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IceMen Claim First-Ever Win in CHL

October 25, 2010 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Evansville IceMen News Release


ICEMEN MATTERS: Embarking on their second week of the 2010-11 CHL campaign, the IceMen enjoyed an immensely rigorous three games' workload. Under the direction of GM/Coach Rich Kromm, the IceMen, facing a rather strenuous stretch of three-games in three days with an inordinate, exorbitant travelogue, responded with great character, fabric, fiber and fortitude to register a 3(2-1-0) mark. The hometown team's sole setback was by a scant one goal margin to halt their initial two-game win streak at their all-new elevated level. For the first two weeks of the season, the IceMen have compiled a record of 4(2-2-0) totaling 4-points and a strong 5th place positioning in the early season tight Turner Conference standings. Evansville will commence the new week just 2-points in arrears of Bloomington 3(3-0-0)6; Colorado 4(3-1-0)6 and Dayton 4(3-1-0)6 while trailing 4th place positioned Missouri 4(2-1-1)5 by a scant single point. This week, the "IceMen Six" will have a somewhat abbreviated work week of 2-games in 2-nights with the first one abroad and the latter contest back on home ice at Swonder Ice Arena. This Friday night, the "Kromm contingent" will sojourn to Bloomington, IL for a date against the undefeated PrairieThunder before returning home this Saturday night, "Hockey Night in Evansville! Saturday Nitro!" as they stage an encore engagement with the Mallards of the Quad Cities. It's "Pink the Rink" Night Saturday night.

PINK THE RINK NIGHT AT SWONDER!: For their lone home appearance of the week and their sixth and final game for the month of October, the IceMen will present "Pink the Rink" Night for the benefit of Breast Cancer Awareness. Special Pink IceMen T-Shirts will be available for that special night at Swonder Ice Arena.

ICEMEN TICKETMASTER: For the first time, IceMen fans may purchase their tickets in advance through Ticketmaster. Should fans wish to do so on line, it's ticketmaster.com. There are now three Ticketmaster locations in Evansville; the Centre Box Office, Roberts Stadium Box Office and Schnuck's West Side.

THE RECORD READ: Through the opening two weeks of the season, the IceMen are right on the .500 barrier with a mark of 4(2-2-0) 4-points. They did have their first-ever 2-game win streak stopped Sunday in Moline, IL where they simply ran out of time in a spirited comeback bid, 2-1. In the process, the IceMen and the Mallards divided a two-games' home-and-home series with the home ice advantage tantamount to ultimate success.

HOME OPENING NIGHT A HIT!: In their first ever home game as an AA/CHL franchise, the IceMen defeated Quad City, 6-3. It was an impressive night for the city of Evansville as the home team upgraded its home mark to a perfect 2(2-0-0) including the pre-season schedule. In those two home games, the IceMen have outscored the visitors, 11-6.

ROAD WIN RALLY: The past Friday night, the IceMen extracted their first-ever foreign ice success in ambushing Mississippi, 5-2. Evansville's pro hockey icers delivered the "KO" with 4-unanswered goals including 3-strikes in the third stanza as they eradicated 1-0 and 2-1 first period shortfalls. For the campaign, the Evansville foreign ice log reads 3(1-2-0).

CONFERENCE CALL: Through their initial 4-games of the embryonic season, the IceMen in Conference competition are 3(1-2-0) within their own Turner Conference and 1(1-0-0) against their rivals from the Berry Conference. Their two victories have been gained from Mississippi and Quad City. The two setbacks have been incurred against Conference rivals, Dayton and Quad City.

GF / GA PLAY: In their first four games of the inchoate campaign, the IceMen have embodied some sound and solid scoring balance. Their 13-GF have been generated by 8-different featured marksmen while ranking CHL 7th at 3.25. Defensively, the IceMen have been the epitome of consistency and efficiency, having surrendered only 10-GA in 4-games for a GAA of 2.50, ranking a lofty 4th overall in the league in that crucial, critical category. The IceMen most prolific single game goal-scoring output has been 6-GF and 5-GF attained on consecutive nights the past weekend accounting for both of their early season victories.

