKTON, Calif. – The Stockton Thunder, proud ECHL affiliate of the Edmonton Oilers and San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League, announced today that their training camp roster has been reduced by six players.

The following players were released from training camp:

> Brandon Burlingame (C)
> Balazs Deifik (F)
> Matt Pamidi (G)
> Javier Rabago (G)
> Drew Sanders (LW)
> Dan Sulitzer (D)

The Thunder training camp roster stands at 26 players (24 skaters and two goaltenders).

The Thunder opens the preseason schedule on Friday, hosting the Bakersfield Condors at 7:30 p.m. at Stockton Arena. General admission tickets are $10 (just $5 for Season Ticket Holders) and can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com, by phone at 1-800-745-3000, at all Ticketmaster outlets or at the Stockton Arena Ticket Office

-WRITTEN BY THE STOCKTON THUNDER-

The Season Starts Tonight! But Not For The Oilers...

With the brand new NHL season getting started tonight, us Oiler fans will have to sit and wait till Sunday. Boooooo!

But until the game starts, we let our minds wander and we drive ourselves crazy with anticipation. What lines will Renney run? Who starts in net? Will Smid be back from his injury? Will the Oilers acquire another Defencemen?

Let's take a look.

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LINE COMBOS FROM OILERS.com

Hall-Nugent-Hopkins-Hemsky
Smyth-Belanger-Eberle
Paajarvi-Horcoff-Omark
Petrell-Lander-Jones

Peckham-Gilbert
Sutton-Petry
Barker-Potter

Dubnyk
Khabibulin

Not sure I agree with this at all. I'd rather have Belanger and Lander switched. I just don't see Belanger as a #2 guy and Lander could really use some quality line mates like Smyth and Eberle.

I'd probably switch Eberle and Hemsky too.  Can't resist a Smyth/Hemsky combo can you?

-----------------------------------------

MY LINE COMBOS (Power Play)

Hall - RNH - Eberle
Gilbert - Petry

Smyth - Lander - Hemsky
Barker - Omark or Paajarvi

-----------------------------------------

RUMORS AND STUFF

- There is talk going around that the Toronto Maple Leafs are interested in Sam Gagner.  Not sure how much truth there is on this, but Sportsnet analyst Doug McLean said today on the radio that he was asked about Gagner by some Leaf management the other day and he thought it was strange.  So there is legs to this story.  No word if the Oilers would actually deal Gagner for a defenceman.

- As of right now the Oilers have not claimed a defenceman off of waivers, so expect more rumors to be flowing more and more as the days go by.

- Ladislav Smid has not been put on injured reserve and that's a good sign. Same goes for Taylor Chorney.  With both of those two returning in the future, the Oilers won't have to make a deal for a defenceman, even though they should.

- Taylor Fedun, Ryan Whitney, Ben Eager and Sam Gagner are all on the injured reserve list.

- After a good preseason, there's no doubt that I'd roll with Devan Dubnyk for the first game.  He deserves a shot to run with this team. He looks ready.

-WRITTEN BY SMOKIN' RAY-

OILERS 2012 DRAFT WATCH "Nail Yakupov"

Today we examine the #1 ranked player from  REVS 2012 Prospects List . Each player is unique in their own right and full of talent. The ranking does not reflect a mock draft of who a team may actually pick but rather who I would place as the best player available in that spot.

1.Nail Yakupov

Pos: RW

HT: 5'10

WT: 170 lbs

Born: Nizhnekamsk, Russia

Season  Team              Lge   GP    G    A     Pts    +/-

2010-11 Sarnia Sting   OHL  65     49   52   101    -2
2011-12 Sarnia Sting   OHL  4       3     6     9        4



Yakupov has big big league talent. His stick handling and skating are elite and very much a throwback to old school Soviet Union (his playing style I am referring to). Yakupov is the type of player who can take the puck end to end with little trouble. He has the ability to create havoc in the opposition's zone. Nail's hockey Intellect is far beyond average and it reflects in his decision making.


In a post written by  Kirk Luedeke, he wrote:
"Yakupov is a game breaker," the NHL scout said earlier this week. "He's got a lot of speed, agility and can make all his moves when going balls out. He's got a natural knack for scoring and is a threat to score every single time he's out there. The defense is only so-so, but when you're talking about a player as dangerous as he is, you can live with that."

An outstanding skater, he's got a very fast burst and not only the top speed you want in your skill forwards, but the shifty, elusive east-west movement that make him very tough for defenders to contain. Although only 5-10, he's so quick that the size isn't an issue. When you hear scouts and hockey people talk about small players needing certain skating chops to alleviate concerns about them at the NHL level, Yakupov is the prototype player they're referring to.

His quick hands, dazzling puck skills and the ability to dangle allow him to create space for himself, and he's got the creativity to score by himself or set teammates up for quality chances. He's one of those guys who makes everyone around him better.

Yakupov is being considered by some to be the next great Russian since Ovechkin and Malkin and if he can turn out even 75% as good as one of them, he will be an important part to any team winning a Stanley Cup in the future. He will be hard pressed to improve on his previous season of offensive output, especially since the opponents know what to expect from Nail this year. No team will be taken off guard, now knowing how talented of player Nail Yakupov is.

"Just dreaming Line combo's if draft pick selected "

Hall/Nugent-Hopkins/Eberle

Paarjarvi/Gagner/Yakupov

Hartikanen/Lander/Omark

Eager/Belanger/Jones

I know, some of you hate the lines, just let me dream :-)

For continued information on Oiler and Baron news and 2012/13 NHL draft watch, you can follow me on twitter at www.twitter.com/revingev

Brule surprise and a talk with Mike Comrie

The Oilers surprised me by putting Gilbert Brule on waivers late Sunday. I do think it was the right move for the club , just didn’t expect it. That nobody claimed Brule was not a surprise even though CTV was reporting that San Jose may have claimed him. His salary is just to high. Brule will most likely be called back up at some point in the first half of the season and I do not see him clearing re-entry waivers. At half price Brule is well worth the risk. Teams like Vancouver could give him a shot.

I chatted with former Oiler Mike Comrie last week and really there is nothing to update on his status on returning to the NHL. “I have been taking a break from hockey and really try not to think about it to much right now” Comrie said. “we have been very busy with life in general and I am enjoying myself”

I asked Comrie if he thinks he will be back this season and he told me even if he felt he could play sometime this year it would be hard to get a contract especially after so much time away from the game. If and when he feels he is ready then he will pursue them options. When asked if he thinks about retirement from hockey Mike told me “absolutely not, I will play again”.

When asked about his time in Edmonton Comrie told me “ I love Edmonton, always have. Its to bad how things turned out for me there the second time around but oh well”. No hard feelings? “nope, why would there be? There’s things I didn’t like but any team you go to you can find things you don’t like”.

I hope Mike has a great year getting ready for his first baby and a speedy recovery. When healthy Mike is a very talented hockey player.

You can follow me on twitter @friesennhl