Thunder Fall in Second Game of Back to Back 3-2
The San Francisco Bulls scored a late third period goal to hand the Thunder their third loss on the year.
Despite continuing to showcase the league’s best power play, the Thunder fell to the San Francisco Bulls Monday night at Stockton Arena by a score of 3-2.
San Francisco forward and points leader Mark Lee scored the game winning goal with 2:52 left in the game. After right winger Chris Crane stole the puck, Lee was able to flick it by Thunder goalkeeper Parker Milner.
“It was a quick play behind the net,” Milner said. “He grabbed it off our guy and pushed it at the front of the net then it got deflected in, definitely one I feel I have to have.”
Milner ended the night with 33 saves on 36 shots but fell to 1-3-0-0 on the season. Two of the goals Milner surrendered came on the penalty kill, including one on a Bulls two-man advantage. The Thunder collected 6 penalties, totaling 12 minutes in the game.
“A couple of those penalties are certainly ones we don’t want to take,” said Head Coach Rich Kromm. “They were a little bit undisciplined and unnecessary and we don’t want to shoot ourselves in the foot by taking penalties.”
Defenseman Nathan Deck was able to tie the score 8 minutes into the third period with a power-play goal. Deck scored off a pass from Andrew Clark who was able to get the puck to the Thunder defenseman through heavy traffic in the slot.
“I snuck back door off a late change and Clark made a great pass through a guys legs,” said Deck. “I just put it on net, low box and it found its way in and it was a big goal at the time.”
Clark got the Thunder on the board first as he scored a 5 on 3 power-play goal in the first period as he was able to power a one-timer past the stick side of Bulls goalkeeper Tyler Beskorowany. Deck found Ryan Hayes who then set up Clark for the one-time blast that slid underneath the San Francisco netminder’s pads. For Hayes, his two assists on the night helped him pad his point total to a team high 13 points and 9 assists.
The Bulls answered back on the power-play when forward Chris Crane deflected the puck past Milner. Defensemen Kyle Bigos took a shot that Crane got a stick on to beat the rookie Thunder goaltender.
Then in the second period the tide began to change as the Bulls found themselves on a 5-on-3 power play just like Stockton capitalized on in the first period. San Francisco capitalized as center Dean Ouellet tapped in a rebound after Milner stopped the initial shot by defenseman Collin Bowman.
The Thunder were out-shot in the game 36-30, but put on a late charge in the third period when they put 15 shots on Beskorowany.
The Thunder scored both goals on the power play and went 2 for 3 on the night bringing their power play average up to 28.6% and an incredible 61.2% conversion rate at Stockton Arena.
Coming into the game the Thunder had the league’s best penalty kill, but after allowing 2 power play goals to the Bulls, their success rate dropped to 91.7% which still ranks the Thunder near the top of the league.
The Thunder head back to Bakersfield for an odd 10:30 a.m. start on Thursday. No rest for the team as they turn back home to play game 8 of 16 on Friday on home ice against the Ontario Reign. The team will be collecting gently used and new winter coats, blankets, and new packs of socks from fans to be handed out to people in need. Fans that donate will receive a $5 off voucher good for any seating location.
1st Star – Mark Lee, SF– Game Winning Goal
2nd Star – Nathan Deck, STK– 1 goal, 1 assist
3rd Star – Andrew Clark, STK – 1 goal, 1 assist