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Evansville IceMen Weekly

November 25, 2012 - ECHL (ECHL)
Evansville IceMen News Release


THIS WEEK'S GAMES: (4)

WED. NOV. 21 ICEMEN 0 AT WHEELING 4 WED. NOV. 28 AT CINCINNATI 6:30 PM

FRI. NOV. 23 ICEMEN 2 AT TRENTON 3 FRI. NOV. 30 AT CINCINNATI 6:30 PM

SAT. NOV. 24 ICEMEN 4 AT READING 2 SAT. DEC. 1 VS. KALAMAZOO 7:15 PM

SUN. DEC. 2 VS. TOLEDO 5:00 PM

NEXT HOME GAMES: ***SAT. DEC. 1ST KALAMAZOO 7:15 PM; SUN. DEC. 2ND TOLEDO 5:00 PM***

RUNDOWN/LOWDOWN: As their ever-present injury list continues to grow in unprecedented, unparalleled fashion, the resilient Evansville IceMen continue to perform their craft with exemplary character and fortitude. Under the guidance of third-year General Manager/Head Coach Rich Kromm, the proud men of the Tri-State ice have remained fiercely competitive and combative despite their sharply-expurgated roster which has reduced their player numbers to the bare minimum. Playing the first three games of five consecutive appearances on foreign ice the past Thanksgiving holiday week, the IceMen compiled a 3(1-2-0) mark, culminating their week's work abroad with an emotionally-charged 4-2 victory verdict at Reading. Operating with only 15-total players including a mere 8-forwards, Evansville's finest on ice stunningly derailed the red-hot Royals and their club record and ECHL season-best 11-game win streak. This week, the IceMen bridge the last week of November into the first week of December when they confront another ambitious agenda consisting of 4-games in 5-days with all 4-outings opposing members of their own Eastern Conference North Division. Evansville launches the week with a pair of games at division front-running Cincinnati 16(10-4-2)22 on Wednesday and Friday nights to conclude a span of 5-consecutive games away from home bay. After a two-week absence, the IceMen Icers return home to the Ford Center for a pair of appearances this weekend on both Saturday and Sunday. The Kalamazoo Wings are here on Saturday night while Toledo is in town on Sunday.

PREMIUM PROMOS PRONTO: This weekend, the IceMen will be presenting even more stimulating, exciting promotional events at the Ford Center for the fans entertainment enjoyment. Saturday night, when the IceMen guest Kalamazoo, the IceMen present their annual "STAR WARS NIGHT" and "PACK THE HOUSE NIGHT." Then on Sun-day when the Toledo Walleye visit, the IceMen will present the world-famous "BIRD-ZERK" and his unique form of talented exploits and hijinks.

"ICEMEN LIVE PRESENTED BY COORS LIGHT:" The IceMen ever-popular weekly Monday night radio show is on the air everywhere for a third consecutive year right in your listening ear. This week, show host Terry Ficorelli's special guests will be two IceMen newcomers; namely left wing Carlo Finucci and defenseman Jared Lavender. It's "IceMen Live Presented by Coors Light," Monday nights from 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm live from Show-Me's East and on the IceMen flagship home of the new "Magic 98.5 FM" and 1400 AM WEOA as well as world-wide on magic985fm.com and 1400amweoa.com.

WRAP THE RECAP: Severely stricken with a spate of injuries and multi-various maladies, the IceMen salvaged a 3-games in 4-nights long and arduous Thanksgiving week foreign ice excursion with a mighty, momentous, monumental and magnificent victory at Reading Saturday night, 4-2. In halting the Royals extraordinary 11-game win streak, the IceMen were majestic as goaltender Paul Karpowich repelled 37-shots while Dan Gendur furnished offensive firepower with a pair of strikes; his first one on the power play, broke a 1-1 tie while his second, early in the middle stanza proved to be the ultimate GWG. Evansville operated with only 13-skaters and 2-goalkeepers and still prevailed. The IceMen broached the holiday week road sojourn Wednesday night in a 4-0 shutout defeat inflicted by Wheeling. Friday night at Trenton, the injury-infested men of the igloo failed to solidify a 2-0 advantage in falling to the Titans, 3-2.

