Thunder Look to Avenge Loss vs. Eagles

The Stockton Thunder finish off a two game set with the Colorado Eagles tonight on the road. The puck drops at 6:05 p.m. PST. Fans can watch the game online on AmericaONE or listen live via StocktonThunder.com or Spreaker.com. Fans are encouraged to watch the game for free at the Thunder’s “Home Away From Home,” the University Plaza Waterfront Hotel, where the watch party will feature special Thunder food and drink specials. The party kicks off at 5:00 p.m.!

Stockton is looking to get some revenge against the Eagles after suffering just its second loss on the year in a 4-1 defeat on Wednesday night. The Thunder got off to bad start as the Eagles scored three times within the first 6:33 of the first period. Trent Daavetilla added an insurance goal in the third period to put the game away. The Thunder did spoil Eagles goalie Marc Cheverie’s shutout bid when defenseman Mike Dalhuisen blasted home a shot from the point with just 12.9 seconds to play.

Dalhuisen’s goal gives him three on the season, tied for second most on the team. He also joins a four-way tie for the third-most points on the team with five, along with forwards Matt Bergland, Andrew Clark and Garet Hunt. Forward Kirill Kabanov sits second on the team in points with 6 (3 goals, 3 assists) after picking up an assist on Dalhuisen’s goal on Wednesday night. The teammate that all Thunder players are chasing is forward Ryan Hayes, who leads the team in goals (4), assists (5) and points (9), although his four game goal-scoring streak was snapped in the loss to Colorado.

The Thunder’s league-best power play unit struggled all night Wednesday, going 0-for-5 with the man-advantage. Overall, the team has scored 7 power-play goals on 21 opportunities, giving Stockton a conversion rate of 33.3%, which still is tops in the ECHL.

Tonight’s contest is the middle game in a three-game road trip for the Stockton, which has not had much luck away from home. The Thunder allowed four goals in each of the team’s two road games so far, but did beat the Bakersfield Condors 5-4 in the club’s first road match-up. The Eagles have turned their ice into a fortress, posting a 5-1-0-0 record at the Budweiser Events Center.

Forward Kevin Ulanski leads Colorado with 10 points (4 goals, 6 assists) after picking up an assist in Wednesday’s Eagles win. Colorado also got a boost in secondary scoring in its victory over the Thunder as all four Eagles scorers — Alex Hudson, Riley Nelson, Greg Gardner and Trent Daavettila – each scored his first or second goal of the season. Goaltender Marc Cheverie made 21 saves to earn his fourth straight victory and improve to 4-0-0-0 on the season.

The Thunder, ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s New York Islanders and AHL’s Bridgeport Sound Tigers, will finish off the three-game road trip against the Bakersfield Condors on Sunday at 4 p.m. The Thunder will return to Stockton Arena to face the San Francisco Bulls at 5 p.m. on November 11, which is Military Monday. Active military and veterans can get $5 off select seating locations with their military ID as part of Military Monday. The first 5,000 fans will receive a military-themed Thunder player poster.