THUNDERBOLTS SHOWING MORE MARKED IMPROVEMENT

THE THUNDERBOLTS SHOWING MORE MARKED IMPROVEMENT TRAVELING ABROAD EVANSVILLE LAUNCHES EXTENDED FOREIGN ICE JUNKET WITH PLENTY OF PROMISE ‘BOLTS JOURNEY TO GEORGIA TO LOCK ANTLERS WITH ATLANTA THIS WEEKEND

WEEKEND RESULTS: 2(0-2-0) 5-8 SAT. OCT. 10 ‘BOLTS 1 AT PEORIA 3 SUN. OCT. 11 ‘BOLTS 4 AT PEORIA 5

THIS WEEK’S GAMES: (2) FRI. OCT. 16 AT ATLANTA 6:30 PM

SAT. OCT. 17 AT ATLANTA 2:00 PM WED. OCT. 21 AT ST. LOUIS 7:15 PM

NEXT HOME GAME: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23RD VS. NASHVILLE 7:30 PM; GAME TICKETS ONLY $5

*** ALL THUNDERBOLTS GAMES ARE BROADCAST LIVE ON EVANSVILLE’S WVHI-AM 1330 ***

LIGHTNING BOLT SHOTS: The NA3HL expansion entry from Evansville is moving forward with much greater promise and anticipation than ever before in the elite junior team’s short history. Under the astute and argute auspices of General Manager/Head Coach Scott Fankhouser, the ThunderBolts have broached their first-ever foreign ice expedition with a confidence-brimming condition. In their past weekend series in Peoria, the hometown team with the big ‘Bolts crest emblazoned on their chest showed their most marked improvement yet in two highly and fiercely competitive contests against intra-divisional rivals from the Illini state, the Mustangs. In the process, the Coach and company have galvanized and energized as they collectively approach the next trio of outings in this present five-game road mission. The State of Indiana’s only exclusive elite junior hockey team is seeing and projecting even better days and games ahead for the remainder of this month, and for that matter, the balance of the current campaign.

THE DIVISION DELINEATED: While the ThunderBolts are advancing ever so closer to the sweet toast of victory vintage, they have progressed to the point where fellow formidable, fractious foes from their own Midwest Division must be prepared to compete at the highest level to consider capturing the conquest in the contest. The standings in the division in the present tense form: 1-St. Louis 10(9-1-0)18; the Jr. Blues have won 6-in a row; 2- Peoria 10(6-4-0)12; won 2-consecutively; 3- Nashville 9(5-4-0)10; won 3-in succession; 4- Cincinnati 8(4-4-0)8 lost 2-straight; Evansville 8(0-8-0)0.

REVIEW REWIND: Following a season-launching six-game home stand, the ThunderBolts embark on their first- ever sojourn into NA3HL enemy territory when they trekked to Peoria for a two-game weekend series colliding with the Mustangs. In game one Saturday night, the ‘Bolts exuded an inspired brand of hockey in a 3-1 result. Local product Jon Grimm accounted for his club’s lone goal, unassisted, midway through the third stanza. Adam Conkling

turned-in his third consecutive strong, stellar start, repelling 56-shots. Evansville built confidence and mountains of momentum in the Sunday matinee encore presentation in a hard-luck, snake-bitten setback of 5-4. The ThunderBolts were gallant, valiant, resilient and buoyant despite the ultimate outcome as they surmounted a daunting deficit of 4-1 at the 10:30 mark of the middle period to stage a remarkable comeback counterattack crescendo to the tune of a three-goal rally to forge a 4-4 deadlock by the midpoint juncture of the third frame. Triston Theriot equalized matters at 4-4 near the halfway mark of period three. Perhaps, the fledgling club earned and deserved a better fate and destiny in the Sunday finale.

GEORGIA ON THEIR MINDS: This week, the ThunderBolts stretch of five consecutive games abroad continues with a pair of performances in Atlanta, clashing with their South Division rivals, the Capitals. Evansville will test with the former Topeka-based team on Friday night and Saturday afternoon with both games, as all ‘Bolts games, broadcast live on Evansville’s WVHI-AM 1330. Game broadcast times will be 6:00 pm on Friday night and 1:30 pm on Saturday afternoon. Atlanta is currently riding the crest of a 5-game win streak after launching the campaign rather inauspiciously with a three-game winless span. The Capitals are returning to home ice warfare following a brilliant sweep of their recent four game road trip.

