Evansville IceMen Weekly

December 19, 2011 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Evansville IceMen News Release


THE ICEMEN MAJESTICS: Having reached the one-third marker of their 2011-12 Central Hockey League 66-game schedule, the Evansville IceMen have shown the greatest elevation of league-wide status through the first 22-games of the current campaign. Under the direction of second-year General Manager /Head Coach Rich Kromm, the IceMen have assembled a record of 22(13-7-2) totaling 28-points with a winning percentage of a gaudy .636. Presently residing in the lofty second place position in the CHL Turner Conference standings, the men of Evansville's pro hockey fraternity have attained contending status in the hotly-contested, fiercely-competitive conference alliance as only 6-points distinguish the top 6-teams in the 7-team total division. Embarking on Christmas week, the "Kromm Crew" is within 2-points of the top perch presently the divine province of first place archenemy Fort Wayne 22(15-7-0)30 which has posted a 12(10-2-0) mark over the last dozen dates, having won 5-in a row at home. The Evansville advantage over surging third place Quad City 23(13-9-1)27, is a minuscule single point with 1-game in hand on the Mallards who are 9(7-1-1) in their last 9-decisions. It is merely a 3-points advantage over conference foes Rapid City 24(12-11-1)25 and Missouri 23(11-9-3)25 and a 4-points' differential over sixth place Dayton 24(10-10-4)24. This week, the IceMen continue their season-long 6-game home stand at their new home of the fabulous Ford Center when they clash for the first time-ever against Berry Conference foe Texas Friday night at 7:15 pm. It will be the IceMen last action before the brief Christmas recess before the Dayton Gems come to town next Tuesday night, December 27th, also at 7:15 pm.

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS: The second place IceMen are literally home for the holidays in 2011. They broached an extended, season-longest 6-game home stand at the Ford Center on Sunday when the played host to the Missouri Mavericks. The next five IceMen on-ice performances are on the docket for this Friday night, December 23rd against Texas; next Tuesday night, December 27th, colliding with Dayton; Friday night, December 30th tangling with Fort Wayne; New Year's Eve, Saturday, December 31st, hosting Wichita and beginning the new calendar year of 2012 on Tuesday, January 3rd in their first meeting of the season against Quad City.

"ICEMEN LIVE PRESENTED BY COORS LIGHT:" It's another fun-filled, lively and entertaining edition of the weekly Monday night radio show, "IceMen Live Presented by Coors Light" this Monday night, December 19th from 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm, live from Show-Me's East on radio flagship home WEOA-AM 1400 and 1400amweoa.com. This week, Terry Ficorelli's special guests will be defenseman Steven Makway and celebrated left wing Mike Sgroi.

REGROUP THE TROOP: The past weekend, the IceMen were winless for the very first time in this current campaign assembling a mark of 3(0-2-1), suffering back-to-back setbacks on Friday and Saturday nights to Fort Wayne before salvaging a single point for the weekend's workload through a 4-3 OT outcome Sunday at the Ford Center. For the season, the IceMen record stands at 22(13-7-2) for 28-points. In their last 8-games; 8(4-3-1); last 13(6-6-1). The last victory was December 11th at home where they dispatched Bloomington, 2-1. The longest win streak has been 5-consecutively; the longest unblemished skein has been 7(6-0-1) mirroring the initial 7-games of the current campaign. The monthly accounting posts: October 2(1-0-1); November 11(8-3-0); December 9(4-4-1). The IceMen have shown vast improvement from one year ago when they reached the one-third pole with a record of 22(9-10-3) for 21-points. Presently, Evansville has 4-more wins, 7-more points and 3-fewer losses than one year ago.

HOME MARK MARRED: The past weekend, the IceMen saw their league-best home record momentarily interrupted in a 5-3 setback to Fort Wayne Friday night followed by a 4-3 OT outcome Sunday evening against visiting Missouri. In the process, the IceMen had their longest home win streak of the season short-circuited at 4-consecutively. Friday night's undoing was the club's first setback since November 17th when the same Komets team came to town and dispatched the home town team, 5-2. For the season, the IceMen home mark stands at a Turner Conference best 9(6-2-1).

