Evansville IceMen Weekly

Published on November 20, 2011 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Evansville IceMen News Release


THE ICEMEN MAJESTICS: Facing their most formidable test thus far in this 2011-12 Central Hockey League season, the Evansville IceMen responded in royal and regal fashion. Under the direction of second-year General Manager/ Head Coach Rich Kromm, the IceMen surged augustly and majestically into first place in the CHL Turner Conference by virtue of their weekend 2-game home-and-home series sweep of their nagging nemesis, the Missouri Mavericks. What has made the feat even more impressive is the fact that the IceMen have played the fewest number of games in the league with 10. Through those 10-games, the IceMen have compiled a brilliant mark of 10(8-1-1) totaling 17-points and a one point advantage over second place Missouri 12(7-3-2)16 with 2-games in hand on the Mavericks. Evansville has gained a 4-points' advantage over third place Rapid City 12(6-5-1)13 and Dayton 12(5-4-3) 13 with the Rush having lost 3-consecutively and the Gems winning 3-in a row. It's an IceMen 5-points lead over fifth place Fort Wayne 11(6-5-0)12 as we enter Thanksgiving week across the circuit. In the midst of playing 6-consecu-tive games on foreign ice spanning over a two weeks period, the men of Evansville pro hockey fame and fortune will travel to Rapid City for a Thanksgiving week 3-game series against the Rush. The IceMen are making their first of a pair of excursions to the South Dakota city for this campaign. The "Kromm crew" will lock horns with the Rush on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights of this week. The IceMen next home game will not be until Sunday December 4th at 5:00 pm at their new home of the Ford Center where they will wage warfare with the Bloomington Blaze.

NEXT HOME GAME SUN. DEC. 4TH: The first place IceMen are presently on an extended 16- day hiatus from their home of the Ford Center. They are currently on a 6-game road sojourn with one down and 5-more to go for the hometown team. The IceMen next home appearance will not be until Sunday, December 4th when they tackle conference foe Bloomington in a 5:00 pm affair on "The IceMen Great White-Out." The IceMen are launching their schedule having to be play 11 of their initial 15-games in enemy territory.

"ICEMEN LIVE PRESENTED BY COORS LIGHT:" Due to IceMen travel conflicts this holiday week, "IceMen Live Presented by Coors Light," will not be presented this Monday night. "IceMen Live Presented by Coors Light" will return on Monday, November 28th from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm, live from Show-Me's East and on radio flagship WEOA-AM 1400 and 1400amweoa.com.

FIRST PLACE PALACE: On the impetus of back-to-back victory verdicts the past weekend over Missouri, the IceMen have displaced the Mavericks for the CHL Turner Conference leadership in the standings with still 2-in hand games remaining. For the season, their record is the best in the league at .10(8-1-1)17. This past Thursday night on home ice, the IceMen did see their season-inaugurating streak stopped at 7(6-0-1) when they were ambushed by archrival Fort Wayne, 5-2. Incorporating the pre-season, Evansville's "men of ice" have posted a glowing, gleaming mark of 12(10-1-1). When including both late last season and this year's pre-season docket, the top-drawer club has assembled a sterling record of 15(12-1-2) through the last 15-games and 18(12-2-4) over the last 18-assignments. The longest win streak of the season has been 5-in a row which represents a tie for the second longest win streak in the entire CHL. The longest unsullied skein has been 7(6-0-1). Monthly records: October 2(1-0-1) November 8(7-1-0).

FORD FORMIDABLE: Though they ingested their initial and lone loss thus far this season the past Thursday night to archenemy Fort Wayne, 5-2, the IceMen, nevertheless, continue to sport a supreme home mark of 4(3-1-0) totaling 6-points. Dating back to last season, they are 10(6-1-3) in their last 10-appearances at home and 15(8-3-4) in the last 15-outings. The IceMen have played the fewest number of games in the league with only 10 while their 4-home appearances also rank with several others as the least around the circuit.

UNBEATEN ABROAD: On the strength of their emphatic 6-3 vanquishing of the Mavericks Saturday night in Missouri, the IceMen have remained, remarkably, undefeated on the road as their league-best 6(5-0-1) mark attests. Only Berry Conference king Allen has stayed unsullied abroad through 8-contests at 8(5-0-3). Currently, Evansville is riding the crest of a season's best 4-game road win streak which represents the second longest attained in the CHL thus far this season. Including the pre-season schedule, the IceMen unblemished skein away from home bay has progressed to 8(7-0-1). Dating back to last season, the IceMen have compiled a star-studded mark of an indomitable 9(8-0-1).

