 THE ‘BOLTS OPEN THE NEW YEAR OF 2016 WITH .500 RECORD; 2(1-1-0) AFTER FIRST 2 GAMES THREE MORE ON ROAD THIS WEEK; IN ST. LOUIS WED.; IN ATLANTA FRI. AND SAT. NIGHTS
LAST WEEK’S RESULTS: 2(1-1-0) 11-11 SAT. JAN. 2 ‘BOLTS 4 AT PT. MALLARD 7 SUN. JAN. 3 ‘BOLTS 7 AT PT. MALLARD 4
THIS WEEK’S GAMES: (3) WED. JAN. 6 AT ST. LOUIS 7:15 PM FRI. JAN. 8 AT ATLANTA 6:30 PM SAT. JAN. 9 AT ATLANTA 6:30 PM
NEXT HOME GAMES: FRI. JAN. 15 & SAT. JAN. 16 VS. ST. LOUIS JR. BLUES / TICKETS ONLY $ 5 !!
*** ALL THUNDERBOLTS GAMES ARE BROADCAST LIVE ON EVANSVILLE’S WVHI-AM 1330 ***
LIGHTNING BOLTS’ SHOTS: The ThunderBolts are in celebration mode for this Monday! For the first time ever, the ThunderBolts are toasting triumph! The ‘Bolts are savoring the sweet success of victory as a bona fide franchise and enterprise in the elite junior hockey league, the NA3HL. General Manager/Head Coach Scott Fankhouser’s patience, persistence and perseverance are all being rewarded in grand fashion and in grand style and profile following the ‘Bolts brilliant come-from-behind 7-4 triumph Sunday at Point Mallard against the very formidable and redoubtable Ducks hockey club. From the ThunderBolts perspective, it is an absolutely extraordinary way to launch the New Year of 2016 for the City of Evansville’s first-ever elite junior hockey team and the State of Indiana’s only exclusive elite junior hockey club. The fabric, fiber, fortitude and character of this expansion team have never been compromised. The ThunderBolts have always played with heart, soul and total commitment to the city and the state where they play and live since day #1. They have truly earned victory #1. Hail to our ThunderBolts! The best is still to come!!
WIN ONE FOR HISTORY: In achieving their historical first-ever victory, the ThunderBolts were relentless, overcoming three separate one-goal deficits to saddle the high-powered Point Mallard club with its first home defeat of the current campaign. Four consecutive unanswered goals, including a 3-goal third period assault, sparked by Brandon Rozema’s second TBG of the game and climaxed by captain Jon Grimm’s empty net strike almost made the 27-games’ wait worth that wait. Right wing Mike Kelley’s third goal in 3-games late in the second period actually fueled the inferno for the victors, forging a 4-4 deadlock for the alien ice invaders from Evansville. Kelley and Mathieu LaForest each engineered (1-2-3); Grimm (1-1-2). Brandon Bornkamp and Billy Bonser also made key connections while defenseman Brian Crink assisted twice and goaltender Adam Conkling brushed aside 45-shots to preserve victory #1. Crink and defensive comrade Ben Baker each carded masterful +3 performances while Zack Faith, La Forest and Rozema each attained supreme +2 ratings. The ThunderBolts 7-GF and 45-SOG both
represented new team single game bests, eclipsing the previous season-high standards of 5-GF and 44-SOG respectively.
LAST TRIO OF DOZEN: Galvanized and otherwise energized from Sunday’s success abroad, the ThunderBolts hit the road for three more foreign ice excursions for the first full week of the New Year. This Wednesday night, the ‘Bolts travel to St. Louis to rekindle animosities with one of their proximate, nearby archenemies, the Midwest Division pace-setting Jr. Blues. Opening face-off from Affton Arena is set for 7:15 pm with radio broadcast time 6:45 pm on WVHI-AM 1330. Then it’s on to Atlanta for Evansville’s second and final appearance this campaign. The two-game weekend series is on the docket for Friday and Saturday nights at 6:30 pm with the broadcasts set to go at 6:00 pm each night on WVHI-AM 1330. After this week, the ThunderBolts will have played 12-consecutive games on the road with a favorable home slate to await for the duration of the regular season.
COMING SOON TO HOCKEY SWONDER: Following this week’s trio of alien ice invasions on two NA3HL hockey fronts, at long last, the ThunderBolts finally return to the amicable confines of their hockey home of Swonder Ice Arena where they will play host to the St. Louis Jr. Blues on Friday, January 15th and Saturday, January 16th. Game time both nights is 7:30 pm. FAN-FAMILY-FRIENDLY ticket prices from the ThunderBolts. Game tickets are ONLY $ 5 !!!. For more information, visit the ThunderBolts website at www.evvbolts.com.
JONNY B. GOOD: Team captain, Jon Grimm is leading the way in doing it the ThunderBolts way. The local Newburgh product was a supreme catalyst the past weekend in Decatur, artfully authoring 5-points in 2-games on 2(2-3-5) including a key, clutch goal in each game episode. His second goal of the series was the ‘Bolts initial ENG of the season, cementing the historical victory. The talented left wing is presently presiding over a personal 3-game point streak; 3(2-4-6). In his last 15-games; 15(9-12-21); last 10(6-10-16).