PLAY AWAY: The past weekend, in their sole foreign ice excursion, the IceMen perished at Fort Wayne Saturday night, 7-4. In the process, they dropped their second road game in succession with both setbacks absorbed at the Indiana city. For the season, their road record stands at 13(7-5-1), though they are 5(1-4-0) in the last 5 and 7(2-5-0) in their last 7-expeditions into hostile territory. The last win away from home bay was back on December 2nd in Wichita where they bushwhacked the Thunder, 5-2.

CONFERENCE CAPSULE: The IceMen have played all but one of their games within their own Turner Conference delegation, fashioning an excellent record of 21(12-7-2) in that span. In their lone contest outside the conference, they extracted a 5-2 victory verdict at Wichita. They are 1(1-0-0) when stepping outside the conference territories.

TOO MANY TOO FEW: Defensively the past weekend, the IceMen, uncharacteristically allotted 16-GA in 3-games for a GAA of a less-than satisfactory 5.33. In Saturday night's 7-4 setback in Fort Wayne, the 7-GA represented the most that the IceMen have permitted in a single game thus far this season. For the weekend, the IceMen offense generated 10-GF for a GFA of 3.33. For the first time this season, the past weekend, the IceMen failed to capture the conquest in the contest when they produced 3-GF or more in a single game as they trembled on home ice Friday night to Fort Wayne, 5-3 before gaining one precious point in the standings through a 4-3 OT outcome Sunday at home against Missouri.

CENTER STAGE STAR-STUDDED: Veteran Center Todd Robinson 22(7-24-31) is tied for #3 in CHL league-wide scoring while center Nicklas Lindberg 21(5-17-22) is #26 among the league elite. Robinson's 24-assists tie him for second most; his 14-PPA top the loop. Brian Bicek remains tied for the league-leadership in SHG with 3; Philippe Plante's 4-SHA lead the league in that department. Mario Boilard leads all rookies in PIM with 73 which ranks as third best overall in the CHL. Evansville lists 3 of the top 10 in CHL defense scoring; Matt Gens 22(6-10-16) and Steven Makway 22(2-14-16) are tied for 5th; Philippe Plante 21(6-8-14) is 10th. Gens tops all defensemen in GWG with 3; Makway's 14-assists tie him for third most. In the goaltending category, Pier-Olivier Pelletier is 6th with a GAA of 2.70; his SPCT of .918 ranks as third best in the CHL. Rookie Brian Gillis is listed 9th with a GAA of 2.82 with his .917 SPCT ranking him 5th.

22 FOR 25: Nine-year veteran center Nicklas Lindberg has been a veritable paragon of point producing percolating in recent action. The Stockholm, Sweden product has pushed his personal point percolating streak to 4-games, collecting 7-points on 1-goal, 6-assists. Moreover, in his last 8-games; 8(1-11-12). For the campaign, "Slick Nick" is second in IceMen team scoring, having amassed 22-points on 5-goals, 17-assists; 22(5-17-22).

"ICE-BICE-BABY" BUZZING: Swift-skating left wing Brian Bicek 22(9-9-18) has taken and shaken the slumber from his lumber after enduring a 6-game goal-scoring drought. In Friday night's 5-3 home setback incurred against Fort Wayne, the "Pocket Rocket" electrified the highly-partisan Ford Center crowd with 2-late second period goals in the rapid-fire fashion of 2:44. Bicek, himself is fostering a flourish offensively, extending his own point streak, also to 4-games with 4(3-2-5). He is the first IceMen player to cannonade two 2-goal games at this hour of the season.

"PHILIPPE-UP": Veteran defenseman Philippe Plante seems to be enjoying his new pro hockey life in his new "digs" of the Ford Center. The past weekend, the former Odessa blue line ace fired a pair of goals, notching one in each game; last 2(2-0-2). For the season, his 6-goals tie for the top total on the team with defensive partner Matt Gens.

