Evansville, In.: In a game that went down to the wire and then some, it took a franchise-record 12 rounds of shootout attempts before the Thunderbolts skated away as winners over the Birmingham Bulls at Ford Center on Friday night. The Thunderbolts next home game will be on Saturday, March 12th at 7:00pm CST as they host the Birmingham Bulls. For tickets, call (812)422-BOLT (2658), buy online at EvansvilleThunderbolts.com, or buy tickets in person at the Ford Center Box Office.
Evansville grabbed the game’s first lead at 3:53 of the first period as Dillon Radin scored his first professional goal in his debut, assisted by Scott Kirton and Cory Dunn, the latter of which also playing in his Thunderbolts’ debut. The outshot Bulls managed to tie the game, as Jordan Martin scored at 18:47 to make it a 1-1 score through the first period. In the second period, the Bulls grabbed the lead as David Nippard scored on a breakaway at 7:13 to put Birmingham in front, 2-1. On Evansville’s first power play chance of the game, Brennan Feasey tied the game at 2-2, assisted by Tanner Butler and Dunn at 14:47. Only 1:24 later, Feasey banked a shot off a Bulls defender and into the net to give the Thunderbolts a 3-2 lead, assisted by Cameron Cook and Timothy Faulkner at 16:11.
Birmingham tied the game only 1:07 into the third period, as Jake Pappalardo scored to make it a 3-3 score. Despite a 15-4 shot advantage in the third period, the closest Evansville came to winning in regulation was a Mike Ferraro shot that hit the crossbar. The Bulls picked up a late power play chance that the Thunderbolts successfully killed off to start overtime, and Evansville survived a shot from Bulls captain Mike Davis that hit the post, and the game then required a shootout. Colton Fletcher scored for Birmingham in Round 2, before Scott Kirton’s Round 5 do-or-die goal forced further rounds. Both Hayden Stewart and Brian Billett went save for save in the next six rounds, before Dunn beat Stewart in Round 12 to win the game for Evansville.
Feasey finished with two goals, while Dunn scored the shootout-winning goal and two assists, and Radin finished with one goal. Â Billett finished with 23 saves on 26 shots faced in regulation and overtime, plus 11 of 12 shootout shots faced, for his 20th win of the season. Â The Thunderbolts now only need 7 points out of 20 possible remaining to clinch a berth in the SPHL Playoffs.
The Thunderbolts are currently competing in their fifth season in the SPHL (Southern Professional Hockey League). Season tickets are less than $9 per game. To order your tickets for this season, call 812-422-BOLT(2658).
