Evansville, In.: The goaltenders stole the show in more ways than one on Friday night at Ford Center, highlighted by the Thunderbolts’ first-ever goalie fight, and the Bulls’ goaltenders allowing only one goal on 47 shots as Evansville fell 2-1 in overtime. The Thunderbolts’ next home game at Ford Center will be on Saturday, January 24th against the Quad City Storm at 3:00pm CT.
Evansville grabbed the first lead of the game only 5:42 in, as Scott Kirton deflected a shot on a power play to make it 1-0 Evansville, assisted by Tyson Gilmour and Keanan Stewart. In the second period, Drake Glover tied the game 1-1 for the Bulls, scoring on a back-door pass from Danny Weight on the rush. Shortly after the Bulls tied it, Kristian Stead was run by Birmingham’s CJ Walker, drawing a response from Evansville skaters as well as Stead himself, his involvement drawing the attention of Bulls goaltender Hayden Stewart at the other end of the ice, and both goaltenders decided to duke it out at center ice in the Thunderbolts’ first-ever goalie fight which saw Stead knock Stewart to the ice three times. The game remained tied 1-1 despite the Thunderbolts outshooting Birmingham 26 to 9 since the goalie fight, before the Bulls won the game in overtime on a power play goal by Weight at 1:32, as the Bulls’ goaltending tandem of Stewart and Talor Joseph stole the game for Birmingham.
Kirton scored the lone goal for Evansville, Stead stopped 9 of 10 shots on goal to start the game, and Cody Karpinski stopped 12 of 13 shots faced in relief. The Thunderbolts and Bulls meet again on Friday, January 30th at the Pelham Civic Complex, with Birmingham leading the regular season series 3-2.
