‘BOLTS TRAVEL TO ST. LOUIS FOR TWO-GAME MATINEE SERIES SATURDAY AND SUNDAY NEXT HOME ACTION COMING SOON TO SWONDER; NOVEMBER 13TH & 14TH AGAINST PEORIA
THIS WEEK’S GAMES: (2)
SAT. NOV. 7 AT ST. LOUIS 2:00 PM SUN. NOV. 8 AT ST. LOUIS 1:00 PM
NEXT HOME GAMES: FRI. NOV. 13 VS PEORIA 7:30 PM SAT. NOV. 14 VS. PEORIA 7:30 PM
NEXT HOME GAMES: FRI. NOV. 13TH & SAT. NOV. 14TH VS. PEORIA MUSTANGS 7:30 PM
*** ALL THE THUNDERBOLTS GAMES BROADCAST LIVE ON EVANSVILLE’S WVHI-AM 1330 ***
THE THUNDERBOLTS AT ST. LOUIS: After being in an idle state as far as game competition is concerned the past week, General Manager/Head Coach Scott Fankhouser’s club resumes NA3HL action this weekend with a two- game series on the road in St. Louis, clashing with the Midwest Division, front-running Jr. Blues. Both contests will be staged as matinee affairs with game #1 set for Saturday afternoon, November 7th at 2:00 pm and game #2 on the slate for Sunday, November 8th at 1:00 pm. Both games, as all ‘Bolts games, home and away, are broadcast live on Evansville’s WVHI-AM 1330 and on the world-wide internet at www.wvhi.com. Broadcast times will be 1:30 pm for Saturday and 12:30 pm on Sunday from the Affton Ice Arena in the Gateway City.
Evansville has posted a 3(0-3-0) mark against the Jr. “Blue Notes,†having been outscored in a rather dominating fashion, 28-6. In the last clash on October 21st, despite claiming a 1-0 first period lead and later knotting it in the second stanza at 2-2, the ThunderBolts ultimately succumbed to a Jr. Blues 5-goal late second period flurry to tremble, 9-4. St. Louis 17(11-3-3) 25-points is 4(1-1-2) in its last quartet of starts after dividing a two-game home stand series against divisional rival Peoria the past weekend, culminating it with a 7-0 subduing of the Mustangs on Saturday. Under the direction of third-year GM/Coach Chris Flaugher, St. Louis is spearheaded by center Frankie Melton whose 18-goals are foremost in the loop. Melton is currently riding the wave of an impressive 7-game goal- scoring streak in which he has authored 11-goals. His 7-PPG share the league leadership.
PEORIA AT THE THUNDERBOLTS: The weekend of Friday, November 13th and Saturday, November 14th will find the ThunderBolts back on home ice at Swonder Ice Arena where they will tackle the Peoria Mustangs in a two- game series to launch an extended four-game home stand in Evansville. The ‘Bolts are 2(0-2-0) against the Illinois contingent following a pair of defeats digested back on October 10th and 11th in Peoria. Both outcomes were exceedingly close with the ThunderBolts coming up slightly short by results of 3-1 and 5-4. Both of these games
coming up are set for 7:30 pm with Saturday night’s encore engagement designated as “Penn Station Night†at “Hockey Swonder.†ThunderBolts game tickets are always FAN-FAMILY-FRIENDLY priced at ONLY $ 5 !!! That’s the best entertainment value anywhere and everywhere!!
THE ROSTER REPORT: Hampering the ThunderBolts on-ice fortunes in recent action has been the plethora of injuries and assorted maladies afflicting the club. However, with the one week layoff, it does appear that Coach Scott’s squad may start becoming healthier. Center Zach Faith, the local product, has resumed skating with the team while rugged, rock-ribbed rearguard Brett Siewertsen is also back on the ice with the hometown team. Having the potential of both mainstays returning, the ‘Bolts should be bolstered considerably.
POSITIVE PREMIUMS: The ThunderBolts penalty-killing cast has shown significant improvement. Through the last 6-games, the “PK Crew†has thwarted 21 of the last 25 enemy man advantages for an efficiency rating of a stellar 84%. Triston Theriot has emerged as the ‘Bolts top-scoring defenseman with 12(2-3-5). Three of his 5-points have been generated through the power play. Brian Crink is next in line among the blue line brigade at 12 (1-3-4).
THE OCTOBERFEST BEST: In their eight October games, the ThunderBolts registered only 14-goals for a GFA of 1.75. The shining stars for the month were Brandon Bornkamp 8(4-4-8); Billy Bonser 8(4-1-5); Jon Grimm 8(2-2- 4); Mike Kelley 6(2-1-3); Triston Theriot 8(1-2-3). “The Killer Bees,†Bornkamp and Bonser accounted for 8 of those 14-GF. Including Grimm and Kelley, four ‘Bolts players delivered 12 of the month’s total production of 14- goals.
SCORING SCOURGE: The ThunderBolts leading scoring ace is center Brandon Bornkamp. The 2014-15 State of Indiana High School Scoring Champion has collected 15-points through the first 12-games on 9-goals, 6-assists. The Fort Wayne, IN product is presently crafting a couple of stellar scoring streaks at this stage of the season. The speedy centerman is on a 5-game point streak; last 5(3-3-6) which represents the longest for the team thus far this season. He has also assembled a 3-game goal streak which equals his and the ‘Bolts team best at this hour of the season; last 3-games; 3(3-1-4).
FEW FUN FAST FACTS FROM “FIC:†‘Bolts best single game goal output has been 5; on 3-other occasions, they have fired 4-strikes. Best single period goal output has been 3-goals which they have accomplished twice. Most SOG in one game has been 42; the least SOG has been a meager 10. Most SOG in one period has been 20; least SOG in one period has been 2 which has occurred 3-different times. Two ‘Bolts players have recorded multiple goal games; Brandon Bornkamp with a 3-goal “hat trick†and Billy Bonser with a 2-goal performance. Bornkamp has also engineered one 4-point masterpiece. Goaltenders Brian Forness and Adam Conkling have each registered one 60-saves performance thus far this season. The last 3-games, Evansville has been outscored in the third period, 13-1.
THE THUNDERBOLTS HOCKEY UPDATE REPORT: All ThunderBolts fans and hockey fans can stay up to date everyday even when there is not a game. It’s “The ThunderBolts Hockey Update,†Monday through Friday at 5:00 pm on Evansville’s WVHI-AM 1330 and at 2:30 pm on WEOA-AM 1400 and WEOA-FM 98.5 with the “Voice of the Bolts,†Terry Ficorelli.