CONFERENCE CAPSULE: Thus far this season, the first place IceMen have played each and every game within their own Turner Conference, assembling a mark of 10(8-1-1), collecting 17 of a possible 20-points. The breakdown: Dayton 3(3-0-0); Fort Wayne 4(2-1-1); Missouri 2(2-0-0); Bloomington 1-0-0). Evansville is actually playing its first 14-games within its own Turner Conference and will not lock antlers with a Berry Conference opponent until early December.

GOAL PATROL SOUL: Since the inception of this current season, the IceMen have evolved into a stingy and stellar defensive team and machine. Evansville continues to lead the league, having allotted only 21-GA in 10-games for a GAA of a frugal, league-foremost 2.10. Adding the pre-season activities, the IceMen still have permitted only those 21-GA totaling 12-games.

TOP FLIGHT MIGHT: This week, Todd Robinson is tied for 3rd in CHL scoring with 10(3-15-18), averaging a prodigious 1.8 points per game. Josh Beaulieu 9(5-7-12) also ranks in the top 20 hit parade. Robinson's 15-assists tie him for 2nd spot league-wide. Robinson's 7-PPA do top the CHL list in that department. Brian Bicek tops the CHL in SHG with 3; Philippe Plante leads the CHL in goal-scoring shooting percentage; 3/7; .429; Plante also tops the loop in SHA with 2. Among the CHL defensemen, Philippe Plante is circuit 7th in scoring with 9(3-6-9); Matt Gens is 10th 10(4-3-7); Steven Makway is 11th with 10(1-6-7). Plante and Gens share the league-leadership in GWG with 2. In the goaltending category, Pier-Olivier Pelletier is #1 in the CHL with a GAA of 2.26 and SPCT of .936. His 5-wins tie him for third most in the loop.

GENS GEMS: Sixth year veteran defenseman Matt Gens has been extraordinary thus far this season for the first place Evansville club. The past Friday night, he delivered some real drama, suspense and thrilling theatre when he connected on the GWG/OT goal with only :36 remaining to spark his IceMen club to a dynamic, gigantic dramatic 2-1 OT victory over Missouri. In his first 10-games; 10(4-3-7) with his 4-goals foremost among IceMen defense corps. Two of those 4-strikes stoked have been GWG. His +6 rating ranks 4th best for the IceMen.

THE PHIL-THRILL: Not to be overshadowed on the IceMen defense has been 13-year veteran Philippe Plante. He is the IceMen top scoring defenseman, averaging a point a game; 9(3-6-9). Two of the All-Star defenseman's 3-goals have been GWG with 2-more strikes stoked on the power play. Presently on a 3-game point streak; 3(2-2-4), Plante is tied with Todd Robinson as the IceMen best premium, positive plus player at +8.

THE PELLETIER PAYDAY: The league's #1 goalkeeper, Pier-Olivier Pelletier has been exactly what the doctor ordered this season for the IceMen. Through 7-games, he is 7(5-1-1) while still remaining unblemished abroad with a super deluxe record of 4(3-0-1). In his club's 6-3 victory Saturday night at Missouri, the former #2 draft pick of the NHL Phoenix Coyotes was spectacular, sprouting rubber limbs on demand in the form of 45-saves to earn the honors as the game's #1 Star. Pelletier is currently listed tied for 4th in the CHL in total points for 3-Star selections with 14.

RAW ROOKIE REVELS: First-year goaltender Brian Gillis has been a most pleasant surprise for the IceMen at this juncture of the season. The precocious rookie has played with uncommon poise, composure and equanimity in his initial 3-starts in the IceMen goal. He is a perfect personified, exemplified as his 3(3-0-0) would indicate. Moreover 2 of his wins have been brewed abroad and 2 of his 3-overall wins have been achieved in the harrowing drama and suspense of overtime, including the past Friday night when the IceMen nipped Missouri in overtime, 2-1. Gillis was hailed the game's #1 Star, making 37-saves and having his two front teeth chipped as well. For the season, his GAA is a masterful 1.27 and his SPCT a lustrous .961.

BRIAN FLYIN' NO DENYIN': Swift-skating left wing Brian Bicek seems to be traveling these days faster than the speed of the sound. The fourth-year pro wired and fired his team-high 6th goal of the campaign in Saturday night's momentous, monumental moment of victory in Independence. Of "Ice-Bice-Baby's"6-goals, the latter four have been jet-propulsioned through breakaway bids. His +7 rating ranks a lofty third best for the IceMen aggregation nation.