WHERE HAVE ALL THE PLAYERS GONE?: The IceMen injury infestation seems to be continuing without hesitation. Presently, there are 10-players nursing a myriad of maladies. The elongated list includes 6-defensemen; Jesse Perrin, Aaron Gens, Jake Obermeyer, Philippe Plante, Austin Madaisky and Anton Blomqvist. Meanwhile there are 4-forwards on the shelf as well; left wings Oliver Gabriel and Mark Cody, right wing Trent Vogelhuber and center, team captain Todd Robinson. Not to be overlooked is left wing Patrick Kennedy who is currently serving an ECHL-imposed suspension. Five new recruits have arrived as team reinforcements. They include defensemen Derek Foam (called up from SPHL Huntsville); Jared Lavender (signed as a free agent from Quad City CHL); and Sean Whitney (obtained in a deal with ECHL San Francisco) along with left wing Carlo Finucci (acquired from Reading); and right wing Jim McKenzie (secured from Trenton).

THE FIRST 19-GAMES: Through the initial 19-games of the current campaign, the IceMen have compiled a composite record of 19(6-12-1) totaling 13-points. In extracting their hard-earned, richly-deserved decision from the Royals in Reading Saturday night, the IceMen exorcised the demons from a 3-game losing streak in which they had been out-goaled 14-4. In their last 7-games, the IceMen have composed a winning mark of 7(4-3-0); for November, they are right on the .500 barrier at 12(6-6-0). Their longest win streak of the season has been 3-in a row; longest losing spell has been 5-straight.

HOME HIATUS: When the IceMen host division rival Kalamazoo this Saturday night, it will mark their first appearance at home in two weeks at the Ford Center. For the season, the IceMen home record has been less-than-ideal at 10(2-8-0) with both victories attained by a scant single goal margin; a 4-3 verdict over Wheeling back on November 2nd and a 2-1 triumph over South Carolina on November 10th. The IceMen are searching for their first set of back-to-back home wins for this season.

COMFORT ZONE AWAY FROM HOME: Having posted a 3(1-2-0) record through their initial trio of 5-consecutive games on the road, the IceMen away record continues to be superior to their home standing stats. Evansville is right on the .500 plateau in enemy ice warfare at 9(4-4-1), having actually attained a winning mark of 7(4-3-0) abroad in November. Their longest win streak on the road has been 2-in a row. They have also enjoyed a stretch of a 4(3-1-0) mark at one time this season.

DIVISION DISSECTION: The IceMen record according to division at this juncture of the campaign: North Division; 8(3-4-1); Atlantic Division; 6(2-4-0); South Division; 5(1-4-0).

SATURDAY SWEET SUCCESS: By virtue of their 4-2 triumph Saturday night at Reading, the IceMen have extended their winning streak on Saturday nights to 4-in a row with three of those victories spirited away on the road. The IceMen 4-successive Saturday wins accordingly; Nov. 3rd at Toledo, 4-1; Nov. 10th at home against South Carolina, 2-1; Nov. 17th at Fort Wayne, 5-0; Nov. 24th at Reading, 4-2. Evansville has allotted only 4-GA in this 4-game Saturday night winning streak. The last setback on Saturday was back on October 27th in Kalamazoo.

TOP OF THE CROP: Despite his injury which has forced him to miss the past 3-games, center Todd Robinson 16(1-15-16) still ranks #2 in PPA with 12 while his total number of assists (15) rank as 6th most in the league. Injured right wing Trent Vogelhuber leads all ECHL rookies in SHG with 2 which also ranks him league-wide runner-up overall. Matt Gens ranks tied for 11th in ECHL defense scoring with 19(3-8-11). Gens 48-SOG rank 4th among the rearguards and his 16-minor penalties tie for second most among the league defense and third overall in the league.

