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IceMen Weekly

November 19, 2012 - ECHL (ECHL)
Evansville IceMen News Release


RUNDOWN/LOWDOWN: Despite operating with a player roster riddled and ravaged with injuries and player recalls, the Evansville IceMen, proud ECHL affiliate of the Columbus Blue Jackets and St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League and the Springfield Falcons and Peoria Rivermen of the American Hockey League, played with great character, fortitude, fabric and fiber in compiling a 3(2-1-0) work week which included an impressive sweep of a two-game road journey. Under the auspices of third-year General Manager/Head Coach Rich Kromm, the IceMen extracted solid road wins at first place Cincinnati and Fort Wayne before falling expended and exhausted in a Sunday setback on home ice against red-hot Reading. Having completed their five-game November home slate, Evansville's finest on ice will embark on an extended five game foreign ice excursion, commencing with a trio of encounters against Atlantic Division competition on this Thanksgiving holiday week. The IceMen launch the escapade Wednesday night at Wheeling before traveling to Trenton Friday, concluding with an encore engagement arrangement in Reading against the divisional front-running Royals. The IceMen will not return to their home of the Ford Center until Saturday night, December 1st when they host division rival Kalamazoo on "Star Wars Night" and "Pack the House Night." On Sunday, December 2nd, the IceMen will guest another division foe when Toledo comes to town. On that special night, the IceMen will present for your entertainment enjoyment the world famous "BirdZerk."

PREMIUM PROMOS PROMISE: In the midst of playing five consecutive games in the ECHL's exotic burgs, the IceMen will be absent from the amiable climes and environs of their home of the fabulous Ford Center until Saturday night, December 1st when they engage in combat with the divisional rivals, Kalamazoo Wings. It will be "Star Wars Night" as well as "Pack the House Night." Then on the following evening, Sunday, December 2nd, the "Men of the Igloo" nation will await the invasion to their palatial premises of another division entry, the Toledo Walleye. The world famous "BirdZerk" will be in the loud crowd to entertain.

"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 defensemen 7-Daniel Tetrault and 44-Derek Foam. It's "IceMen Live Presented by Coors Light," Monday nights from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm live from Show-Me's East and on the IceMen flagship 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: Confronting the daunting task of 3-games in 4-nights with the first pair away from the home bay, the depleted and decimated IceMen swept a pair of alien ice invasions against the top two teams in their own Eastern Conference North Division. Thursday night in Cincinnati, they inflicted the Cyclones with their initial home defeat of the season, 4-3, Dan Gendur's late third period PPG with only 1:11 remaining captured the conquest for the victors. Saturday night at Fort Wayne, the IceMen swelled the win streak to a season's best 3-in succession when they dominated the always-formidable Fort Wayners, 5-0. Rookie goalkeeper Paul Karpowich brushed aside 23-shots to achieve his first-ever pro shutout as the Evansville special teams percolated in precision-like fashion to the tune of 2-PPG and 2-SHG. Five different major marquee marksmen were featured in an IceMen well-balanced scoring ammo arsenal. Sunday, at home, the spent and expended IceMen succumbed to a 5-goal third period flurry from red-hot Reading in a 7-2 defeat. Patrick Kennedy (PPG) and Dale Mahovsky each connected in the middle stanza to eradicate a 2-0 deficit and forge a 2-2 tie before the door lost its hinges.

THE IMPROVE GROOVE: Through their 3(2-1-0) record for the week, the strapped and sapped of manpower IceMen icers have improved their overall record after 16-games to 16(5-10-1) 11-points. The IceMen did have a season's best 3-game win streak stopped Sunday by Reading, though Evansville's record for November remains above the .500 barrier at 9(5-4-0).

HOME GROAN: In bowing Sunday on home ice to Reading, 7-2, the IceMen saw their home mark decline to 10(2-8-0) 4-points. They completed their November home slate with a mark of 5(2-3-0). Their longest losing streak at home has been 5-in a row. The IceMen have yet to attain back-to-back victories on home ice thus far this season.

ROAD REVELRY: The IceMen have been prospering in their invasions into ECHL inimical boundaries. With a sweep of their brief two-game sojourn to Cincinnati and Fort Wayne, Evansville has assembled its initial 2-game road win streak of the season, actually posting a sparkling 4(3-1-0) mark in their last quartet of starts abroad. For the season, the IceMen have compiled a winning road warriors record of 6(3-2-1), collecting 7-points in 6-away dates.

THE DIVISION DIARY: The IceMen have accrued 5-victories thus far this season. North Division: 8(3-4-1); Atlantic Division: 3(1-2-0); South Division: 5(1-4-0).

CENTER STAGE STARS: Todd Robinson has ascended into the ECHL top 20 scoring derby with 16(1-15-16). Robinson's 15-total assists rank tied for third most in the loop while his 12-PPA pace the ECHL and his 12-PP/Points rank tied for the third best league-wide. Matt Gens 16(3-7-10) is tied for 9th in ECHL defense scoring. Josh Beaulieu's 4-PPG tie him for third most in the league.

