THE THUNDERBOLTS CAPTURE FIRST-EVER HOME WIN BEFORE LARGE LOUD CROWD

THE THUNDERBOLTS CAPTURE FIRST-EVER HOME WIN BEFORE LARGE LOUD CROWD EVANSVILLE’S ELITE JR. HOCKEY TEAM CLAIMS FIRST TWO VICTORIES IN JANUARY 2016 ‘BOLTS BACK ON THE ROAD THIS WEEKEND FOR TWO GAMES AT NASHVILLE VS. JR. PREDS

LAST WEEK’S RESULTS: 2(1-1-0) 5-7 FRI. JAN. 29 CINCINNATI 2 AT ‘BOLTS 3 SAT. JAN. 30 CINCINNATI 5 AT ‘BOLTS 2

THIS WEEK’S GAMES (2) FRI. FEB. 5 AT NASHVILLE 7:00 PM SAT. FEB. 6 AT NASHVILLE 3:00 PM

NEXT HOME GAMES: FRI. FEB. 12; SAT. FEB. 13 & SUN. FEB. 14 VS. ATLANTA / TICKETS ONLY $5 *** ALL THUNDERBOLTS GAMES ARE BROADCAST LIVE ON EVANSVILLE’S WVHI-AM 1330 ***

‘BOLTS FIRST HOME WIN!: The past weekend at their home of Evansville’s Swonder Ice Arena, the ThunderBolts broke through with their first-ever win at home, accomplishing the fabulous feat in gigantic, dynamic, late dramatic fashion before a large loud crowd. In laying claim to their second victory of this fledgling season on Friday night to the tune of a 3-2 success at the expense of Cincinnati, General Manager/Head Coach Scott Fankhouser’s character-driven aggregation surmounted a late second period 1-0 deficit with a GTG delivered by defenseman Brian Crink followed by two third period strikes. The first one stoked by team captain Jon Grimm (PPG) early in the third stanza at the 0:58 mark. However, the Friday night was meant to belong to Mathieu La- Forest as the St. Clair Shores, MI product connected on the ultimate TB/GWG late in the final frame at the 16:50 mark, a mere :08 after the Cincinnatians had equalized the contest at 2-2. The celebration which ensued was both magnificent and majestic as the long wait was finally over. The ThunderBolts and their growing legion of loyal fans were, at long last, rewarded in the most exciting, entertaining and electrifying ThunderBolts games played on home this campaign.

LIGHTNING BOLTS’ SHOTS: Though the ThunderBolts could not quite attain their first-ever sweep of a weekend series and their first ever back-to-back set of victories, they, nevertheless, continued to play their game with full-out effort, uncompromising will and relentless intensity. Their spellbinding, spine-tingling 3-2 triumph Friday night was definitely one for the ages and Evansville hockey history. The team improvement has been so enormous that one can no longer measure its impact and overall effect on the NA3HL and the greater Evansville community. ThunderBolts home crowds are rapidly gaining in numbers as the enthusiasm, energy and support of our true hometown team becomes more avid, rabid and rampant.

“MUSIC CITY” BOUND: Having concluded an extended four-game home stand with their recent weekend series split against visiting divisional rival Cincinnati, the ThunderBolts of Evansville are Nashville bound for the

upcoming weekend. The ‘Bolts will be back on the road for the first time since January 9th when they clash with their formidable, fractious foes from the “Music City,” the Jr. Predators. The two-game series is set for this Friday night at 7:00 pm with the encore duel on the docket as a Saturday matinee feature, beginning at 3:00 pm. Radio broadcast times for both ‘Bolts bouts from Tennessee are set for 6:30 pm on Friday night and 2:30 pm on Saturday afternoon on Evansville’s WVHI-AM 1330 and on the world-wide internet at www.wvhi.com. Though the two Midwest Division adversaries have collided only twice thus far this season, the Jr. Preds have been the predominant team, prevailing by somewhat emphatic decisions of 7-1 on October 23rd in Evansville and 8-1, October 24th in Nashville.

HOME HISTORY MADE: The past weekend saw the ThunderBolts divide a two-game home stand series against fourth place Cincinnati. Friday night, hockey history was achieved in Evansville and the Tri-State when the State of Indiana’s lone elite junior hockey team earned its initial home triumph, a 3-2 victory verdict at the expense of the Thunder. However, the Thunder resiliently bounced back on Saturday night to prevail over our hometown team, 5-2. In a weekend series blemished and blighted with an inordinate and exorbitant number of penalties, special teams played a more prominent role. Three of the five goals registered on Friday night were the direct result of power play advantages, including both Cincinnati strikes. On Saturday night, five of the seven goals recorded in the contest were by virtue of special teams’ opportunities including both ‘Bolts goals with each one generated while they were enjoying an extended two-man advantage. Nick Luke (PP) and Brandon Rozema (PP) (1-1-2) were the ‘Bolts sharpshooters.