TOP OF THE CHART ART: The IceMen special teams continue to respond responsibly and remarkably. The power play is ranked #2 in the CHL, operating at 26.3 proficiency; 10-38, having been treated to the fewest PP advantages in the loop. It is 5 for the last 14; 35.7%; 8 for the last 24; 33.3%. In a real aberration and deviation the past Saturday night in Missouri, the IceMen did not have a power play advantage for the entire game. Meanwhile the penalty-killing remains #1 in the CHL, operating at 87%; 40-46. Through their first 10-games of the season the IceMen have not allowed a PPGA in 7 of those contests. Their 4-SHG tie them for the runner-up perch in the league with Rapid City and Wichita.

MILESTONES MANIFOLD: The past Friday night, Sean O'Connor played his 200th pro game, ironically against his former team, Fort Wayne. Matt Gens (295) is 5-games from pro career 300. Philippe Plante's 2-points in Saturday night's win at Missouri gave him 400-pro career points. Plante (792) is 8-games away from 800; (296) 4-assists from career 300. Over the weekend (1,152), Todd Robinson reached 1,150 pro career points, accomplishing the feat in 815-games. The past weekend, Steven Makway eclipsed 1,100-PIM in his pro career (1,102). Rookie right wing Malcolm Gwilliam scored his first-ever pro goal, the game's FG in the IceMen 6-3 triumph in Missouri on Saturday night.

FEW FUN FAST FACTS FROM "FIC": The IceMen 2-game series sweep of nagging nemesis Missouri the past weekend represented their first-ever victories at the expense of the Mavericks. Until the past weekend, and including last year's pre-season, the IceMen had been dominated to the tune of going 4(0-4-0), being outscored, 30-7. After 12-games this season, including the pre-season, the IceMen still have not trailed after the first period. The IceMen have scored the game's FG in 10 of their 12-games. The first and third periods have been the best of the IceMen; first period 17-3; third period 14-8; combined 31-11. The IceMen are a perfect 2(2-0-0) in OT this year with both GWG struck by defensemen, Matt Gens and Philippe Plante. Last year, the IceMen carded a dreadful OT mark of 9(1-8), the worst in the CHL. The IceMen are a perfect 7(7-0-0) this season when entering the third period with the lead. Evansville's 6-goal output in Saturday night's win at Missouri represented their best offensive performance thus far this season.

THE ICEMEN GAME CALENDAR THIS WEEK:

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23RD THE ICEMEN AT RAPID CITY 7:30 PM

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25TH THE ICEMEN AT RAPID CITY 8:00 PM

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 26TH THE ICEMEN AT RAPID CITY 9:00 PM

The first three meetings of the season for the IceMen and the Rush with the latter the 2009-10 CHL Champions. Last season, in 4-clashes, the IceMen were 4(1-3-0) against the Rapid City squad with the lone victory extracted from the South Dakota city. Rapid City has faltered recently, having dropped 3-in a row and 4 of its last 5; last 5(1-4-0).

THE ICEMEN ON WEOA-AM 1400 AND THE ICEMEN RADIO NETWORK: Evansville and the Tri-State, your pro hockey team plays here! For a second consecutive season, all of the IceMen game broadcasts, home and away, play-by-play, all the way are on flagship WEOA-AM 1400 and the world-wide internet at 1400amweoa.com and the IceMen Radio Network. WMSK-AM 1550 in Morganfield, KY also is there on the air for every game while WITZ AM 990 and WITZ-FM 104.7, Jasper, IN carry a select schedule of games numbering between 23-30.

THE ICEMEN DAILY UPDATES ARE EVERYWHERE ON THE AIR!!!: Continuing with their expanded coverage this second season, the IceMen daily update reports can be found on 14-different radio stations throughout the Tri-State region including flagship WEOA-AM 1400 Monday through Friday at 4:20 pm. Listen as well for the IceMen daily reports on the Townsquare Media family of stations; WGBF-FM 103.1 at 4:40 pm; WGBF-AM 1280 at 4:50 pm; WKDQ-FM 99.5 at 4:35 pm; WJLT-FM 105.3 at 4:45 pm; WDKS-FM 106.1 at 4:35 pm; WBKR-FM 92.5 (Owensboro, KY) 4:40 pm; WOMI-AM 1490 (Owensboro) 4:50 pm. Elsewhere, on WITZ-AM 990 and WITZ-FM 104.7 in Jasper, in at 8:20 am, 12:20 pm and 4:20 pm; WSON-AM 860 and WSON-FM 96.5 in Henderson, KY at 4:30 pm as well as on WMSK-AM 1550 at 7:30 am and 4:30 pm and WMSK-FM 101.3, Morganfield, KY at 4:25 pm.

THE ICEMEN TICKET INFORMATION: IceMen single game tickets for all 33-home games are now on sale at the Ford Center Ticket 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).

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Central Hockey League Stories from November 20, 2011


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