THUNDERBOLTS HIT THE ROAD FOR PAIR, THEN BEGIN 6-GAME HOMESTAND

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Evansville, In.: After being unable to secure a win in a week for only the third time this season, the Evansville Thunderbolts aim to reset and get back to winning form on the road once again this Friday in Vermilion County and Saturday in Knoxville, before returning home to face Huntsville in the first of six consecutive home games at Ford Center.

Week In Review: 

 

                The Thunderbolts were defeated 4-1 by the Huntsville Havoc on Wednesday at Ford Center in only their fourth loss on home ice this season, with Andrew Shewfelt scoring the lone goal.  On Friday night at Birmingham, the Thunderbolts trailed yet rallied often, nearly coming back several times against the Bulls yet falling just short in a 6-4 loss, with a pair of goals from Felix Sasser and a goal each from Alex Cohen and Brendan Harrogate. Saturday brought one of the tougher losses of the year, an 8-2 loss at Huntsville, despite a 2-0 comeback in the first period off goals from Scott Kirton and Cameron Cook.

 

The Week Ahead: 

The Thunderbolts play at Vermilion County this Friday night at 7:00pm CT before traveling to Knoxville to face the Ice Bears on Saturday night at 6:35pm CT.  On Sunday the Thunderbolts return home to host the Huntsville Havoc for Sunday Funday, with puck drop at 3:00pm CT.  Sunday’s game will feature $2 Bud Light and $2 hot dogs until the end of the 1st Intermission (while supplies last), while kids 12 and under are eligible for a free bag of popcorn.  Friday and Saturday’s games can be viewed on SPHL TV with an active subscription through HockeyTV, or can be listened to for free on the Thunderbolts Radio Network, viahttps://evansvillethunderbolts.com/fan-center/live or on the Thunderbolts Mixlr Channel.  For tickets to Sunday afternoon’s game, call (812)422-BOLT (2658), go to EvansvilleThunderbolts.com, or visit the Ford Center Ticket Office.

Coming Soon: 

 

                The Thunderbolts homestand continues into next week, as the Thunderbolts host the Macon Mayhem on Friday the 27th and Saturday the 28th, both games beginning at 7:00pm CT.  Friday the 27th will be Faith Night, sponsored by Oakland City University.  OCU will be offering a chance for a high school junior or senior student to win a $12,000 scholarship, while Hush Harbor will be performing a contemporary Christian concert after the game, presented by WAY-FM.  Saturday the 28th will be Star Wars Night, featuring specialty jerseys which will be auctioned off following the game, a tauntaun race, as well as a costume contest.

Scouting the Opponent: 

  • Vermilion County Bobcats: 
    • Record: 4-21-1, 9 Points, 11th Place
    • Leading Goal Scorer: Davis Kirkendall (6 Goals)
    • Leading Point Scorer: Austin Albrecht (21 Points)
    • Primary Goaltender: Brett Epp (2-13-0, .895 Save %)
    • Thunderbolts 22-23 Record vs VCB: 3-1-0
    • The Bobcats’ struggles continued this past weekend, losing 4-2 in Quad City on Friday and 4-1 in their rematch in Danville on Saturday, despite having leads in both games.  Brendan Murphy and Davis Kirkendall scored goals on Friday for Vermilion County, while Austin Albrecht scored Saturday’s lone Bobcats goal.
  • Knoxville Ice Bears: 
    • Record: 15-11-3, 33 Points, 6th Place
    • Leading Goal Scorer: Justin MacDonald (20 Goals)
    • Leading Point Scorer: Justin MacDonald (44 Points)
    • Primary Goaltender: Kristian Stead (7-2-1, .929 Save %)
    • Thunderbolts 22-23 Record vs KNX: 1-1-0

      The Ice Bears played three games in three nights in Peoria this past weekend, winning 6-4 on Friday night before losing 5-2 on Saturday and 6-2 on Sunday.  Justin MacDonald scored a hat trick on Friday, supplemented with two goals from Cameron Hough and one goal from Colton Fletcher.  MacDonald and Hough scored both Knoxville goals on both Saturday and Sunday.  Knoxville hosts the Fayetteville Marksmen this Thursday and are inactive on Friday ahead of Saturday’s game against the Thunderbolts.

  • Huntsville Havoc: 
    • Record: 18-9-2, 38 Points, T-2nd Place
    • Leading Goal Scorer: Rob Darrar (15 Goals)
    • Leading Point Scorer: Rob Darrar (38 Points)
    • Primary Goaltender: Nick Latinovich (14-6-1, .922 Save %)
    • Thunderbolts 22-23 Record vs HSV: 3-3-0

In Huntsville’s 4-1 win on Wednesday over Evansville, Alex Kielczewski, Sy Nutkevich, Kasey Kulczycki and Tyler Piacentini each picked up a goal.  The Havoc lost 4-3 in a shootout at home against Pensacola on Friday after having led twice in the game, with a pair of goals from Jamie Bucell and one from Rob Darrar.  On Saturday, Darrar scored three goals, while Piacentini, Kulczycki, Bucell, Robbie Fisher, and Kyle Clarke each scored one goal in their 8-2 win over Evansville on Saturday.  The Havoc also played this past Monday, winning 6-3 at Birmingham with goals from Piacentini, Nutkevich, Fisher, Bucell, Kulczycki and Nathan Hudgin.  The Havoc host the Fayetteville Marksmen this Friday and Saturday night before traveling to Evansville on Sunday.

Call-up Report 

                – Chase Perry – Allen Americans (Prev. Greenville) – ECHL

                                – Greenville: 2 GP, 1-0-1, 1.93 GAA, .944 Save %

                                – Allen: 2 GP, 2-0-0, 3.00 GAA, .880 Save %

                – Matthew Barron – Trois-Rivieres Lions (Prev. Indy) – ECHL

                                – Indy: 4 GP, 2 G, 1 A, 3 P, 0 PIM
– Trois-Rivieres: 7 GP, 1 G, 1 A, 2 P, 2 PIM

– Mike Ferraro – Savannah Ghost Pirates – ECHL
– 2 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 P, 2 PIM

                – Trevor Gorsuch – Florida Everblades – ECHL

                                – 2 GP, 0-1-0, 4.57 GAA, .868 Save %

Transactions:     

Fri. 1/13: G Sammy Bernard signed to contract
Thur. 1/12: G Trevor Gorsuch called up to Florida (ECHL)

Thur. 1/12: LW Mike Ferraro called up to Savannah (ECHL)

Thur. 1/12: LW Cameron Cook returned from call-up to Savannah (ECHL)
Thur. 1/12: D Joseph Leonidas returned from call-up to Wheeling (ECHL)

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