BLUES TO BITTER END BOTH NIGHTS; EARN BETTER FATE AND DESTINY THUNDERBOLTS NEXT ACTION AT HOME JAN. 29TH AND 30TH VS. DIVISION FOE CINCINNATI.
LAST WEEK’S RESULTS: 2 (0-2-0) 5-15 FRI. JAN. 15 ST. LOUIS 7 AT ‘BOLTS 0 SAT. JAN. 16 ST. LOUIS 8 AT ‘BOLTS.
UPCOMING GAMES: (2) FRI. JAN. 29 VS. CINCINNATI 7:30 PM SAT. JAN. 30 VS. CINCINNATI 7:30 PM
NEXT HOME GAMES: FRI. JAN. 29 & SAT. JAN. 30 VS. CINCINNATI THUNDER / TICKETS ONLY $5.  ALL THUNDERBOLTS GAMES ARE BROADCAST LIVE ON EVANSVILLE’S WVHI-AM 1330 .
LIGHTNING BOLTS’ SHOTS: After playing 12-consecutive games away from their home ice and Evansville’s Swonder Ice Arena, the ThunderBolts returned home for their first appearance in front of their fond, faithful following of fans for the first time in 55-days, rekindling antipathies with one of their principal Midwest Division archenemies in the form of the first place St. Louis Jr. Blues. After inaugurating their NA3HL elite junior hockey league debuting campaign with an extended six-game home stand from September 18th through October 4th, the ‘Bolts traveling party proceeded to perform their on-ice hockey exploits to the tune of playing 19 of their next 24- games in the climate of hostile territory. Evansville had not seen action at Swonder Ice Arena since way back on November 21st when they played host to the Atlanta Capitals. This past weekend, General Manager/Head Coach Scott Fankhouser’s young club broached an extended four-game home stand which will effectively complete their nine-game January schedule. In fact, the State of Indiana’s only elite junior hockey team has embarked on an ostensibly favorable game date slate consisting of 12 of the next 17-games at their own homestead.
‘BOLTS/BLUES REVIEW: Rekindling animosities with their nearby foes the first place St. Louis Jr. Blues the past weekend, the ‘Bolts, yet one more time, were gallant and valiant in defeat. In game one of the two-game series on Friday night, the 7-0 St. Louis triumph was not a true barometer of how this game transpired for the full 60- minutes. Evansville’s sextet played an outstanding game with nary a single puck bouncing or breaking their way. It marked the second consecutive game in the span of 10-days in which the high-voltage, high-powered Jr. Blues had extinguished Evansville by virtue of the shutout and the third time overall for the season the Gateway City squadron had accomplished the feat against the ThunderBolts. In the encore engagement on Saturday night, the ThunderBolts were game, gritty and full of gusto before ultimately falling short, 8-5. The true hometown team seized an early 1-0 lead on the first of two Brandon Rozema strikes before surmounting a 3-1 shortfall to equalize matters after 40- minutes, 3-3, on Rozema’s second strike of the night on the power play. However, it was the fateful final frame that ultimately told the tale of the tape as St. Louis erupted for five goals to complete the sweep of the weekend seriesand the 8-game season series for 2015-16. Team captain Jon Grimm did drill a pair of third stanza strikes while Mike Kelley caged a singleton. The ThunderBolts delivered 3-PPG despite digesting the disappointing defeat.
HOME DATE SCHEDULE: Concerning the ThunderBolts immediate upcoming schedule, the team is idle this week but will be resuming NA3HL league action the last weekend for the month of January. The ThunderBolts will be awaiting the invasion of Midwest Division rival Cincinnati for a pair of affairs set for Friday, January 29th and Saturday, January 30th at Swonder Ice Arena. Opening face-off both nights will be 7:30 pm as Evansville completes its nine-game January schedule as well as its four-game home stand. It will mark the first time since the last weekend of late September that the two teams will tussle and tangle. The Thunder lead the six-game season series 2(2-0-0), having swept the ThunderBolts in a two-game series September 25th and 26th by final outcomes of 8-5 and 4-1 respectively. The Cincinnatians commence this new week winless in their last 7-games; 7(0-6-1) with an overall season log reading 33(8-20-5), totaling 21-points. While the ThunderBolts are idle, Cincinnati will be hosting second place Peoria in a two-game series coming up this weekend at Cincinnati Gardens.
THE JANUARY ACTUARY: The ThunderBolts are taking a one-week hiatus from their regular season schedule this week with a season record of 32(1-31-0) for 2-points. Since extracting their celebrated first-ever victory back on January 3rd at Point Mallard, 7-4, the ‘Bolts have dropped 5-in a row, being outscored in that span, 37-8. The ThunderBolts are earnestly aiming for their first-ever toast of triumph on home ice with 10-more home outings still remaining. All-encompassing optimism and confidence continue to be pervasive in the ‘Bolts drive to achieve many more victories before this nativity campaign reaches conclusion.
