Evansville IceMen Weekly

March 10, 2013 - ECHL (ECHL)
Evansville IceMen News Release


RUNDOWN LOWDOWN: With three more weeks and 10-more games remaining on their 2012-13 maiden voyage season in the ECHL, the roster-depleted Evansville IceMen will be seeking-out more reinforcements to actually complete a full roster. Under the tutorship of third-year General Manager/Head Coach Rich Kromm, the IceMen have compiled a season long overall record of 62(22-35-5) for a total of 49-points. Continuing to operate with the bare minimum of 15-players, the IceMen have been gallant, performing their on-ice craft with fortitude, poise and consummate professionalism. Presently, the IceMen still have six players incapacitated on their ever-present disabled list while six more players, including both of their goaltenders, on recall to their two parent clubs' AHL affiliates; Columbus (Springfield) and St. Louis (Peoria). It does not get any easier for the team in the colors of navy, sky and white as it confronts a daunting assignment of four games in five days this upcoming week. The "Men of the Igloo" will emanate and culminate week's heavy duty workload with sojourns to Fort Wayne where they will rekindle acrimony and acerbity with their principal archrivals, the Komets on both Wednesday night and Sunday afternoon. In between, the IceMen will host a pair of weekend encounters at the Ford Center on both Friday and Saturday nights. The Greenville Road Warriors are in town Friday night on "IceMen Youth Jersey Night" before divisional foe Kalamazoo brings the Wings act to the Evansville environs on Saturday night for the IceMen St. Patrick's celebration.

PRESENTING PROMISING PROMOS: This weekend, the IceMen are presenting two outstanding promotion nights at their home of the Ford Center as they prepare for their final four home games of this regular season. This Friday night when they guest Greenville, it will be another great "IceMen Youth Jersey Night" presented by Old National Bank. The first 1,000 youngsters will receive a free IceMen youth Jersey, compliments of Old National Bank. It will also be "Disney Night" with Disney on Ice VIP packages given away. Saturday night, the IceMen ring in the St. Patrick's celebration. With Kalamazoo as their opponent, the IceMen and the Wings will contest the game on "Green Ice." There will also be an IceMen Irish Mug giveaway with Irish Bagpipers and Irish Dancers on hand to entertain in a full St. Patrick's Night celebration of IceMen hockey at the Ford Center.

SPECIAL THURSDAY NIGHT "ICEMEN LIVE PRESENTED BY COORS LIGHT:" This week, there will be a special Thursday night edition of the IceMen ever-popular Monday night radio show. It's "IceMen Live Presented by Coors Light." The special Thursday night edition will be at the regular time of 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm, always at Show-Me's East and on the radio flagship home for the IceMen pro hockey action, "Magic 98.5 FM" and 1400 AM WEOA as well as world-wide on the internet at magic985fm and 1400amweoa.

WRAP THE RECAP: Seeing action in two road games in as many nights the past weekend, the IceMen bowed in Kalamazoo to the Wings on Saturday night, 6-3, remaining winless in all 5 of their appearances at Wings Stadium this season; 5(0-3-2). Nathan Moon did connect on a pair of goals (FG/SHG & GTG) while Patrick Kennedy caged a singleton. James Reid made his IceMen debut in goal facing a salvo of 38-shots. Saturday night, the scene shifted to first place Cincinnati where the torrid Cyclones claimed a 5-2 victory verdict. Dylan Clarke accounted for both of his team's goals with the initial thrust being the late first period GTG. In his second Evansville start in goal, Reid, again faced 38-shots.

10 TO THE FINISH LINE: Through 62-games for the current campaign, the IceMen have posted a record of 62(22-35-5) totaling 49-points. Evansville has currently equaled its longest losing spell of the season at 4-in a row. It's the club's third such 4-game skid of the season. The IceMen last toast of victory was back on February 28th on home where they dispatched divisional rival Toledo, 6-3. This present 4-game losing spell has come on the heels of matching the team's longest win streak of the season at 3-consecutively and 5-wins in 6-starts for the Coach Kromm club. The IceMen record in the second-half is: 26(10-14-2); since the New Year; 28(11-15-2) since the All-Star break; 19(6-12-1). The longest undefeated streaks have been 6(4-0-2) and 4(3-0-1). The longest winless spell has been 7(0-6-1) reflecting the initial 7-games of the season; 7(0-6-1). The record by the month; October 7(0-6-1); November 14(6-8-0); December 13(5-6-2); January 12(5-6-1); February 12(6-5-1); March 4(0-4-0).