LEAGUE-LEADING MEN: Mario Larocque ranks tied for 3rd in scoring among CHL defensemen with 4(3-1-4); Nick Schneider 4(0-3-3) is tied for 8th in the same category. Larocque also leads all CHL defensemen in goals (3); GWG (2), he is tied for the overall league-lead; SOG (17) and Minors (6). He shares the latter distinction with teammate Jordan Little (6). In CHL Rookie Scoring, Lee Zalasky 4(1-1-2) is tied for 4th. In the CHL goalkeeping category, rookie David Wilson is rated 7th with a GAA of 2.00 while his SPCT of .947 ranks a lofty third best status in the circuit. Center Nicklas Lindberg 4(1-4-5) is ranked 4th in the CHL with 4-assists.

"THE ROCK" ROLLS: Veteran defenseman Mario Larocque is off to one of the best starts in his distinguished 13-year career. With 4(3-1-4) in his team's first 4-games, the former top draft pick of the NHL Tampa Bay Lightning cannonaded 3-goals in the IceMen 2-straight victories over the past weekend with both strikes being the key, touch-in-the-clutch GWG while the third howitzer represented a SHG/ENG for his team. He also ranks tied for circuit sixth in CHL Three Stars Leaders with a grand total of 6-points.

SLICK NICK CLICKS: Smooth center Nicklas Lindberg continues to show consistency, continuity and point-scoring mastery through the first two weeks of the season. The Stockholm, Sweden product is currently on a 3-game points streak; 3(1-4-5), having emerged prominently and dominantly as Evansville's vanguard of scoring excellence. The former Port Huron All-Star was the playmaker extraordinaire in Saturday night's home opening night performance with 3-assists and the game's #2 Star.

"SUR" DAMIAN: Ten-year veteran centerman Damian Surma is enjoying a rather productive start to the season for his newly-adopted team. The former 6th round draft choice of the NHL Carolina Hurricanes fired 3-goals in the IceMen back-to-back triumphs the past week. Included in his output were 2-second period thrusts which actually emanated and ultimately culminated the IceMen 4-goal flurry in a 6-3 verdict in their home opening night against Quad City. Surma was a brilliant +4 for the night. He launched the week's activities with a SHG/ENG in his club's comeback victory in Mississippi.

SOCK IT IN THE POCKET: Turbocharged center / LW Brian Bicek inaugurated his first-ever season with the IceMen by engineering a 3-games' point streak which consisted 2-goals, 2-assists, 4-points. The former Western Michigan U. standout actually sniped the IceMen's first 2-goals of the regular season and the last 3-Evansville goals when counting the last IceMen pre-season game. Bicek has also delivered one of the IceMen's PPG thus far this incipient season with Nicklas Lindberg having maestroed the other PPG.

THE "WILL" IN WILSON: Receiving his first-ever pro start the past Friday night in Mississippi, David Wilson was brilliant. The debuting human puck detour earned one of the game's 3-Stars as he rebuked 37 of 38-RiverKings shots in spearheading his team to its first road win ever in the CHL, 5-2. Wilson performed his craft the past 4-years at the U of Maine.

POWER PLAY NAY / SHORTHANDED BANDIT: The IceMen special teams at this early stage of the season is a study of two tales of sharp, stark contrast. The power play power plant is not quite yet operating at its full potential and capacity as reflected in its 18th position in the CHL standings at 2-20 for 10.0% proficiency. The man advantage was 0-11 in the two-games series against the Mallards. Evansville's only 2-PPG were produced in the same game the past Friday night in Mississippi. However, the penalty-killing ensemble cast has been brilliant as the IceMen have extinguished 21 of 24 for a mark of 87.5% and a #4 rating with a bullet on our billboard hit parade in the CHL. Incorporating the pre-season, the IceMen have subdued 37 of the last 40-offerings for an efficiency rating of a sterling 92.5%. The IceMen are tied for the CHL leadership in SHG with 3.

FEW FUN FAST FACTS FROM "FIC": The IceMen have flourished in the last 2-periods thus far this season, outscoring the opposition by a combined, 11-6; in the second period, 6-3; the third period, 5-3. Including the pre-season, the IceMen have outgoaled the visitors on home ice in the initial stanza, 5-1. The IceMen are 2(0-2-0) when they outshoot the opponents and 2(2-0-0) when they are outshot by their opposition. The IceMen have yet to play with a full lineup of 18-players thus far this season. Goaltender Matt Lundin has made the start in 3 of the IceMen first 4-outings. Rookie right wing Lee Zalasky scored his first-ever pro goal in Saturday night's home opening victory over Quad City, 6-3.