DAN-DAZZLING: Five-year pro Dan Gendur appears to be coming out of hibernation for the IceMen nation. The former CHL standout with Rio Grande Valley emerged as the scoring hero in Saturday night's thrilling victory at Reading. He fired a pair of strikes with his first goal snapping a 1-1 tie on a late first period power play and his second early in the middle frame proving to be the ultimate GWG. Earning the game's #2 Star, Gendur became the third IceMen player to author a 2-goal performance, being preceded by Trent Vogelhuber and Josh Beaulieu. He is the first IceMen to register 2-GWG for the season with both strikes sniped on the road. Gendur is the IceMen nomination for ECHL Player of the Week.

"KARPO" KINETIC: First-year goaltender Paul Karpowich is saving some of his most exceptional efforts during his teams invasions into hostile enemy territory. The past Saturday night, in the IceMen 4-2 trumping of the Royals in Reading, the former Clarkson U. standout was utterly sprouting rubber limbs on demand with his lustrous leather larceny. Making a season-high 37-saves, with 32 of those detoured in the latter two periods combined, Karpowich was hailed the game's #1 Star. In earning his third win of the season, Karpowich is the IceMen nomination for ECHL Goaltender of the Week.

"J.D." DANGLING: Fleet center Jason Dale is high-stepping it with lightning coming out of his skate blades in recent action. The past week, he collected two more scoring points including the key, touch-in-the-clutch ENG Saturday night in Reading to cement his team's alien ice success, 4-2. Averaging a point a game through the last 6-games, Dale is 6(2-4-6) during that stretch.

CARLO CONNECTO: One of the newest IceMen player acquisitions, during this transformation in the team roster due to the inordinate number of injuries, is left wing Carlo Finucci. The first year pro, a former BCHL junior `A' league scoring titlist and MVP with his hometown team the Burnaby, (B.C.) Express, expressed himself in loud and clarion tones Saturday night. On his first shift in his first game against his former Reading team, he connected on the game's FG at the 0:28 of the opening period. In the process, Finucci percolated his new team's fastest goal from the start of a period and start of a game thus far this season.

THE VET "TETS" TOPS: Thirteen-year veteran defenseman Daniel Tetrault has been a real "Rock of Gibraltar" on the IceMen injury-riddled and ravaged defense. In Saturday night's spellbinding and riveting win at Reading, the 33-year-old All-Star was at the top of his game, achieving a brilliant +3 rating, the best for an individual game performance thus far this season for the IceMen.

UNEVEN STRENGTH STRONG: The IceMen special teams have been sound and solid for the preponderance of the current campaign. The power play begins the new week ranked 8th in the ECHL with a proficiency rating of 19.2%, going 19-99. It is 4 for the last 19; 21.1% and 6 for the last 28; 23.1%. The penalty-killing ensemble cast continues to be extremely effective. It is 41 for the last 46; 90% and 71 for the last 80; 88.8% efficiency rating. Evansville has produced 3-SHG while yielding a league-high 6-SHGA.

HISTORY THROUGH NUMEROLOGY: Josh Beaulieu's assist on the IceMen FG Saturday night in the victory at Reading was his 100th career point with 62 of those collected in less than a season and a half with the IceMen. Right wing Tyler Shelast (199) next game will be the 200th of his pro career. Carlo Finucci's goal Saturday night at Reading was his first-ever as a pro. Daniel Tetrault (744) is 6-games shy of pro career 750.

