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 Evansville Thunderbolts

All Trick, No Treat as Bolts Fall to Macon, 4-1

October 29, 2017 - SPHL (SPHL)
Evansville Thunderbolts News Release


Evansville, Ind:

The Thunderbolts, who started off strong in their first two games against Peoria, seemed to have cooled off for the time being, looking lax defensively and just not finding the right bounces this weekend. After hitting the post three separate occasions, the Mayhem would come back to score almost immediately afterward, and the Bolts would fall despite leading the shot count, 35 to 24.

Evansville would strike the post twice in the first half of the first period and with consistent pressure it seemed like Macon would not be a problem for the Bolts. However, as the period went on, the Mayhem would capitalize on a couple separate defensive lapses by Evansville. The first came on the power play as a non-covered Jake Trask would bury a rebound at the goal mouth, off a rebound from a high shot by Vincent Muto, to make it 1-0. Daniel Gentzler would pick up an assist as well. A few minutes later, Macon would strike again at 11:46, this time Ryan Salkeld, off a 2-on-1 feed from Gentzler, who got around an Evansville defender to start the rush.

In the 2nd period, Evansville got some life back. Following a high sticking penalty to Macon's Stephen Pierog, Blake Thompson would let a shot go off the far half wall that bounced off a Macon player in front, between the legs of Macon goaltender Charlie Finn, making it a 2-1 game. Despite outshooting Macon all game, this was as close as the Bolts got.

In the 3rd period, Finn would continue to block shots for Macon as shots came from all around the ice in the Mayhem zone. After a Justin MacDonald shot hit the post, which would have tied the game had it been just inches further inside, the Mayhem would come right back down on an odd man rush. The initial shot by John Siemer was stopped by Brendan Jensen, but John Gustafsson was past the defense and put the puck past the prone goaltender to make it 3-1. Macon would put the game away at 13:57 as Salkeld would score his second of the contest, as he followed up on a loose puck in the slot, firing it past a screened Jensen to make it 4-1.

For the Thunderbolts, Thompson scored the lone goal and Jensen stopped 20 of 24 shots for the loss. For Macon, Salkeld scored twice, Trask scored a goal and assist, -more- Gustafsson picked up a goal and Gentzler finished with 3 assists. Finn would stop 34 of 35 shots for the victory. The Bolts head to the road next weekend for a double header in Roanoke, on Nov. 3 and 4, followed by a double header in Macon on Nov. 9 and 10, before returning home on Nov. 17 against the Peoria Rivermen.

Bolts Fall in Knoxville Ice Bears' Home Opener

The Bolts would also fall in their road game this past weekend, 7-4, in Knoxville. After a slow start, Evansville would come close multiple times in offensive spurts, however defensive woes would keep Evansville out of it and would allow 7 goals to the Ice Bears in Knoxville.

For Evansville, Tyler Deresky would score twice, Justin MacDonald and Tyler Van Kleef would add goals, Brendan Jensen would stop 16 of 22 shots for the loss and Nick Kohn would stop 1 of 2 shots in relief. For Knoxville, Josh Erickson would score a hat trick, Evan Neugold, Lawrence Cornellier and Anthony Flaherty tallied a goal and assist each, Chris Izmerlian would tally a goal and Tommy Kelley, along with Chris Santello, would add 2 assists each. Zoltan Hetenyi would stop 36 of 40 for the win.

About Evansville Thunderbolts: The Evansville Thunderbolts is the area's only professional hockey team. The Thunderbolts are a proud member of the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL). The team is owned and operated by VW Sports, L.L.C, a subsidiary of VenuWorks, Inc. www.evansvillethunderbolts.com


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