JONNY B. GOOD GOLD: ThunderBolts team captain Jon Grimm continues to demonstrate his remarkable consistency and proficiency every game, every night. The local Newburgh resident orchestrated yet another enormous performance Saturday night against St. Louis. The deceptively dynamic left wing engineered his third 3- point masterpiece of the season along with his third 2-goal game of the campaign. Both of Grimm’s strikes were stoked in the third period. For the third time this season, Grimm was named the Penn Station/ThunderBolts Star of the Game.
SO GOES “THE ROSEâ€: Left wing Brandon Rozema has definitely found the knack on the goal-scoring attack. Obtained earlier in the season through a deal with the Wisconsin Whalers, the Grandville, MI product has been his team’s hottest gun in the league. Saturday night against St. Louis, the diminutive, dynamic sparkplug connected on a pair of electrifying goals including the game’s FG followed by a spellbinding, spectacular second stanza coast-to- coast power play, breakaway in the straightaway GTG/PPG which knotted matters at 3-3, eradicating a 3-1 deficit. It was Rozema’s second two-goal performance of the season, giving him 6-goals in his team’s last 7-games; 7(6-0-6).
DO THE “ZACHEROO!â€: ‘Bolts center Zach Faith has been regaining and reclaiming his form in recent vintage for his squad. The Newburgh resident emerged as a mighty magician on Saturday night against the St. Louis club. The graduate of Castle High School engineered a pair of crafty primary assists, both coming on line-mate Brandon Rozema’s goals, including the game’s FG as well as the second period GTG/PPG for his initial multiple point game of the 2015-16 season.
NICK THE QUICK: Rugged, rock-ribbed rearguard Nick Luke is bringing plenty of dash, flash, panache with a strong hint of bash to the ‘Bolts defense. Playing an intrepid brand of blue line, goal patrol, crease police hockey, the native of nearby Jasper, IN is also finding ways to make his mark on the offensive side for the Evanvillians. Saturday night against St. Louis, Luke essayed a pair of assists on Brandon Rozema’s first goal of the game at 1:17 of the opening period before adding one more key arrangement on Jon Grimm’s third period PPG. Those two assists represented Luke’s first two points on the ThunderBolts defense.
BC ASSISTING: Defenseman Brian Crink has been a tireless blue line fixture for the ThunderBolts all season long. Always logging an abundance of ice time, the Noblesville, IN native has also stepped-up his offensive might and mastery in recent action. The past weekend, in Saturday night’s home clash against St. Louis, he authored a pair of artful assists with both helpers coming on Jon Grimm’s two third period snipes. In his last 5-games, Crink is 6 (0-4- 4).
POWER PLAY PRECISION: The ThunderBolts power play was percolating proficiently and prodigiously the past weekend. On Saturday night, the ‘Bolts cannonaded three PPG, one in each stanza. Mike Kelley (4), Brandon Rozema (2) and Jon Grimm (4) were the major marquee marksmen. In the process, the ThunderBolts equaled their franchise record for most PPG in one game, going 3-4 against St. Louis. The power play is now 5 for the last 16 for a proficiency rating of a superlative 31.3%. PPG Leaders: Brandon Bornkamp (6), Jon Grimm (4), Mike Kelley (4), Triston Theriot (2).
ELITE STREET STANDOUTS: The ThunderBolts point-scoring kingpins: 1- Jon Grimm 32( 14-22-36); 2- Brandon Bornkamp 32(19-16-35); 3- Mike Kelley 27(10-17-27); 4-Triston Theriot 32(4-12-16); 5- Billy Bonser 29(8-5-13); 6- Brandon Rozema 29(8-3-11); 7- Mathieu LaForest 28(2-7-9); 8- Brian Crink 32(1-8-9); 9- Kyle Nikles 27(3-3-6); 10- Scott Jacobson 21(2-4-6).
FEW FUN FAST FACTS FROM “FICâ€: When Brandon Rozema delivered the game’s FG at 1:17 of the opening period Saturday night, it marked only the 6th time in 32-games that the ‘Bolts have scored the game’s FG. They are 6(0-6-0) in that category. Rozema’s FG was the ‘Bolts second fastest goal at the start of a game thus far this season. Jon Grimm connected on the game’s FG at 0:31 of the first period 12/12/15 at Peoria. The ‘Bolts have been shutout 5-times this season; 3 of those by St. Louis, including 2 on home ice at Swonder. The ‘Bolts 5-GF Saturday night marked the 4th time they have scored 5 in a game which represents their second highest output for the season. Evansville has yet to yield less than 3-GA in one game. Brandon Bornkamp and Jon Grimm share the team leadership in multi-goal games, each with 3; Brandon Rozema has registered 2. Goaltender Adam Conkling has started 16 of his team’s last 20-games. Prior to their 5-goal output Saturday night against St. Louis, the ThunderBolts had managed to collect only 3-GF in their previous 4-games. Their 3-PPG Saturday against the Jr. Blues equaled their entire PPG output of their previous 7-games against St. Louis. Ten of the next 15-games will be at home for the ‘Bolts.
THE THUNDERBOLTS HOCKEY UPDATE: All 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 flagship radio home of WVHI-AM 1330 and at 2:30 pm on WEOA-AM 1400 and WEOA-FM Magic 98.5.
