THUNDERBOLTS PREPARE FOR HOCKEY FIGHTS CANCER NIGHT AGAINST QUAD CITY

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Evansville, In.:  Following a tough three-game stretch against Peoria and Huntsville, the Thunderbolts are set to turn the page and find their stride in this coming weekend’s games, as they travel to Knoxville to take on the Ice Bears on Friday before returning home to host the Quad City Storm for Hockey Fights Cancer Night on Saturday at Ford Center.

Week In Review: 

The Thunderbolts struck first on Friday in Peoria thanks to a goal from Grayson Valente, however the Rivermen shut down the Thunderbolts the rest of the way in a 4-1 Rivermen win that was filled with fights and scrums as both teams combined for 120 Penalty Minutes.  On Saturday at Ford Center, the Thunderbolts again held a 1-0 lead against Huntsville as Tommy Stang scored for Evansville in the opening period, before the Havoc took over and won by a 5-1 score.  On Tuesday morning against Peoria, the Thunderbolts welcomed over 7,600 fans to Ford Center for Education Day, setting a new single-game franchise attendance record.  The end result was a 6-3 loss, but not without a strong second half of the game that made for an exciting finish, with goals from Scott Kirton, Matt Dorsey, and Colton Kalezic.  

The Week Ahead: 

The Thunderbolts will be in Knoxville this Friday night to take on the Ice Bears, puck drop set for 6:35pm CT.  Friday’s game can be viewed with a paid subscription on FloHockey or can be listened to for free on the Thunderbolts Radio Network via the Thunderbolts Mixlr Channel.  Fans can also watch Friday’s game at the Thunderbolts Booster Club away game watch party at Parkway Pizza.  On Saturday, the Thunderbolts return home to Ford Center to host the Quad City Storm for Hockey Fights Cancer Night, featuring specialty jerseys which will be auctioned off after the game.  There will also be a Smash Car outside Ford Center that fans will have the opportunity to smash with a sledgehammer before the game, one swing for five dollars or three swings for 10 dollars, with partial proceeds going to Cancer Pathway Midwest.  For tickets to this Saturday’s game, call (812)422-BOLT (2658), go to EvansvilleThunderbolts.com, or visit the Ford Center ticket office.

Coming Soon: 

The Thunderbolts will be on the road for three consecutive games on November 22nd, 24th, and 25th in Quad City against the Storm, each game starting at 7:10pm CT.  Following the road trip, the Thunderbolts return home to Ford Center on Friday, December 1st and Saturday, December 2nd to host the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs, both games beginning at 7:00pm CT.  Saturday the 2nd will be the first Dogs Night Out game of the season, and fans can bring their dogs to the game for only five dollars each.

Scouting the Opponent:  

Knoxville Ice Bears: 
    • Record: 2-8-0, 4 Points, 9th Place
    • Leading Goal Scorer: Brady Fleurent (7 Goals)
    • Leading Point Scorer: Brady Fleurent (11 Points)
    • Primary Goaltender: Kristian Stead (1-4-0, .895 Save %)
    • Thunderbolts 22-23 Record vs KNX: 1-3

Last weekend in Pensacola, the Ice Bears held close in a 5-4 loss to the Ice Flyers, nearly coming back off goals from Skate Skalde, Seth Ensor, and Cameron Hough, who finished with a pair of goals.  Saturday’s rematch loss would not be as close, with a 6-0 Pensacola shutout victory.  On Wednesday morning the Ice Bears picked up their second win of the season in a 4-1 win in Fayetteville, with Brady Fleurent picking up a hat trick and Hough scoring the game-winning goal in the third period to break what was a 1-1 tie halfway through the final period.

Quad City Storm: 
    • Record: 3-4-0, 6 Points, 8th Place
    • Leading Goal Scorer: Matt Ustaski (8 Goals)
    • Leading Point Scorer: Matt Ustaski (11 Points)
    • Primary Goaltender: Kevin Resop (2-3-0, .893 Save %)
    • Thunderbolts 22-23 Record vs QCS: 5-2

Quad City battled it out with Fayetteville on Friday and Saturday night at home, falling short 7-6 on Friday before getting payback on Saturday with a 3-2 overtime win.  Friday’s game saw a rare occurrence as the Storm had two players with a hat trick each, Matt Ustaski and Leif Mattson, an even-rarer occurrence coinciding with a loss.  In Saturday’s lower-scoring rematch that resulted in a win, Ustaski scored twice, including the game-winning goal in overtime, while Mattson appropriately scored a goal as well.

Call-up Report 

– None to report currently.

Transactions:     

Wed. 11/15: D Michael Greco signed to professional tryout (PTO)

Wed. 11/15: F Jared Christy released from professional tryout (PTO)

Tue. 11/14: F Colton Kalezic activated from Injured Reserve

Tue. 11/14: D Filip Lundqvist placed on 14-Day Injured Reserve

Sat. 11/11: G Michael Herringer signed to standard contract

Sat. 11/11: G Hayden Lavigne placed on 14-Day Injured Reserve

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