Bloomington Thunder Weekly
Published on February 18, 2014 under SPHL (SPHL)
Bloomington Thunder News Release
The Bloomington Thunder remain only three points out of a playoff spot as they prepare to conclude a homestand with three games in the upcoming week.
Playoff push: The Thunder enter the week tied for ninth place in the Southern Professional Hockey League standings with the Fayetteville FireAntz with 34 points, three behind the eighth-place Columbus Cottonmouths. The Cottonmouths visit Fayetteville tonight (Tuesday). The Knoxville Ice Bears hold the seventh spot with 39 points, just five ahead of the Thunder as the teams meet Sunday, Monday and Tuesday at U.S. Cellular Coliseum.
Hard Knox-ville: The Ice Bears captured four out of six points last weekend, losing at Columbus 4-1 on Friday, beating the visiting Mississippi Surge 2-1 in a shootout on Saturday and winning 3-2 at Huntsville on Sunday. Francis Drolet leads the Ice Bears with 15 goals and 19 assists for 34 points followed by Eric Satim with 14 goals and 16 assists for 30 points. Bryan Hince has handled most of the time in net with 34 appearances and a record of 16-13-4, a 2.68 goals against average and a .908 save percentage. The Ice Bears lost to the Pensacola Ice Flyers in last year's President's Cup finals. This is the first meeting of the season between the Thunder and the Ice Bears, and both teams are off until Sunday's first contest of the three-game series. The Thunder will play the Ice Bears one more time after this week on March 1 in Bloomington's only visit to Knoxville.
Weekend review: The Thunder dropped 7-3 and 4-2 contests to the Mississippi RiverKings on Friday and Saturday, but rebounded for their largest comeback by scoring four straight goals for a 5-4 overtime win over Fayetteville on Sunday. The win improved the Thunder's overtime record to 4-2 and marked the first time in 22 games that the Thunder earned the win when trailing after two periods. Bobby Watson scored the tying goal with 55 seconds showing in regulation and Peter Cintala collected the game-winner at 2:28 of overtime.
Making their marks: The Thunder are led in scoring by Travis Granbois with nine goals and 24 assists for 33 points followed by Tyler Noseworthy with nine goals and 16 assists for 25 points after breaking an eight-game point drought with a goal on Friday. Goal-scoring leader Kyle Watson is third in scoring with 11 lamp-lighters and 10 assists for 21 points, although he has not tallied in eight games and broke a seven-game point drought with an assist on Sunday.
Elementary, my dear Watson: Bobby Watson has begun his professional career with a bang. He did not collect a point in his first game on February 8 at Huntsville, but in his next four games he registered four goals and three assists for seven points and a plus-5 rating. His four-game point streak is the longest current run on the Thunder.
Roster-faria: The Thunder placed forward Dennis Sicard on the 30-day injured reserve list after suffering a lower body injury in the third period of Friday's game. The Thunder signed forward and Champaign native Marcus Mitchell on Saturday; Mitchell collected one assist and 19 penalty minutes in 14 games earlier this season with the Federal Hockey League's Danville Dashers.
Special pricing is available for all three games against the Knoxville Ice Bears this week. Sunday is Kids Day with $5 tickets for those 12 and under, $3 kids meals and post-game skate with the players for all ages. Monday's 7:05 p.m. face-off is the Ultimate Office Party with details available through the Thunder office by calling 309-434-2980. Tuesday's 7:05 p.m. game is $2 Tuesday with drafts, soda, hot dogs and popcorn all available for $2. The games can be heard on 93.7 FM inside U.S. Cellular Coliseum and on WJBC.com and viewed via subscription through America One Sports with links to the online broadcasts found at www.bloomingtonthunder.com. Thunder information can also be found on Facebook and Twitter (BLMThunder). Group discounts are available by calling 309-434-2980 and individual and game day tickets are available at the U.S. Cellular Coliseum box office or by calling 309-434-2679.
SPHL Stories from February 18, 2014
- Cottonmouths Split Weekend; Play 4 this Week - Columbus Cottonmouths
- Kyle Rank Named SPHL Easton Player of the Week - Peoria Rivermen
- Rivermen Netminder Kyle Rank Named Easton Player of the Week - SPHL
- Bloomington Thunder Weekly - Bloomington Thunder
- Ice Flyers Begin Season Ticket Renewals February 20 - Pensacola Ice Flyers
- Rivermen Sign Locke Jillson to Three-Game Tryout - Peoria Rivermen
- Rank Sets SPHL Record for Single Season Shutouts - Peoria Rivermen
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