IceMen Weekly

January 30, 2011 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Evansville IceMen News Release


ICEMEN MATTERS: Through the first 9-games of the second-half of their 66-games' Central Hockey League regular season schedule, the Evansville IceMen continue to make some sound and solid sustained inroads. Under the direction of General Manager/Head Coach Rich Kromm, the men of Ice in Evansville have compiled a winning record of 9(5-4-0) totaling 10-points. Overall, for the season, the crew of Kromm has assembled a composite of 42(15-22-5) for 35-points as the club mounts a concerted effort to improve its positioning expressly to attain a hallowed playoff berth come spring. With the new month of February's schedule set to commence, the Evansville sextet is maintaining its titanic tussle with archrival Fort Wayne for the 8th and final playoff spot in the tight, taut-fraught CHL Turner Conference standings. The past weekend, enjoying a rare home stand consisting of 2-games in 2-nights at Swonder Ice Arena, the IceMen earned a 2(1-1-0) split. On Friday night, they bowed to Quad City, 5-1, before ultimately prevailing in the drama and suspense of the Saturday night OTSO over Dayton, 5-4. This week, the IceMen embark on yet another long foreign ice sojourn which will transport them to Bossier City, Louisiana for their first ever meeting against the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs. The two teams will tangle this Thursday night at 6:30 pm and Friday night at 7:00 pm.

"ICEMEN LIVE" PRESENTS: This week, the IceMen, in conjunction with radio flagship home WEOA-AM 1400 and 1400amweoa.com present another informative and entertaining edition of "IceMen Live." The two hour weekly radio show is on the slate for this Monday night, January 31st from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm, live from Show-Me's East. This week, "The Voice of the IceMen," Terry Ficorelli welcomes two of the newcomers to Evansville and the IceMen, defenseman Jake Obermeyer and left wing Matt Pierce.

HOLDING THEIR OWN ZONE: Posting a 2(1-1-0) mark through their brief 2-game home stand the past weekend, the IceMen have attained a winning record thus far in the season's second-half at 9(5-4-0). For the overall season, they are 42(15-22-5) for 35-points. They were 33(10-18-5) through the first half of the schedule. The longest win streak of the season has been 3-in a row; 3(3-0-0). The longest losing streaks of the campaign have been 5-consecutively and 4-straight. The monthly accounting update: October 6(2-3-1); November 12(6-6-0); December 13(2-7-4); January 11(5-6-0).

OVERDUE BREAKTHROUGH: When they ultimately outlasted conference rival Dayton Saturday night on home ice at Swonder Ice Arena, 5-4 in the OTSO, the persistent, persevering IceMen, at long last, halted their heinous 7-game winless skid; 7(0-6-1) and 6-game losing spell at home. In improving their home mark to 19(7-10-2), Evansville's pro hockey work force engineered its first victory at home since December 3rd when they also conquered the Gems, 3-2. Moreover, in prevailing in only 3 of their last 14-efforts at home; 14(3-10-1), Evansville has captured all 3 of those conquests in their last 3-contests at Swonder at the expense of Dayton. "The Kromminator" collective contingent actually broached the season with a 5-game home ice inviolable skein; 5(4-0-1). The longest win streak of the season on home ice has been 3-in a row.

ROAD MOTHERLODE: This week, when they embark on an extended expedition to Bossier City, Louisiana to be guested by the Berry Conference opponents, the Bossier-Shreveport Mud bugs, the IceMen will bring along with them a superb foreign ice log of 5(4-1-0) in their last 5-decisions. In their last 11-invasions into the dreaded land of CHL road giants, the IceMen have been radiating as their winning record of 11(5-4-2) would seem to testify. Five of the club's last 6-overall victories have been laid claim to abroad. The longest road win streak has been 3-in succession. The overall road record for the season is 23(8-12-3).

CONFERENCE COMPENDIUM: Dividing a pair of home encounters the past weekend against Turner Conference foes, the IceMen, for the season, have posted a record of 33(12-16-5) within their own Conference. Outside the conference, against Berry Conference members, the IceMen are mired in a 6-game losing skid after gaining victories in their first trio of tries outside their conference walls. Their Berry Conference record stands at 9(3-6-0).

