Evansville, In.:  Behind three shorthanded goals and an all-around strong performance by the Thunderbolts, Evansville handily defeated the Quad City Storm on Saturday night at Ford Center, 5-1 the final score. The Thunderbolts next home game will be on Friday, January 28th at 7:00pm CST as they host the Huntsville Havoc. For tickets, call (812)422-BOLT (2658), buy online at EvansvilleThunderbolts.com, or buy tickets in person at the Ford Center Box Office.
Zane Jones opened the scoring with a shorthanded breakaway goal only 3:52 into the game off a feed from Austin Plevy. Despite a heavy shot advantage for Evansville, the Storm managed to tie things up as Shane Bennett scored at 12:29 to even the score at 1-1. Shorthanded for long stretches early in the second period, Jones again managed to score shorthanded to give Evansville a 2-1 lead, this time on a 3-on-1 rush to the Storm zone, assisted by Coy Prevost at 2:57 to give Prevost his first professional point. Storm goaltender Thomas Proudlock kept Quad City only down by a 2-1 score for the rest of the second period, stopping 11 of 12 shots, many in spectacular fashion.
Early in the third period, Prevost scored his first professional goal at 2:11, off a Storm turnover and net-front pass from Plevy to extend Evansville’s lead to 3-1. The Thunderbolts got into penalty trouble midway through the third period but were able to score their third shorthanded goal of the night as Plevy scored on a breakaway after Proudlock turned the puck over attempting to pass the puck up ice, unassisted at 13:18 of the third period. The game’s lone fight occurred shortly afterward between Timothy Faulkner and Quad City’s Marcus Ortiz, after the Storm were denied a goal on a net-front opportunity. Although Billett was not nearly as busy as Proudlock, he had to make big saves in bursts, including in the final five minutes with Quad City playing with an empty net and extra attacker on the ice. Tanner Butler wrapped up the scoring with 31 seconds remaining on a 170-foot shot into the empty Quad City net, assisted by Plevy to make it 5-1.
Jones scored two goals, Plevy finished with a goal and three assists, Prevost tallied a goal and one assist, and Butler finished with one goal. Billett finished with 16 saves on 17 shots for his 12th win of the season. The Thunderbolts next face the Storm on Friday, February 4th at Ford Center.