THE MILESTONES MOMENT: Brian Bicek (98) is 2-points shy from pro career 100. Bo Cheesman played his 250th pro game in the IceMen home opening night Saturday night, earning 2-assists. John DiPace (491) is 9-games from pro career 500 and (396) just 4-points away from 400. Jeff Nelson (1,076) is 24-points away from pro career 1,100.

RECAP REPLAY: Confronting the daunting assignment of 3-games in 3-days with some demanding travel, the IceMen reaped a bountiful harvest with a 3(2-1-0) mark. Friday night in Mississippi, Evansville earned its first-ever AA/CHL triumph with a stirring and stunning comeback 5-3 triumph over the RiverKings. Evansville eradicated 1-0 and 2-1 first period deficits on the impetus of 4-unanswered strikes with 3 of those brewed in the third period and the latter 2 of those being SHG/ENG 1:32 apart. Brian Bicek (GTG/PPG), Nicklas Lindberg (GTG/PPG), Mario Larocque (TBG/UG/GWG), John DiPace (SHG/ENG) and Damian Surma (SHG/ENG) all made connection. David Wilson, in his pro premiere, repelled 37 of Mississippi's 38-shots. In their home opening night Saturday night, the IceMen assembled their first 2-game win streak with a 6-3 victory verdict over Quad City. A 4-goal second period siege was the margin of difference as Surma emanated and culminated the barrage with a pair of goals and the IceMen climaxed the stanza with two goals in :13. Larocque also scored a pair (GWG), Jay Holladay (FG) and Lee Zalasky's first ever pro goal also delivered. Sunday, in the encore engagement on the road, the Mallards nipped the IceMen, 2-1 with Bo Cheesman accounting for the lone goal.

THE ICEMEN GAME CALENDAR THIS WEEK:

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29TH THE ICEMEN AT BLOOMINGTON 7:00 PM

The first of nine collisions for the two clubs this season and the first of five affairs in Illinois. The PrairieThunder open the season's third week with an impeccable 3(3-0-0), having captured two of the contests in extra time and yielding only 6-GA.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 30TH QUAD CITY AT THE ICEMEN 7:30 PM

The third session staged between these two teams in the span of a week and the second in Evansville. The season series is balanced at 2(1-1-0) with home ice advantage paramount to success. The two Turner Conference rivals will clash 11-times this campaign with seven of those meetings set for Swonder Ice Arena in Evansville.

THE ICEMEN "PUMP IT UP" ON WEOA-AM 1400: The New IceMen Cometh this season with all of the game broadcasts, home and away, play-by-play, all the way on "The Pump,"WEOA-AM 1400 in Evansville, the exclusive radio home for the IceMen. Coming soon is "IceMen Live" the IceMen's own two-hour Monday night radio show from 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm, also on WEOA-AM 1400. "The Voice of the IceMen," Terry Ficorelli has all of the Icemen action all season long. The IceMen game broadcasts and "IceMen Live" Monday night radio show soon will heard on the world-wide web through flagship station WEOA-AM 1400.

THE ICEMEN DAILY UPDATE REPORTS: Tune in every day even when there is not a game as Terry Ficorelli brings you up to date with "The IceMen Hockey Update," Monday through Friday at 4:20 pm on WEOA-AM 1400. There are also IceMen daily reports throughout the day on the Townsquare Media family of radio stations; WGBF-FM 103.1 at 4:45 pm; WKDQ-FM 99.5, WJLT-FM "Superhits 105.3" and WDKS-FM "Kiss 106" at 4:50 pm.

ICEMEN TICKET INFORMATION: Tickets for all IceMen home games at Swonder Ice Arena for the 2010-11 season are on sale at the IceMen offices, all Ticketmaster locations in Evansville at The Centre Box Office, Roberts Stadium Box Office and at Schnuck's West Side. Or call (812)476-1383. For great group rates and birthday parties with the IceMen, phone the IceMen office at (812) 435-8971 or visit our web-site at www.evansvilleicemen.com.

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