Evansville, In.:  After falling behind early, the Thunderbolts kept pace with the Storm but failed to completely come back, losing 5-2 in a rough-and-tumble game at Ford Center on Friday night.  The Thunderbolts next home game will be on Friday, January 21stat 7:00pm CST as they host the Vermilion County Bobcats. For tickets, call (812)422-BOLT (2658), buy online at EvansvilleThunderbolts.com, or buy tickets in person at the Ford Center Box Office.
Tommy Stang and Filip Virgili gave Quad City an early 2-0 lead, their goals only 10 seconds apart at 4:52 and 5:02 respectively. Evansville responded with a power play goal by Cameron Cook at 14:39 from Matt MacKay and Tate Leeson to cut the lead to 2-1, as the Thunderbolts power play has now scored in 4 of their last 5 games. Early in the second period, Virgili scored a power play goal of his own to re-extend Quad City’s lead to 3-1. The highlight of the latter stages of the second period proved to be a victorious fight for Evansville’s Charles Barber over Quad City’s Richie Pinkowski. Zane Jones scored shorthanded at 3:46 of the third period, assisted by Austin Plevy to again cut the lead to 3-2, but the Storm responded only 18 seconds later, and added an empty net goal to defeat the Thunderbolts 5-2.
Jones and Cook scored one goal each, while Ryan Edquist finished with 24 saves on 28 shots. The Thunderbolts next meet the Storm on Saturday, January 22nd at Ford Center, face-off at 7:00pm CST.
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).
