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SPHL Evansville Thunderbolts

Hot Start Propels Thunderbolts Past Rivermen

March 5, 2023 - SPHL (SPHL)
Evansville Thunderbolts News Release


Evansville, In.: With a strong start fueled by a pair of early goals, the Thunderbolts leapt ahead and never looked back, defeating the Rivermen 5-3 at Ford Center on Sunday afternoon. The Thunderbolts' next home game will be on Friday, March 10th against the Macon Mayhem at 7:00pm CT. For tickets, call (812)422-BOLT (2658), go to EvansvilleThunderbolts.com, or visit the Ford Center Ticket Office.

In the opening minutes, Scott Kirton scored from Pierre-Luc Lurette and Brendan Harrogate only 3:52 in to put Evansville in the lead. Just over a minute later at 4:53, Aaron Huffnagle added a power play goal from Tanner Butler and Harrogate to make it a 2-0 Evansville lead, as the Rivermen swapped out goaltender Jack Berry in favor of Eric Levine, who had shut out the Thunderbolts the night prior in Bloomington. In the second period, Nick Neville got Peoria on the board, scoring 1:58 into the period to cut Evansville's lead to 2-1. In response, James Isaacs scored from the blue line at 6:28 from Derek Osik and Kirton to re-establish the two goal lead, 3-1. Off an Evansville turnover just minutes later at 10:42, Cayden Cahill scored for the Rivermen to make it a 3-2 game, with Evansville still in the lead going into the second intermission.

In the third period, Evansville capitalized once again on the power play as Alex Cohen scored from Isaacs and Andrew Shewfelt at 3:35 to again put Evansville ahead by a pair of goals with a 4-2 lead. The score remained the same for most of the game's remainder, until Peoria pulled Levine while on a power play and scored on the 6-on-4 man advantage as Zach Wilkie scored at 17:53 to cut Evansville's lead to 4-3. In the fading seconds, Evansville iced the 5-3 victory with an empty net goal by Butler from Hayden Hulton with 4 seconds remaining, as the Thunderbolts completed a home sweep in the regular season against the Rivermen by winning all four meetings on Ford Center ice, also improving to 17-5 overall at home.

Isaacs, Butler and Kirton finished with one goal and one assist each, while Cohen and Huffnagle also added one goal each. Harrogate tallied two assists, while Trevor Gorsuch finished with 35 saves on 38 shots for his 10th win of the season. The Thunderbolts and Rivermen meet one final time on Sunday, March 12th at Peoria Civic Center.

Individual game tickets and group packages are on sale for this 2022-23 season. Season tickets for the 2023-24 season are now on sale as well. Call 812-422-BOLT or visit our all-new website (www.evansvillethunderbolts.com) for details.

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