Kirton's Late Goal Leads Thunderbolts over Mayhem
SPHL Evansville Thunderbolts

Kirton's Late Goal Leads Thunderbolts over Mayhem

Published on March 8, 2026 under SPHL (SPHL)
Evansville Thunderbolts News Release


Evansville, In.: In a low-scoring Sunday afternoon matinee at Ford Center, it was Scott Kirton who provided the clutch third period goal to lead the Thunderbolts over the Mayhem by a 2-1 score. The Thunderbolts' next home game at Ford Center will be on Friday, March 13th against the Knoxville Ice Bears at 7:00pm CT.

The first period was very low on offense, with Evansville leading the shot count 3-2, yet making the third shot count nonetheless as Evan Miller scored off the post and in at the 17:07 mark, assisted by Myles Abbate and Aiden MacIntosh to give Evansville the opening lead through 20 minutes. In the second period, Evansville was unable to extend their lead, and the Mayhem managed to tie the game 1-1 on a 5-on-3 power play, Parker Allison scoring the goal at 16:16. In the third period, a point shot by Matt Clark was deflected beautifully by Scott Kirton in the mid-slot and into the net with 7:20 remaining to give Evansville a 2-1 lead. The Mayhem pulled goaltender Bailey Brkin in the final minutes but were unable to tie the game as Evansville came up victorious for the 25th time this season, surpassing their 24-win total in the regular season last year, and moving back into a tie for 2nd place in the SPHL standings with 9 games remaining in this regular season. With the victory, Evansville now only needs a maximum of 8 points out of the remaining 18 possible to clinch a berth in this year's President's Cup Playoffs.

Miller and Kirton scored one goal each for Evansville, while Cody Karpinski finished with 22 saves on 23 shots for his 4th win of the season. The Thunderbolts and Mayhem do not meet again this regular season, with Macon winning the regular season series 3-2, but with both teams claiming an even 6 points against each other as only one Macon win was in regulation.

Season tickets, Individual game tickets and group packages are on sale for the 2025-26 season. Call 812-422-BOLT(2658) or visit our website (www.evansvillethunderbolts.com) for details.

About Evansville Thunderbolts: The Evansville Thunderbolts is the area's only professional hockey team. The Thunderbolts are a proud member of the SPHL. The team is owned and operated by VW Sports, L.L.C, a subsidiary of VenuWorks, Inc. www.evansvillethunderbolts.com.

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SPHL Stories from March 8, 2026


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