VALENTINE’S WEEKEND: The ThunderBolts next home action will transpire on Valentine’s weekend at Swonder Ice Arena. Evansville will host a three games in three nights’ series against its South Division foes from Atlanta, the Capitals. The three home dates are set for Friday, February 12th; Saturday, February 13th and Sunday, February 14th. The Friday and Saturday starting times are 7:30 pm. The concluding game of the series is set for Sunday at 6:30 pm. This latter game is the re-scheduled game which was originally slated for Atlanta on October 16th but was postponed due to mechanical difficulties encountered by the ‘Bolts bus. The venue of this game was moved to Swonder and added as the third game of this Valentine’s weekend home stand series.

NEW YEAR YIELD: The New Year month of January 2016 will be forever remembered from a franchise historical perspective in that the ThunderBolts achieved their first two victories as a bona fide NA3HL member. Evansville completed its 9-game slate with a 9(2-7-0) record; going 5(1-4-0) on the road and 4(1-3-0) at home. The club’s first victory actually was extracted from foreign ice warfare in brilliant comeback counterattack crescendo fashion; a 7-4 ambushing of powerful Point Mallard in Decatur, Alabama. The second triumph, of course, coming the past Friday night on home ice, a 3-2 decision over Cincinnati.

TOP PROSPECTS PROMINENCE: The past week, the NA3HL unveiled the league divisional All-Star Teams which will participate in the League’s Annual Top Prospects Tournament on February 15th – 17th at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, MI. Three star-studded standouts from the ThunderBolts have been named to represent the Midwest Division and the city of Evansville in this annual league-wide event. The team’s top two scoring artisans, left wing Jon Grimm 34(15-22-37) and center Brandon Bornkamp 34(19-17-36) will be joined by the squad’s “Secretary of Defense,” Triston Theriot 34(4-12-16).

THE “ROSE” ROMPS: ThunderBolts left wing Brandon Rozema is presently operating in a zone of his own. The diminutive, dynamic sparkplug supreme adeptly and adroitly authored back-to-back two points’ performances the past weekend at the expense of the Cincinnatians. In Friday night’s late, dramatic victory, the Grandville, MI prodigy orchestrated the key, primary assist on the GTG from Brian Crink and the ultimate GWG from line-mate Mathieu LaForest with only 3:10 remaining in regulation time and a scant :08 after Cincinnati had equalized it. “The Rose” was hailed as the Penn Station #3 Star. Then on Saturday night, Brandon brought it, again. This time to the tune of (1-1-2) (PPG/PPA) to earn the Penn Station #1 Star of the Game. Acquired earlier in the current campaign from the Wisconsin Whalers, Rozema was intrinsically instrumental on 4 of his team’s 5-goals the past weekend and capped January as the ‘Bolts leading scorer with 9(7-3-10). Rozema has been directly responsible for both of the

‘Bolts GWG in their two triumphs thus far this season; uncorking the GWG January 3rd at Point Mallard before delivering the primary assist on the LaForest GWG the past Friday night.

“MATT THE CAT:” Right wing Mathieu LaForest is finding his way to the enemy cage on his latest career page. The St. Clair Shores, MI product displayed a deft touch-in-the-clutch the past Friday night in spurring the ‘Bolts second triumph of their short history and first-ever on home ice. His third goal of this memorable maiden voyage season was the ultimate GWG and his second point of the night, earning him the Penn Station Star of the Game honors. Referring to it as “the most thrilling goal he has ever scored in his life,” LaForest capped an extraordinary month of January, finishing fourth overall in team scoring with 9(2-5-7). The Mathieu LaForest name will be forever immortalized in franchise annals for his late GWG heroics and histrionics.

THE “ZACHEROO” GLUE: Responsible center Zach Faith has been enjoying his best moments of the season in recent action. The local Newburgh native was the playmaker extraordinaire for his home town team the past weekend, engineering 3-assists in the two game series against Cincinnati. In the middle between “wingmen” Brandon Rozema and Mathieu LaForest, “Zacheroo” has his line’s engines tuned to a fine purr as the trio maestroed 4 of his club’s 5-goals against the Thunder. In his last 3-games, Faith is “keeping the Faith” with 3(0-4-4).