SHOTS ON GOAL ROLL: The past weekend, in dividing their 2-game home stand against Quad City and Dayton, the IceMen had the Mallards and the Gems under a salvo-siege. Despite trembling to the Mallards, Friday night, 5-1, the IceMen outshot the visitors, 34-18, including a hefty 16-6 bulge in the third period. The 18-SOG were the fewest that the IceMen have allotted in a single game this season. Saturday night, in their 5-4 OTSO success over Dayton, the home team rained a season-best 50-SOG, including a single period season high of 20 in the second stanza. For the weekend, the IceMen, combined, outshot their two opponents, 84-45. Evansville's record thus far this season when they outshoot the adversary stands at a somewhat surprising 16(3-11-2). When they are outshot, the IceMen record is a winning one at 24(12-10-2).

TOP TROUBADORS: Center Nicklas Lindberg 42(13-34-47) is 13th and Brian Bicek 42(20-24-44) is 20th among this week's CHL scoring elite. Bicek's 4-SHG tie for the league's top perch. Mario Larocque 42(9-19-28) is 9th in CHL defense scoring with his 9-goals ranking one goal behind for the league-leadership. Larocque's 155-SOG tie him for the circuit's foremost among the blue line brigade. Left wing Braden Desmet 36(5-14-19) is 10th in rookie scoring; Lee Zalasky is 19th; 40(5-8-13). Jordan Lane's 120-PIM and 12-majors top all CHL rookies. Mario Larocque (41) and Jordan Lane (40) remain 1-2 in minor penalties. In the goaltending category, Matt Lundin is ranked CHL 4th in MIN (1,744:17) and 5th in SAVES: 866.

"ICE-BICE-BABY": The IceMen high-flying, jet-streaming left wing Brian Bicek continues to fuse and fuel his team's attack. "The Pocket Rocket" registered 4-points in 2-games the past weekend; 2(2-2-4) including a masterful and majestic 3-points performance on his team's first 3-goals in the 5-4 OTSO triumph over visiting Dayton. Named the game's #1 Star, "Ice-Bice-Baby" connected on his third 2-goal game of the season while adding 1-assist. It was Evansville's second leading scorer's third 2-goal game of the season. Only teammate Damian Surma has served-up more with 4. The diminutive, dynamic sparkplug has pushed his personal point streak to 7(6-7-13) which equals the longest of the season, attained twice by Nicklas Lindberg.

"J-NEL" NIFTY: Smooth-move center Jeff Nelson has emerged as the IceMen team consummate workhorse. Logging more than an abundance of ice time from Coach Kromm, the 18-year standout is providing extraordinary all-around effort and performance. In the past 4-games, he is 4(3-2-5) with his 6-PPG matching Nicklas Lindberg for the team's top total. In Saturday night's 5-4 OTSO success at the expense of Dayton, the former IHL MVP and scoring king achieved his third +3 rating of the season and his second in the past 3-games.

UNSUNG-UNDAUNTED: Defenseman Nick Schneider may be, perhaps, the most unsung, unheralded hero for the IceMen in this maiden voyage season of 2010-11. The former UConn star has been steady, sturdy, stout, staunch on the backline all season long. The quietly efficient one enjoyed his best night of the season in Saturday night's verdict over Dayton. Schneider collected assists on his team's first 3-goals while also achieving a brilliant +4 rating for his night's work. His +4 rating matched the best single game rating for the IceMen club this season. For the season, he is 40(1-13-14) and has emerged prominently as the team's best premium, positive plus player with a rating of +7.

"DESSI" DAZZLES: First-year left wing Braden Desmet has displayed an uncanny knack for timely touch-in-the-clutch goal cannonading. The acquisition from the Colorado Eagles connected on his second consecutive GWG for his Evansville employer the past Saturday night in the 5-4 OTSO triumph over Dayton. The U. of Wisconsin-Superior scoring ace netted the sole goal in the OTSO on the 6th shot and the first in the sudden death segment to secure the hard-earned home victory. He was (1-1-2) for his night's work. Desmet's last IceMen strike was also stoked as the GWG, January 19th at his former home of Colorado where he delivered with only 5:51 remaining in regulation time to lay claim to an IceMen 3-2 comeback conquest.