MAKE-UP COMING UP: One of the ThunderBolts two-rescheduled games from Labor Day weekend is coming up on their docket. On Wednesday night, October 21st, the hometown team travels to St. Louis for a date with the torrid, first place Jr. Blues. Game time is 7:15 pm with broadcast set for 6:45 pm on WVHI-AM 1330.

BILLY “BONSAI”: Recently-acquired right wing Billy Bonser has developed into an immediate find for “Fanker” and company. The Jackson, MI prodigy fired a pair cannon shots in the second stanza Sunday at Peoria. For the season, he has connected on 4-goals in 5-games with 3 of those strikes stoked in his last 3-games under the ‘Bolts banner. For the season in 5-games; 5(4-2-6).

BRANDON BRINGING IT: The second card-carrying member of the ‘Bolts “Killer Bees,” combination for the Evansville hockey nation, center Brandon Bornkamp has emerged as the team’s premiere point-producer pre- eminence. The State of Indiana High School Scoring Champion in 2014-15 authored the primary assist on both of line-mate Billy Bonser’s Sunday strikes to catapult him to 11-points in 8-games on a team-best 6-goals along 5- assists.

THE TRISTON MISSION: Top-drawer defenseman Triston Theriot is contributing considerable offensive flair for his growing team. Registering a two-point performance Sunday in Peoria, his un-holstered, humming howitzer midway through the third period knotted the contest at 4-4 and climaxed a ThunderBolts spellbinding, electrifying rally from a 4-1 shortfall. Theriot also recorded an assist on Mike Kelley’s PPG in the same game in registering his first 2-point game for the Evansville squadron. For the season, he is 8(2-2-4) with 3 of his 4-points collected by way of the manpower advantage.

BOLTS LIKE MIKE: First-year junior left wing Mike Kelley marked his return to the ThunderBolts lineup after being marked absent for five games due to an opening night injury. The youngest member of the team, showed-off a swashbuckling, fearless style in both road affairs in Peoria, fashioning his first-ever goal on the power play, keying Sunday’s resurgence in Peoria.

ADAM AT IT: Goaltender Adam Conkling has been a veritable, virtual human puck barricade in his initial three starts for the ‘Bolts. Despite his club’s 3-1 setback Saturday night in Peoria, the Fort Wayne, IN native was both acrobatic and gymnastic in brushing aside 56-shots in a scintillating performance. With his head on a swivel as well as sprouting rubber limbs on demand in flashing his leather larceny, Conkling has faced 190-SOG for a per game average of 63.3.

SHORTHAND BAND GRAND: Once-maligned, now shined, the ThunderBolts penalty-killing cast operated at full, maximum and optimum efficiency the past weekend in Peoria. The vaunted, highly-touted Mustangs power play was emphatically extinguished in both bouts as the ‘Bolts were a perfect personified 8-8 for 100% rating. Meanwhile the ThunderBolts power play has remained sound, solid and consistent, having generated 7-PPG in 8- games.

THE TOP CROP: Brandon Bornkamp 8(6-5-11); Jon Grimm 8(2-7-9); Billy Bonser 5(4-2-6); Brett Howard 6(2-4- 6); Triston Theriot 8(2-2-4); Brian Crink 8(1-2-3); Brett Siewertsen 8(0-3-3).

FEW FUN FAST FACTS FROM “FIC”: When the ‘Bolts allotted 3-GA Saturday night in Peoria, it represented the fewest GA in one game thus far this season. The ‘Bolts 3-second period goals Sunday matched their best single period output this season. The 4-goal output Sunday equaled their second best of the season. When they tied the game 4-4 Sunday in Peoria, it marked the second time that the club has overcome a 3-goal deficit to deadlock matters. Evansville still has not led in a game this season. The opponents have scored the game’s FG in each of the ‘Bolts first 8-games. The ‘Bolts have been outscored in the first period overall, 20-1 and 18-0 over the last 7-games. They have not notched a first period goal since opening night, September 18th against Point Mallard. The ThunderBolts have been outshot 436-192 for the first 8-games, allowing 54.5 SOGA per game while riposting with an average of their own of 24-SOG. With his 2-goals Sunday, Billy Bonser became the second ‘Bolts’ player to deliver a multi-goal game. Brandon Bornkamp has the other one. Bornkamp has assembled four multi-point games to top the team. Jon Grimm’s 5-PPA lead the club as “Jonny B. Good” has earned helpers on 5 of his team’s 7-PPG.