HOME TWIN BILL: After nearly a two-week hiatus from the Ford Center, the IceMen return home for a pair of appearances for this Friday and Saturday nights. Having registered a home record for the year of 32(14-18-0), the IceMen will host Greenville Friday night on "Youth Jersey Night" presented by Old National Bank. Saturday night is the St. Patrick's celebration when the Kalamazoo Wings come calling. The IceMen are 3(2-1-0) in their last 3-home starts and 12(6-6-0) thus far in the second half of the season. They are 13(7-6-0) since the genesis of the New Year and 7(3-4-0) on the homestead ice since the All-Star break. The longest home ice win streaks have been 4-in succession and 3-in a row. Longest home losing streak has been 5-in a row which represent the initial 5-home dates of the '12-13 season.

EXPEDITION ATTRITION: The IceMen ostensibly, have been battling the war of attrition all season long. The past weekend, in dropping a pair of foreign ice invasions to Kalamazoo and Cincinnati, the IceMen saw their road record for the season depreciate to 30(8-17-5). They have fallen in 3-consecutively abroad which equals for the second time their longest losing streak in hostile territory this season. In those 3-foreign ice warfare affairs, the IceMen have been outgoaled, 18-6. Road record in second half; 14(4-8-2); since the New Year; 15(4-9-2); since the All-Star break; 12(3-8-1). Evansville's last alien territory invasions victories were the weekend of February 22nd and February 23rd when they swept a pair of weekend clashes against the reigning ECHL Kelly Cup kingpins, the Florida Everblades by results of 5-4 (OTSO) and 5-3.

THE RENDITON BY DIVISION: During their present 4-game winning hiatus, the "Icers" have incurred all 4-setbacks within their own North Division of the Eastern Conference. In the process, Evansville's composite log against their fellow fractious foes of said same division has been lowered to 38(15-19-4). Against the remaining two divisions which constitute the Eastern Conference, the IceMen have a combined record of 24(7-16-1); against the Atlantic Division; 12(3-8-1); the South Division; 12(4-8-0).

TOP CHART SCORING ART: Center Todd Robinson is listed #7 in the ECHL league-wide scoring derby with 54(6-56-62). Despite a season-ending injury, Josh Beaulieu 56(22-32-54) is still ranked among the league top 20 scoring elite. Robinson's 56-assists and 29-PPA both top the league while his 29-PP/Points rank league-wide runner-up. Daniel Tetrault 61(8-21-29) is ranked 14th in ECHL scoring by defenseman.

THE CLARKE SPARK: Second-year left wing Dylan Clarke continues to distinguish himself in his short pro career. The former SUNY-Plattsburgh All-American collected 3-points in his team's two weekend road games the past weekend. His featured enormous performance developed Saturday night in Cincinnati where he accounted for both of his team's strikes in a 5-2 setback inflicted by the molten-lava hot Cyclones. It was the Belleville, Ontario native's second multi-goal game of the season; both with the IceMen. For the week, he was 2(2-1-3) with 1-GTG and 11-SOG. For the season, Clarke is third in IceMen team scoring with (18-22-40). A previous victor of such success, Clarke is the IceMen nomination for ECHL Player of the Week.

TWO FOR THE ROAD: Returning but only briefly, Nathan Moon made a cameo appearance in the IceMen lineup and made the most of his borrowed time Friday night in Kalamazoo. The second year pro fashioned a pair of key clutch-in-the touch strikes despite a 6-3 setback for his club. Moon's first goal was also the game's FG on a scintillating shorthanded bandit breakaway foray. His second goal was the GTG early in the second period. It was Moon's second multiple goal game of the season with the IceMen. Promptly following the contest, Moon was summoned, once again to AHL Springfield by NHL parent club Columbus.

