Evansville, IN.: In a close low-scoring game with plenty of big saves from goaltender Zane Steeves, the Thunderbolts, with two goals from Mike Ferraro, defeated the Bobcats 2-1 in overtime on Tuesday morning at Ford Center. The Thunderbolts next home game will be on Friday, November 4th against the Pensacola Ice Flyers at 7:00pm CT. For tickets, call (812)422-BOLT (2658), go to EvansvilleThunderbolts.com, or visit the Ford Center Ticket Office.
The Thunderbolts started the game strong, with plenty of chances early in the first period that were answered by Bobcats goaltender Sean Kuhn, while two shots hit the crossbar, keeping the game scoreless. At the Evansville end, Steeves answered any chances the Bobcats had, including a late 2-on-1 rush chance from Aaron Ryback. In the second period Vermilion County finally took a 1-0 lead on a shot from Adam Eby at 13:11 that snuck past a screened Steeves, before the Thunderbolts responded as Ferraro scored a power play goal from Fredrik Wink and Matthew Barron with only 17 seconds remaining in the second period, tying the game 1-1 after two periods.
The third period was scoreless, yet fierce as the Thunderbolts put 20 shots on goal, with Kuhn stopping all of them, with another 2 shots hitting posts. Steeves’ workload was less, but still perfect on 8 shots faced, several of them high-danger. The game required overtime, and the lone shot was the deciding one as Ferraro scored from Aaron Huffnagle and Kristaps Nimanis to win it for Evansville at the 1:59 mark of overtime.
Ferraro scored both Evansville goals, while Steeves stopped 26 of 27 shots for his 2nd win of the season. These two teams meet again on November 27th at the David S. Palmer Arena