KID KELLEY CANNONADE: Freshman elite junior right wing Mike Kelley is coming into his own, operating and orchestrating in a zone of his own. The Fort Wayne native also was the architect of 5-points (2-3-5) in the weekend’s two-game series at Point Mallard. The sharpshooting marksmen is also enjoying 3-game goal and point streaks; last 3-games; 3(3-3-6). In his last 16-games; 16(7-15-22); last 12(6-11-17). He was Sunday’s #2 Star.
THE THERIOT SCENARIO: Standout defenseman Triston Theriot is emerging as the League’s premiere blue line ace with his polished, precision play. Contributing adeptly and adroitly both offensively and defensively, he attained a superlative +4 rating combined through the two-games at Point Mallard the past weekend, including a positive, premium +3 rating the past Saturday night at Point Mallard. On the offensive side, Theriot has ascended to the top of the scoring parade for his club’s blue line brigade with 27(4-12-16) while ranking 4th overall in total team scoring productivity.
BRANDON IN THE BOOKS: Forward Brandon Rozema is becoming a major sparkplug for the true hometown team. The past weekend, the diminutive, dynamic deadeye acted the role of goal-scoring opportunist impeccably. The past weekend at Point Mallard, the hard-working, unrelenting right wing triggered a trio of touch-in-the-clutch snipes, including a pair of electrifying tie-breaking goals (TBG) in Sunday’s victory verdict for his club. Rozema’s second goal of the game Sunday will be forever etched in the ‘Bolts book of history as it proved to be the first-ever GWG in team franchise annals. He was hailed and heralded the game’s #3 Star on Sunday.
THE MATHIEU BREAKTHROUGH: Center/left wing Mathieu LaForest’s indefatigable efforts are earning critical acclaim and rave reviews in recent action for his ‘Bolts squadron. On Sunday, the St. Clair Shores, MI native essayed his first 3-points’ enormous performance of the season with (1-2-3) including a key, clutch first period unassisted GTG. All 3 of his goals have been collected abroad. LaForest was named the game’s #1 Star for ‘Bolts victory #1.
PLUS 3 FOR “BCâ€: Defenseman Brian Crink enjoyed, perhaps, his best performance of the campaign the past weekend. The rangy 6-2 blue line bulwark was especially effective in his team’s first-ever victory on Sunday. Crink and his defensive partner Ben Baker each registered excellent +3 ratings while the former recorded 2-assists in his
club’s spellbinding and spine-tingling 3-goal third period surge which produced victory #1. Crink and Baker’’s respective +3 ratings equaled the club record for best plus performance by an individual player in a single game.
SPECIAL TEAMS TOTALS: The ThunderBolts power play has been somewhat inconsistent and incongruous in recent action. Through the last 7-games the power play is 1-27 for a proficiency rating of 3.7%. It was 0-6 the past weekend at Point Mallard. Meanwhile, the penalty-killing cast has been encountering vicissitudes as well. The opposition is 5 for the last 11 and 8 for the last 17 against the ThunderBolts shorthand band. Evansville has yet to deliver a SHG thus far this season while allotting 8-SHGA at this stage of the season.
PREMIUM PLUS PLAYERS: The past weekend at Point Mallard, several premium, plus personified player personnel prominently emerged for the ThunderBolts. On Saturday night, the defensive combination of Triston Theriot and Kyle Nikles each achieved stellar +3 ratings while Jon Grimm, Brandon Bornkamp and Mike Kelley each earned solid +2 marks. On Sunday, it was the defensive combination of Brian Crink and Ben Baker each posting +3 masterpieces with Zach Faith, Mathieu LaForest and Brandon Rozema each gaining +2 status.
MAJOR MARQUEE MEN: The ThunderBolts top scoring kingpins at this juncture of the season: 1- Brandon Bornkamp 27(19-15-34); 2- Jon Grimm 27( 12-20-32); 3- Mike Kelley 22(9-16-25); 4 – Triston Theriot 27(4-12- 16); 5- Billy Bonser 24(7-5-12); 6 – Brandon Rozema 24(5-3-8); 7- Mathieu LaForest 23(3-4-7); 8- Brian Crink 27(1-6-7).
FEW FUN FAST FACTS FROM “FICâ€: Both the ‘Bolts and Ducks traded 7-4 victory verdicts the past weekend with the ‘Bolts delivering 3-goal third period outbursts in each contest. Evansville has produced four 3-goal periods thus far this season; 2 of those coming in the second period and 2-more in the third stanza. With their team record 45-SOG Sunday at Point Mallard, the ‘Bolts have reached the 40-shots plateau 3-times this season. Their 18-third period SOG Sunday equaled for the third time their second most SOG in one period. Evansville has yet to notch a SHG this season while surrendering 8 of the same. Brandon Rozema joins Brandon Bornkamp (3), Jon Grimm (2) and Billy Bonser (1) in firing multi-goal games this season. Grimm has authored three 3-point games this season. Until the past weekend, Jon Grimm was the lone player to attain a +3 rating in a single game and his came back on opening night, 9/18/15, also against Point Mallard.
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.
