THUNDERBOLTS BLAST STORM IN THIRD PERIOD, WIN 6-1

Moline, Ill.:  It was another close game through two periods on Friday night in the Quad Cities, with yet another 2-0 lead for the Thunderbolts, before the offensive floodgates burst open as Evansville scored four of the five goals in the third period to win by a decisive 6-1 final score. The Thunderbolts’ next home game will be on Saturday, December 28th against the Quad City Storm at 7:05pm CT.

                Evansville again opened the scoring in the first period, with Nolan McElhaney scoring his first professional goal at 3:40 off a passing play from Brendan Harrogate and Matt Dorsey.  At 17:18, Dorsey made it a 2-0 game with a power move off the far boards and to the net, assisted by Harrogate.  Following a scoreless second period, the goals came in bunches in the third period as Brady Lynn and Logan vande Meerakker scored in the opening minutes to make it a 4-0 score.  Lynn’s goal at 1:11 was assisted by Jordan Simoneau and Rob Eriksson on a net-front passing play, while Vande Meerakker’s goal came on a power play at 3:54, assisted by Joey Berkopec and Simoneau.  The Storm managed to break the shutout bid as Nicola Levesque scored at 4:57 to make it a 4-1 game.  The score stagnated for a while, before Evansville put the game out of reach as Lynn scored off the rush with a shot that deflected off a Storm stick at 11:10, unassisted, before Matthew Hobbs put up one more goal for Evansville, banked in off a Quad City defender at 13:05, assisted by Berkopec and Vande Meerakker to round out the scoring at 6-1.

                Lynn finished with two goals, Dorsey and Vande Meerakker each scored a goal and assist, Hobbs and McElhaney picked up one goal each, while Berkopec, Simoneau, and Harrogate each tallied two assists.  In goal, Ty Taylor finished with 32 saves on 33 shots to earn his 5th win of the season.  The Thunderbolts and Storm meet again on Saturday night at Ford Center, face-off set for 7:05pm CT.