TAPE-TO-TAPE TODD: The IceMen pre-eminent prince of points playmaking pivot Todd Robinson enjoyed a stellar past week. In 3-games, the perennial All-Star center maestroed 5-masterful assists in 4-games with 4 of those essayed on the power play. For the week; 3(0-5-5) to push his personal point streak to 5-games; 5(0-7-7). Robinson is the IceMen nomination for ECHL Player of the Week.

CAT-QUICK "KARPO": First-year goaltender Paul Karpowich was scintillating Saturday night in Fort Wayne as he was adjudicated the game's #1 Star in his team's 5-0 verdict over the Komets. It was Karpowich first-ever pro shutout, rebuking all 23-Fort Wayne offerings in earning his second victory of the current campaign. Karpowich is the IceMen nomination for ECHL Goaltender of the Week.

BO-BLITZ-BREW: Sixth-year left wing Josh Beaulieu continues to serve the IceMen as a true "Unsung Hero." In Saturday night's resounding success at archrival Fort Wayne, he delivered his team-highs 7th goal of the season and 4th on the power play. In his last 10-games, Beaulieu is averaging slightly better than a point a game with 10(6-5-11); last 4(3-2-5).

GENS JAMMIN: All-Star defenseman Matt Gens is finding his form in recent IceMen game activity. The past week, the older brother netted a pair of special teams' goals with the first one authored as the game's FG and on the power play Thursday night in his team's stunning 4-3 trumping of Cincinnati. His second strike was stoked in electrifying fashion in a shorthanded situation Saturday night in the Evansville lopsided victory in Fort Wayne. All 3 of M. Gens goals have been stroked on the road with 2-PPG and 1-SHG to account for his seasonal arsenal.

THE DALE DAILY: Center Jason Dale is getting in the mood with his offensive capabilities in recent action. The past week, he collected 4-points in 3-games on 1-goal, 3-assists. Dale delivered his first IceMen goal of the season in Saturday night's convincing conquest in the contest at Fort Wayne. It was an IceMen PPG. In that win, he engineered a pair of points on 1-goal, 1-assist.

SPECIAL TEAMS TOPS: One of the true high points of the IceMen season to this point has been the remarkable performance of their special teams. The power play has been a potent power plant, generating productivity by operating at an excellent 28% proficiency by going 14 for the last 50. The penalty-killing cast has been brilliant as well, having halted 26 of the last 28; 92.9% and 54 of the last 62-enemy man advantages for a mark of 87.1%.

MILESTONES MASTERS: Dale Mahovsky's second period GTG Sunday at home against Reading was his 100th pro career point. Josh Beaulieu (98) is 2-points shy of pro career 100 with 60 of those points collected since the beginning of the 2011-12 season when he joined the IceMen. Tyler Shelast (196) is 4-games shy of pro career 200. Head Coach Rich Kromm (377) is 23-wins away from career 400.

FEW FUN FAST FACTS FROM "FIC" The IceMen have won 3-in a row on Saturday night; 4-1 at Toledo 11/3; 2-1 over South Carolina at home 11/10/12 and 5-0 at Fort Wayne 11/17/12. Evansville has outscored their opponents on Saturday night by a combined, 11-2. The IceMen streak of scoring the game's FG was halted after 5-straight games when Reading connected on same in the first period Sunday in Evansville. The 5-0 triumph Saturday in Fort Wayne represented Evansville's best single game offensive output of the season and is the IceMen largest margin of victory at this juncture of the season. The first and third periods on home ice have been less than desirable for the IceMen, being outscored12-5 in the first period and 19-5 in the fateful final frame for a combined count of 31-10. The IceMen have a winning record in one-goal games of 6(3-2-1). The IceMen followed their largest margin of victory Saturday night in Fort Wayne, 5-0 with their worst loss of the season Sunday at home where they fell to Reading, 7-2.

THE ICEMEN GAME CALENDAR FOR THIS WEEK:

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 21ST THE ICEMEN AT WHEELING 6:00 PM

The IceMen and the Nailers clash for round two of their season series with Evansville leading the season series, 1-0. In the lone previous session staged back on November 2nd at the Ford Center, the home team prevailed, 4-3. Wheeling opens the week reeling. The Nailers are winless in their 6-starts; 6(0-4-2). They begin the week occupying 4th place in the Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. Wheeling's NHL affiliations are with the Montreal Canadiens and the Pittsburgh Penguins.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 23RD THE ICEMEN AT TRENTON 6:00 PM

For the second time around, it's the IceMen tangling with the Titans. Evansville relented back on October 19th as the Titans prevailed, 4-3 at the Evansville Ford Center. After a sterling start that saw Trenton win its first 5-in a row, the Titans are 8(1-6-1) in their last 8-decisions.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 24TH THE ICEMEN AT READING 6:00 PM

For the second time in less than a full week, the IceMen and the torrid Royals will duel with Reading leading the series 1(1-0-0). Reading abruptly halted the IceMen 3-game win streak the past Sunday in Evansville with a 5-goal third period uprising to overwhelm the IceMen, 7-2. It was the Royals 9th consecutive victory which is the longest win streak achieved in the ECHL at this juncture of the season.

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-A< 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 102.7, "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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