THUNDERBOLTS ENTERTAIN THEIR FANS WITH ALL-OUT STELLAR EFFORT FOR FULL 60 SIX-GAME HOMESTAND CONTINUES; DIVISION RIVAL CINCINNATI HERE FRI. & SAT. NIGHTS
WEEKEND RESULTS: 2(0-2-0) 6-13
FRI. SEPT. 18 PT. MALLARD 5 AT ‘BOLTS 4 SAT. SEPT. 19 PT. MALLARD 8 AT ‘BOLTS 2
THIS WEEK’S GAMES: (2) FRI. SEPT. 25 VS. CINCINNATI 7:30 PM SAT. SEPT. 26 VS. CINCINNATI 7:30 PM
***ALL THUNDERBOLTS GAMES ARE BROADCAST LIVE ON EVANSVILLE’S WVHI-AM 1330***
TAKING OFF WITH THE THUNDERBOLTS: In their inaugural weekend as a bona-fide NA3HL team franchise, the Evansville ThunderBolts made history on two storied fronts. When they took the ice for their official debut as a fledgling franchise, the ThunderBolts became the first-ever Indiana-based team to operate in the NA3HL. Moreover, the ThunderBolts officially became the only, exclusive elite junior hockey team in the entire State of Indiana. Despite launching the 2015-16 campaign without an on-ice ultimate success, the ‘Bolts performed with great effort, heart, soul and gallantry against a veteran-imbued Point Mallard Ducks squadron bent on Silver Cup aspirations this season. In the process, the newly-minted ThunderBolts endeared themselves to their growing leather-lunged legion of fans showing much premium promise as the infant season unfolds.
MIDWEST DIVISION DELEGATION: The ThunderBolts 2(0-2-0)0, are operating in their 2015-16 maiden voyage season as members of the NA3HL Midwest Division where proximate, geographic rivalries will be accented. Evansville will be competing with such familiar, nearby teams and haunts as the Cincinnati Thunder, Nashville Jr. Predators, Peoria Mustangs and St. Louis Jr. Blues. Also on their schedule are two South Division foes; namely the Atlanta Capitals and the Point Mallard Ducks with the latter club hailing from Decatur, Alabama.
OPENING RECORD REPORT: Evansville completed its initial weekend sustaining back-to-back setbacks at the expense of the high-voltage, high-powered quack-attack of the Point Mallard Ducks. Friday night, on opening night, before a boisterous, vociferous throng in full-throat, the ‘Bolts seemed to simply run out of time in a 5-4 outcome. Though never leading in the contest, GM/Coach Scott Fankhouser’s aggregation nation played with great zeal and gargantuan gusto as on 4-occasions they diminished their deficit to a scant singleton before the master game time piece betrayed them. In the second installment of the opening weekend series, the Ducks asserted their prowess in an 8-2 conquest.
THUNDERBOLTS VS. THUNDER: Evansville’s season-opening and franchise-inaugurating six-game homestand continues this Friday and Saturday nights at Swonder Ice Arena where the ThunderBolts will tangle with the retooled and refurbished Cincinnati Thunder with opening face-off set for 7:30 pm for both contests. The ThunderBolts and the Thunder will lock horns six times during the regular phase of the season’s schedule with four of those affairs on the docket here in Evansville. Single game tickets are ONLY $5 !! Visit the ThunderBolts
website at www.evvbolts.com
JONNY B. GOOD: ThunderBolts left wing Jon Grimm has launched his return to his hometown of Evansville on a high, premium, positive note. Through his team’s first two games, the Newburgh denizen has engineered 4-points on 1-goal, 3-assists. On opening night, Friday night, the 6-0, 181lb, the 19-year-old earned the Penn Station/’Bolts Star of the Game, by producing a individual game-highs of 3-points and +3 rating in his club’s 5-4 setback. On that same night, Grimm wrote Evansville hockey history when he scored the premiering team’s first-ever goal late in the first period at the 19:41 mark.
THE BRANDON BREW: Swift-skating, shifty center Brandon Bornkamp also composed a polished and proficient opening weekend of offensive stylings for the hometown team. Making his junior hockey debut a rather auspicious one, the 2014-15 State of Indiana High School Scoring Champion authored a goal in each of his team’s weekend starts in an overall 3-points production series against the Ducks. Friday night, the Indiana homegrown standout contributed (1-1-2) with an impressive +2 rating before firing a PPG on Saturday night. Last season, the 5-9, 180lb scoring wizard averaged a prolific 2.34 points per game for the Carroll Chargers. In 44-games, Bornkamp amassed an astronomical 103-points on 56-goals, 47-assists.
PUCK BLIZZARD-BARRAGE: The ThunderBolts goaltending tandem of Brian Forness and Adam Conkling were utterly sprouting rubber limbs on demand the past weekend as they were kept under a constant siege from Point Mallard’s high-tech, high-octane attack. In his home debut Friday night, Forness was extraordinary, repelling 41 of 46-shots despite the 5-4 defeat. Then on Saturday night, Indiana product Adam Conkling was pelted and peppered with pucks to the tune of 62-shots on goal and 54-saves in the 8-2 undoing. Conkling was hailed and heralded the Penn Station/ThunderBolts Star of the Game for his enormous efforts.
SPECIAL TEAMS TUNING: The past weekend, the ThunderBolts power play percolated to the tune of 2-11 for proficiency rating of 18.2%; going 1 for the last 9 for 11.1%. Right wing Brett Howard and center Brandon Bornkamp were the power play marksmen with the third member of the ‘Bolts best offensive triumvirate, Jon Grimm essaying assists on both PP strikes. Meanwhile the shorthand band was under severe salvo, surrendering 5- PPGA in 10-advantages afforded Point Mallard. The efficiency rating in this department was 50%.
THE FIRST 6 PERIODS PERFORMA: Through the initial six periods of the campaign, the numerological profile looks like this: in goal-scoring artistry: the first period; opponents 6, ‘Bolts 1; second period; opponents 3, ‘Bolts 1; third period; opponents 4, ‘Bolts 4. In the shots on goal category: first period; opponents 31, .Bolts 10; second period; opponents 36, ‘Bolts 17; third period; opponents 41, ‘Bolts 12.
THUNDERBOLTS SCORING SULTANS: 4-Jon Grimm 2(1-3-4) +3; 18-Brandon Bornkamp 2(2-1-3) +2; 9- Brett Howard 2(1-1-2) E; 5-Brian Crink 2(1-1-2); 20-Brett Siewertsen 2(0-2-2); 24-Joey Sorensen 2(1-0-1)E.
FEW FUN FAST FACTS FROM “FIC:†The ThunderBolts were significantly understaffed Saturday night following the one-game, league-imposed suspension to ace of the place defenseman Nate Thormann and the injury sustained by promising first-year left wing Mike Kelley in the aftermath of the first game in the series on Friday night. Local product Bryson Linenburg was not activated for Friday night’s home opening contest but did serve as the understudy in goal for Saturday night’s encore presentation against Point Mallard. Nine players on the ‘Bolts roster are Indiana homegrown. The ‘Bolts are looking for their first lead in this embryonic season. All 22-home games are on weekends; 9-Fri.; 11-Sat.; 2-Sun. matinees. ‘Bolts merchandise is available at the TPH Pro Shop at Swonder. Pocket schedules can be picked up at all Penn Station locations, Swonder Ice Arena and all around the Tri- State area.