SHOOTOUT SHUTOUT: Second-year goaltender Matt Lundin posted his third victory in his last 4-starts the past Saturday night over Dayton. The former Mercyhurst College MVP saved his best for last in the home success. In the OTSO, he was impeccably perfect in rebuffing all 6-Gems shots to backstop his team to the triumph. It was Lundin's first OTSO victory of the season.

SPECIAL TEAMS TUNING: After connecting on a power play goal, the game's FG by Nicklas Lindberg at 2:52 of the opening period in Friday night' 5-1 defeat inflicted by the Mallards, the IceMen extra man band bottomed-out at 0 for the next 17, yielding 1-SHGA during the dry spell. The IceMen are 1 for the last 22 for a rating of 4.5%. For the season, the power play is ranked 16th; 34-221; 15.4%. As far as the penalty-killing category is concerned, the opposition is 2-2 after the IceMen had precluded 26 of 28 man advantages afforded the adversary. For the year, the PK is rated CHL 11th; 47-263; 82.1% efficiency.

PRE-EMINENCE PROFESSIONALLY: Defenseman Jordan Little played in his 300th pro career game the past Friday night against Quad City. Mario Larocque's (199) next assist will be the 200th of his pro career. Damian Surma (344) is 6-points from pro career 350. Jeff Nelson (739) is 11-assists away from 750. Brian Bicek's (99) next point will give him 100 over the past 2-seasons combined. Nicklas Lindberg (444) is 6-games from 450.

FEW FUN FAST FACTS FROM "FIC": The IceMen have scored a minimum of 3-GF in 11 of their last 12-games. They have won their last 2-OTSO consecutively; for the season 3(2-1). The IceMen have lost only 1-game when leading after the first period 13(8-1-4). After enduring an 11-game winless skein on Saturday night, the IceMen have come back to win the next 2-in a row. Their Saturday night OTSO win over Dayton was the IceMen's first on home ice since their Saturday night October 23rd home opening night win over Quad City, 6-3 as they halted an 8-game winless Saturday skid at home; 8(0-6-2). In their 15-wins this season, the IceMen have outshot the opposition in only 3 of those victories. In their 8-road wins this season, the IceMen have grudgingly surrendered only 13-GA for a GAA of 1.62.

THE ICEMEN GAME CALENDAR FOR THIS WEEK:

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3RD THE ICEMEN AT BOSSIER-SHREVEPORT 6:30 PM

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 4TH THE ICEMEN AT BOSSIER-SHREVEPORT 7:00 PM

The first time these two inter-conference foes will tangle against each other. The Thursday night game was originally scheduled for Saturday, February 5th before it was moved to earlier in the week on Thursday. After an extraordinary start that saw the Mudbugs skyrocket meteorically into the Berry Conference kingship, the Bossier City based squad with the rich winning tradition has been besieged with a spate of injuries. Due to such adverse circumstances, Bossier-Shreveport has fallen from 1st to 3rd place, having a record of 10(1-8-1) in the last 10-games and 19(4-13-2) in the last 19-episodes.

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. The two-hour Monday night radio show, "IceMen Live," comes your way every Monday night from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm, live from Show-Me's East, also on WEOA-AM 1400 and on the world-wide internet at 1400amweoa.com. "The Voice of the IceMen," Terry Ficorelli has all of the action all season long. The IceMen can also be watched live on CHL-TV.

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 and 1400amweoa.com. 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," all at 4:50 pm.

THE ICEMEN TICKET INFORMATION: IceMen tickets for all home games are on sale through the IceMen offices or by phone at (812) 435-8971. Also, IceMen tickets may be purchased in advance through Ticketmaster Centers in Evansville; downtown at The Centre Box Office; Schnuck's West Side or at the Roberts Stadium Box Office; by phone (812) 476-1383.



Central Hockey League Stories from January 30, 2011


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