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Four Straight in Shootout Win

December 11, 2015 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Bloomington Thunder News Release


Bloomington Thunder Handle the Puck
Bloomington Thunder Handle the Puck
(Bloomington Thunder)

KEARNEY, Nebraska - With a flare for the dramatic, the Bloomington Thunder took their 12th win of the season in a 4-3 shootout over the Tri-City Storm on Friday night. Despite being down 3-1 headed during the game, the Thunder (12-8-2-1) came back with two goals on the Storm (9-10-2-2) to tie and send the game to overtime. Tarek Baker and Jake Slaker (St. Lawrence University) each net goals in the shootout as the Thunder roll to their fourth straight win.

Blake Gober had a huge piece of the Thunder win, tying the game on his team leading seventh goal of the season. In the third Pat Curry and Jeremy Davies (Northeastern University) moved the puck to the net where Gober found a rebound on the crease. The Colleyville, TX native batted it home with 9:30 left to play.

Despite out shooting the Storm 14-5 in the first and 42-25 in the game, it was Tri-City that capitalized first. Their power play goal came after a Curry slashing penalty with five minutes to play in the period. Off the faceoff Paul Washe worked the puck to Joey Matthews at the point who scored on a wrist shot from the blue line. The first year USHL defenseman scored his first goal of the season on the shot to give the Storm the 1-0 lead at the intermission.

In the second period, Tri-City took the advantage further with a goal six minutes in. During his first game of the season, Walker Duehr scored for the Storm with a rising shot into the net. The Thunder followed up the mark with one of their own. Jeremy Davies (Northeastern University) moved into the zone to pick off a pass from Storm captain Tory Dello (University of Notre Dame). The second year defenseman from Montreal, QC fired an off balance shot through the five hole of goaltender Jake Kielly (Clarkson University) to bring the Thunder within one. Davies fourth of the season came unassisted.

Andrew Zerban answered back to make it 3-1 on a drop play that he fired to the back of the net. The goal came 11 minutes into the second and gave the new addition his first goal of the season in the USHL. But the period was not over. Four minutes later, Baker received a pass from Bailey Conger (St. Lawrence University) across the ice. The Thunder's leading scorer native moved over the line and fired the puck over Kielly's shoulder. Despite the loss, the Eden Prairie, MN native stopped a career high for 39 saves for the Storm.

In the third, Bloomington's chances built up to tie the game and carried over into overtime. The boys from the twin cities fired five shots on net in the seven minute overtime and just came up short on a few odd man rushes and a late 4-on-3 power play.

Lavigne made 22 saves in the game and was 2-for-2 in the shootout in his 11th win of the season. Baker and Slaker ended the shootout early thanks to goals in the second and third rounds of the shootout to cap the comeback.

The Thunder are back for round two with the Storm on Saturday afternoon for a 3:05 p.m. puck drop.

NEXT HOME GAME: Saturday, December 19th - 7 p.m. - The Thunder host the Chicago Steel at 7 p.m before they take their Christmas break. From 6-7 p.m. it is buy one, get one free hot dogs at the Coliseum concession stands. Also, all kids 12 and under get a free hot dog voucher when they walk in the door that is good for the entire game. For tickets and information, visit Bloomingtonthunder.com or call (309) 434-2980.

Holiday Hat Trick: Call the Thunder for their holiday hat trick package. For just $55 you get four tickets to an upcoming game, a Thunder team hat, and a Thunder mini stick! That's a value of over $90. Visit the Thunder office or call (309) 434-2980 for this amazing limited time offer.




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Bloomington Thunder Handle the Puck
Bloomington Thunder Handle the Puck
   



United States Hockey League Stories from December 11, 2015


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