‘BOLTS TO JOIN ALL 34-LEAGUE MEMBER CLUBS FOR GRAND EVENT IN BLAINE, MINNESOTA EVANSVILLE TO TANGLE AGAINST LACROSSE, GILLETTE & MINNESOTA IN THREE DAYS
LAST WEEK’S RESULTS: 2(0-2-0) 1-8 SAT. DEC. 12 ‘BOLTS 1 AT PEORIA 4 SUN. DEC. 13 ‘BOLTS 0 AT PEORIA 4
THIS WEEK’S GAMES: (3) THURS. DEC. 17 VS. LACROSSE FREEZE 10:00 AM FRI. DEC. 18 VS. GILLETTE WILD 3:00 PM
SAT. DEC. 19 VS. MINNESOTA FIGHTING ACES 3:45 PM NEXT HOME GAMES: FRI. JAN. 15 & SAT. JAN. 16 VS. ST. LOUIS JR. BLUES / TICKETS ONLY $ 5 !!
*** ALL THUNDERBOLTS GAMES ARE BROADCAST ON EVANSVILLE’S WVHI – AM 1330 ***
LIGHTNINGBOLTS’SHOTS: Thoughnotyetinthevictorycolumnthroughtheirinitial22-gamesasabona fide franchise in the NA3HL elite junior hockey league, the Evansville ThunderBolts are, assuredly and, perhaps, painstakingly moving forward in a most positive fashion, finding plenty of silver linings that can only build more confidence and optimism. Under the tutelage of General Manager/Head Coach Scott Fankhouser, the State of Indiana’s only, exclusive junior elite hockey team is achieving an abundance of great learning steps in their overall progression as a yearling junior hockey club. Due to their extremely formidable and ominous schedule in their maiden voyage season against the most prominent and premiere teams in the league, the ThunderBolts first-season experience points the arrow, exclusively, in the future bright-light direction. This season of 2015-16 and its many and varied experiences and encounters will certainly serve as a most favorable foreshadowing of star-studded days, seasons and years ahead for this growing organization.
“ON WITH THE SHOW†CASE: The ThunderBolts are looking ahead with great anticipation to their first-ever appearance and endeavor into the NA3HL’s Annual Showcase Event coming up on the docket later this week from Blaine, Minnesota. Evansville’s elite junior hockey club will tackle an ambitious agenda consisting of three games in three days; all afternoon affairs. The ‘Bolts schedule commences this Thursday, December 17th and culminates Saturday, December 19th. These three games are all classified as regular season games with the ThunderBolts tangling against three different teams. On Thursday, it will be the ‘Bolts battling the second place LaCrosse Freeze of the Central Division. Friday afternoon, it’s the ThunderBolts in a clash with the fifth place Gillette Wild of the Frontier Division. Then on Saturday, the ‘Bolts cap the League Showcase when they vie against the fifth place Minnesota Fighting Aces of the West Division.
‘BOLTS RADIO FROM BLAINE: All three of the ThunderBolts Showcase performances will be broadcast on the exclusive radio flagship home of the ‘Bolts, Evansville’s WVHI-AM 1330. Thursday’s play-by-play game broadcast begins at 12:30 pm; Friday air-time will be 2:30 pm and Saturday we are live at 3:15 pm from Blaine, Minnesota.
MUSTANG RALLY: In the midst of their most demanding schedule stretch of the season, comprised of five games in eight days, the ThunderBolts continued their fiercely-competitive ways despite a pair of Peoria Mustangs successes at the ‘Bolts expense. In game one, Saturday afternoon, team captain, left wing Jon Grimm delivered a dynamic first minute, first period strike stoked at the :31 mark to catapult his club into a 1-0 lead. Grimm’s goal represented Evansville’s fastest goal at the start of a period thus far this season. However, it was to be his team’s sole goal all weekend as the surging, second place Peorians captured their seventh and eighth victories in succession by connecting on eight straight goals, rendering the ThunderBolts silenced. Peoria’s victory verdicts were by the results of 4-1 and 4-0.
‘BOLTS COMING BACK HOME: Immersed in a nomadic span of playing 11-consecutive games away from their home of Evansville’s Swonder Ice Arena, the ThunderBolts will be returning home after the genesis of the New Year of 2016. When they do, they will be confronted by one of their principal archrivals in Midwest Division front-running St. Louis Jr. Blues. The two nearby adversaries will lock horns on Friday, January 15th and Saturday, January 16th with both contests set to launch at 7:30 pm. There are still 12-remaining home dates circled on the ThunderBolts schedule; five on Friday night; six more on Saturday night and one more on the slate for Sunday.
MASKED MYSTIC MARVEL: Goaltender Adam Conkling has become a veritable workhorse for the ‘Bolts in this inaugural campaign of 2015-16. After 9-consecutive starts manning the club’s cage, the Fort Wayne native received a richly-earned and deserved day off Sunday at Peoria. Since October 24th, Conkling had performed admirably and nobly in all but 20-minutes of action during that time frame. His 654-saves lead the entire NA3HL.
JONNY B. GOOD ZINGS SOLO: Team captain Jon Grimm stood alone the past weekend in Peoria. The ThunderBolts left wing and second leading scoring sultan scored his club’s lone goal, connecting in the first minute of the first period in the first game of the two-game series. In fact, Grimm’s goal at the :31 mark of the opening stanza, represented the ‘Bolts fastest from the start of a period thus far this season. In his last 5-games; 5(4-6-10); last 10-games; 10(7-8-15).
SPECIAL TEAMS TUNE-UP: Broaching the weekend series in Peoria with one of the league’s premiere, pre- eminent power play ammo arsenals, the ThunderBolts extra man band was totally disarmed and defused by Peoria. For the weekend, the power play power plant was immobilized to the tune of 0-11. Entering the weekend, Evansville’s man advantage unit had been fructifying to the tune of 5-12; 41.7% and 11-35; 31.4%. For the season, Evansville is listed 15th at 17-95; 17.9 proficiency rating. As far as the ‘Bolts penalty-killing cast is concerned, it is ranked league-wide 33rd with the opposition being 33-115 for an efficiency rating mark of 71.5%. The ThunderBolts have yet to produce a SHG while they have allotted 7-SHGA.
IN THE LEAD: The ThunderBolts top point producing principals: 1- Brandon Bornkamp 22(17-13-30); 2- Jon Grimm 22(10-16-26); 3- Mike Kelley 17(5-12-17); 4- Triston Theriot 22(3-10-13); 5- Billy Bonser 19(6-4-10); 6- Brandon Rozema 19(2-3-5); 7- Scott Jacobson 15(2-3-5); 8- Brian Crink 22(1-4-5).
FEW FUN FAST FACTS FROM “FIC:†On Sunday, Brian Forness made his first start in goal since October 24th when he was felled with an ankle injury in Nashville. He missed 9-games. On Sunday, the ‘Bolts permitted their fewest SOGA in a single game, limiting Peoria to 27. In the same game, Peoria’s 5-SOG in the third stanza were the least allowed in one period this season. Sunday was the second time the ‘Bolts have been shutout this season; the first coming Oct. 3rd at home against St. Louis, 9-0. Evansville has been held to 1-GF in 7-games this season. Brandon Bornkamp had the ‘Bolts longest individual point streak of the season halted Sunday at 7-games; 7(5-6-11). Mike Kelley 5(3-7-10) had his 5-game assists’ streak end Sunday as well. PIM leaders: Steven Rutherford 63; Nate Thormann 45; Billy Bonser 44; Brian Crink 42; Brandon Bornkamp 40.