LUKE “THE DUKE” OF DEFENSE: Jasper native Nick Luke continues to show great promise and prominence on the ThunderBolts blue line. Demonstrating progression with aggression, he has grown his confidence level whereby his offensive talents are beginning to emerge as well. Saturday night, the ‘Bolts #2 fired goal #1 on a humming howitzer he uncorked on the power play. In his last 3-games; 3(1-2-3) with 2 of those 3-points brewed through the club’s extra man band. Luke’s 40-PIM also topped the team for January.

SOUL OF GOAL PATROL: Goaltender Adam Conkling has earned the distinction of team “Iron Man” esquire. The puck-stopping standout from Fort Wayne, IN was heralded as the Penn Station #2 Star in his club’s key Friday night victory verdict over Cincinnati. “Conks” delivered a puck-prevention attention masterpiece, rebuffing 44 of 46-shots including 26 of 27 in the third period alone to gain the fame of the ThunderBolts winning goalkeeper for their first two wins ever. In addition, the 2-GA yield represent the fewest GA which Conkling and the ‘Bolts have allowed in a single game thus far this season. Having started 18 of his team’s last 22-games and actually appearing in 19 of those 22 overall, Conkling continues to lead the league in total saves made with 984.

EXTRA MAN MASTERY: The ThunderBolts power play, continually, has been one of the truly major assets for expansion team’s season #1. The past weekend in the two-game series versus Cincinnati, the “extra man machine” manifested itself to the tune of 3-more PPG; going 1-5 in Friday night’s history-making win and 2-6 in Saturday night’s encore feature. Both of Saturday night’s power play strikes were stoked in the third period with each one collected with a 2-man advantage. It also marked the first time this season in which the ‘Bolts had connected on 2- PPG in one period. The man advantage group is now 6 for the last 15 for a prolific-terrific 40% proficiency rating and 8 for the last 27 for a rating of a superb 29.6%.

TEAM TOP TROUBADOURS: Through the first five months of the season, the ThunderBolts leading scoring architects are: 1- Jon Grimm 34(15-22-37); 2- Brandon Bornkamp 34(19-17-36) ; 3- Mike Kelley 29(10-18-28); 4- Brandon Rozema 31(9-6-15); 5- Triston Theriot 34(4-12-16); 6- Billy Bonser 31(8-6-14) ; 7- Mathieu LaForest 30(3-8-11); 8- Brian Crink 34(2-8-10); 9- Zach Faith 25(1-6-7); 10- Kyle Nikles 29(3-3-6).

JANUARY JUGGERNAUTS: The ThunderBolts top point-meisters for January: 1- Brandon Rozema 9(7-3-10); 2- Jon Grimm 9(5-4-9); 3- Mike Kelley 9(3-5-8); 4- Mathieu LaForest 9(2-5-7); 5- Brian Crink 9(1-4-5); 6- Zach Faith 9(0-5-5); 7- Billy Bonser 9(2-2-4); 8- Brandon Bornkamp 9(1-3-4); 9- Nick Luke 6(1-2-3); 10- Triston Theriot 9(1-1-2); 10- Kyle Nikles 9(1-1-2).

FEW FUN FAST FACTS FROM “FIC:” The ‘Bolts 3-2 win Friday also was their first 1-goal decision success. They had been 6(0-6-0) in that category. In that Friday win, the quintet of Brian Crink, Nick Luke, Zach Faith, Mathieu LaForest and Brandon Rozema all carded excellent +2 ratings. Jon Grimm’s TB/PPG at :58 of Friday’s

third period was the club’s third fastest goal from the start of a period. Scott Jacobson’s 25-PIM Friday were the most for a ‘Bolts player in one game this season. The team’s total of 71-PIM in the same game were the most for the year. The ‘Bolts 5-PP advantages, 3 of those with a 2-man advantage were the most in one period thus far this season. Cincinnati’s 27-SOG in Friday’s third period matched the most the ‘Bolts have allotted in a single stanza thus far this season. Brandon Bornkamp’s 6-PPG pace the club with Jon Grimm creeping up with 5-PPG. The ThunderBolts are joined by Chicago and Glacier with 2-victories thus far this season. ThunderBolts completed their 4-game home stand with a 4(1-3-0) record.

THE THUNDERBOLTS RADIO UPDATE: ThunderBolts 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 WVHI-AM 1330 and at 2:30 pm on WEOA-AM 1400 and WEOA-FM Magic 98.5