SPECIAL TEAMS TEPID: When they had duplicated their longest win streak of the season at 3-consecutvely along with 5-wins in 6-starts, the IceMen special teams were the paragon of proficiency and efficiency. The power play was percolating prodigiously at 40%, executing at 4-10. Meanwhile the penalty-killing ensemble was magnificent and majestic, precluding 33-consecutive man advantages and 61 of 64. Now in the midst of a 4-game losing streak, the power play is 0 for the last 14 while the opposition is 9 for the last 19 with the man advantage. The IceMen have delivered 7-SHG with Jason Dale and Trent Vogelhuber leading the way with 2-SHG each; Nathan Moon, Matt Gens and Patrick Kennedy have also maestroed shorthanded bandit strikes.

MEMORABLE MILESTONES: When the IceMen play in Fort Wayne this coming Wednesday night, defenseman Jake Obermeyer will play pro career game #200. Left wing Dylan Clarke (47) is 3-goals shy of pro career #50 in only his second pro season. Todd Robinson 925(340-948-1,288) is just 2-assists shy of pro career 950 and only 12-points henceforth to the magical 1,300-points in his illustrious 14-year pro career. Rookie newcomer defenseman Dustin Hopfner registered his first-ever pro point in his first ever pro game, essaying the primary assist on Nathan Moon's second goal of the night in the Friday night defeat in Kalamazoo. Head Coach Rich Kromm (394) is 6-wins away from 400-coaching victories. He has collected 83 of those wins behind the Evansville bench.

FEW FUN FAST FACTS FROM "FIC": When the IceMen score 4-GF in a single game, their record is a sparkling 13(11-1-1). When they score 4 or more, their record is an excellent 23(19-3-1). The IceMen are 21(12-8-1) when they outshoot their opposition. The IceMen have played the fewest number of extra time games in the league with only 9; their record is 4(2-2) in OT and 5(2-3) in the OTSO. Jason Dale is (3-5-8) in the last 8-games; Patrick Kennedy 8(2-6-8) in the past 8-games. Daniel Tetrault is 28(6-14-20) in his last 28-outings. Kalamazoo continues to be the lone North Division city where the IceMen have not extracted a victory on the road; 5(0-3-2).

THE ICEMEN GAME CALENDAR THIS WEEK:

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13TH THE ICEMEN AT FORT WAYNE 6:30 PM

SUNDAY, MARCH 17TH THE ICEMEN AT FORT WAYNE 4:00 PM

The IceMen are coming off a two-game home-and-home series sweep of their in-state rivals the weekend of February 15th and February 16th. Evansville defeated the Fort Wayners, 6-1 on home ice on Feb. 15th before prevailing the following evening at Memorial Coliseum, 4-2. In the process, the IceMen balanced the season series at 9(4-4-1). In Fort Wayne, the IceMen are 4(2-1-1) with these two meetings representing the last two collisions of the regular season for the Indiana brag flag.

FRIDAY, MARCH 15TH GREENVILLE AT THE ICEMEN 7:15 PM

For only the third time this season and the first time since November 7th, the IceMen and their South Division rivals, the Road Warriors will match on-ice wits with all three sessions staged in Evansville's Ford Center. Both teams enter the week mired in 4-game losing streaks. For the Greenville squad, it's the longest in club history. For the IceMen, it ties its longest losing streak of this season. In the last clash, Greenville erupted with 4-unanswered third period goals to eradicate an IceMen 2-1 advantage and prevail, 5-2.

SATURDAY, MARCH 16TH KALAMAZOO AT THE ICEMEN 7:15 PM

Kalamazoo comes to the Ford Center for the first of two consecutive Saturday nights with this date this week. The IceMen have won 3-games in succession on home ice at the expense of the Wings, who as the three-time defending Eastern Conference North Division Champions, are in a real fight for their playoff lives this season. Overall, the IceMen are 9(3-4-2) against the Kalamazooans and 4(3-1-0) at home.

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, they are on the world-wide internet at 1400amweoa.com and magic985fm.com as well as the IceMen Radio Network. WLME-FM 102.7, "The Game" in Owensboro, KY; WMSK-AM 1550, Morganfield, KY and WVLN-AM 740 in Olney, IL 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 for the season.

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 4:200 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; WBKR-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.



ECHL Stories from March 10, 2013


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