FEW FUN FAST FACTS FROM "FIC": The IceMen have been outscored at home in the first period, 12-5 but on the road they have been stellar in the same stanza, outscoring their opponents, 9-6. In the last 2-games, the IceMen scored their 2-fastest goals from both the start of a period and game. Patrick Kennedy connected at 1:15 of the opening period Friday night at Trenton before Carlo Finucci trumped that effort with the game's FG at 0:28 of the first period in Reading on Saturday night. Josh Beaulieu has 13-points in the last 13-games; 13(6-7-13). In his last 9-games, Matt Gens is 9(2-6-8). In his IceMen debut Saturday night at Reading, Jim McKenzie earned the primary assist on the GWG by Dan Gendur and also gained a +1 rating for the night. The IceMen have scored the game's FG in 7 of the last 9-games after being without such achievement through the first 10-games of the season. The IceMen are 7(5-1-1) entering the third period with the lead.

THE ICEMEN GAME CALENDAR FOR THIS WEEK:

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28TH THE ICEMEN AT CINCINNATI 6:30 PM

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30TH THE ICEMEN AT CINCINNATI 6:30 PM

The IceMen will tangle with the North Division leading Cyclones for the second and third times this season with all three clashes occurring in the "Queen City." The IceMen lead the series, 1(1-0-0) on the impetus of a late, dramatic, 4-3 conquest back November 15th. Dan Gendur's late PPG with 1:11 remaining in the third period claimed the triumph for the IceMen and ended Cincinnati's season-opening 5-game win streak at home.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1ST KALAMAZOO AT THE ICEMEN 7:15 PM

For the first time in two weeks, the IceMen make a home appearance with the Wings providing the opposition. Kalamazoo leads the series 2(2-0-0) after sweeping an early season home-and-home series back on October 26th and 27th.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 2ND TOLEDO AT THE ICEMEN 5:00 PM

The Walleye make their first-ever appearance in Evansville after the IceMen submerged them, 4-1, back on November 3rd in the first-ever meeting between the two newly-created North Division foes at Toledo. The Walleye have been prospering on the road with an impressive 9(6-2-1) record overall and a current 4-game winning streak in enemy territory.

THE ICEMEN ON THE "NEW MAGIC 98.5 FM" WEOA/WEOA-AM 1400 & THE ICEMEN RADIO NETWORK: All of the IceMen game broadcasts are on flagship stations, the all-new "Magic 98.5 FM," WEOA as well as on WEOA-AM 1400. Also, on the world-wide internet at 1400amweoa.com and magic985fm.com as well as on the IceMen Radio Network. WLME-FM 102.7, "The Game" in Owensboro, KY; WMSK-AM 1550, Morganfield, KY and WVLN-AM 740 in Olney, IL all broadcast the complete schedule of IceMen games while WITZ-AM 990 and WITZ-FM 104.7, Jasper, IN carry a select schedule of games, numbering 23-30.

THE ICEMEN DAILY UPDATES ARE EVERYWHERE ON THE AIR: The IceMen daily update reports can now be heard on 18-different radio outlets throughout the Tri-State region. Flagship WEOA-FM 98.5 and WEOA-AM 1400 program the IceMen report at 4:20 pm Monday through Friday. The Townsquare Media family of stations: WGBF-AM 1280; WGBF-FM 103.1; WKDQ-FM 99.5; WJLT-FM 105.3; WKDS-FM 106.1; WKBR-FM 92.5, Owensboro, KY and WOMI-AM 1490, Owensboro, KY present the report every afternoon in drive time between 4:00 pm and 5:00 pm. Elsewhere, WITZ-AM 990 and WITZ-FM 104.7 in Jasper, IN; WSON-AM 860 and WSON-FM 96.5 in Henderson, KY; WMSK-AM 1550, WMSK-FM 101.3 in Morganfield, KY; WRAY-AM 1250 in Princeton, IN; WLME-FM 1-2.7, "The Game" in Owensboro, KY and WYFX-FM ESPN Radio 106.7, Mount Vernon, IN.

THE ICEMEN TICKET INFORMATION: IceMen single game tickets for all 36-home games are on sale at the Ford Center Box Office and at Ticketmaster.com or by contacting the IceMen offices for various season ticket plans and great group rates at (812) 421-GOAL (4625). Visit the IceMen website at www.evansvilleicemen.com.

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