THE FACT WITH MATT: Six year pro defenseman Matt Gens has been a real gem on the IceMen last line of defense. For the season, he is 22(6-10-16). Gens shares the point-scoring leadership among IceMen defensemen with Steven Makway 22(2-14-16). Gens 3-GWG lead the entire defensive corps in the CHL. He also has achieved a +2 rating.

MATT MAGNITUDE: Left wing Matt Pierce has really come alive with the IceMen in recent activity. The SPHL refugee and former member of the CHL Texas Brahmas has connected on 8-goals, 2-assists for 10-points. In his last 7-games, he has averaged a goal a game with 7(7-1-8). Pierce shares the team vanguard in GWG with Matt Gens at 3-GWG. He has delivered those 3-GWG in 3 of the IceMen last 4-victories.

SPECIAL TEAMS TONIC: The IceMen power play is ranked #2 in the CHL, operating at 24.1% proficiency rating on 21 for 87. Only Fort Wayne (76) has enjoyed fewer manpower advantages than have the IceMen. The Evansville power play is 2 for the last 8; 25%. Over the stretch of their last 5-games, the power play is 2-19 for a ratings mark of 10.5%. With the penalty-killing cast, the IceMen have fallen to #3 in the loop with an efficiency rating of 85% on 15-100. However, the opposition is 3 for the last 11; 72.7%.

MILESTONES MULTITUDE: Center Nicklas Lindberg has reached the 400-points plateau for his pro career. Brian Bicek (97) is 3-assists away from pro career 100. Philippe Plante (298) is 2-assists shy of 300. Todd Robinson (847) is 3-assists shy of pro career 850.

FEW FUN FAST FACTS FROM "FIC": The IceMen boast the CHL's best record in 1-goal games at 7(5-0-2). The IceMen sustained their first loss on Friday night this season when they bowed to Fort Wayne, 5-3; Friday record: 7(6-1-0). Evansville remains unbeaten when holding the lead after the first period at 10(9-0-1). The IceMen Sunday record stands at 4(3-0-1) with all 4-games played at home. The IceMen are 12(10-1-1) when scoring the game's FG.

THE ICEMEN GAME CALENDAR FOR THIS WEEK:

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23RD TEXAS AT THE ICEMEN 7:15 PM

This will be the first-ever meeting of these two inter-conference foes having not seen each other at all last season in the IceMen maiden voyage in the AA/CHL. It's the first of two clashes to be waged with the second and final one occurring on the final night of the season, Sunday, March 25th outside Fort Worth.

NEXT TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27TH DAYTON AT THE ICEMEN 7:15 PM

This will be the fifth meeting of the season and the third in Evansville with the IceMen dominating the 10-game season series, 4(4-0-0). They are 2(2-0-0) in Dayton including one victory in overtime and 2(2-0-0) on home ice at the Ford Center.

THE ICEMEN ON YOUR SMAFRT PHONES & I-PHONES: IceMen fans who own Smart Phones and I-Phones now can take the IceMen game broadcasts and Monday night "IceMen Live Presented by Coors Light" radio show with them wherever they may go. For more information, visit the IceMen website at www.evansvilleicemen.com.

THE ICEMEN ON WEOA-AM 1400 & THE ICEMEN RADIO NETWORK: Evansville and the Tri-State, your pro hockey team plays here! All of the IceMen game broadcasts are on flagship station 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 for the season.

THE ICEMEN DAILY UPDATES ARE EVERYWHERE ON THE AIR: Continuing with their expanded coverage, 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. 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; WKDS-FM 106.1 at 4:35 pm; WKBR-FM 92.5 (Owensboro, KY) 4:40 pm; WOMI-AM 1490 (Owensboro, KY) 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 ticket plans and great group rates at (812) 421-GOAL (4625).



Central Hockey League Stories from December 19, 2011


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central