Playoffs Bound PrairieThunder Back Home for Two Games this Week
March 1, 2011 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Bloomington PrairieThunder News Release
The Bloomington PrairieThunder (31-16-5) has clinched their first playoff spot in the team's five year history following a road trip that took them 2200 miles from Dayton, Ohio to Louisiana to Texas. Bloomington posted an impressive 3-0-1 record on the road, capturing seven out of eight points in the standings. The PrairieThunder begins the week in third place in the CHL's Turner Conference, just two points behind second place Colorado and three behind first place Rapid City. Bloomington currently has the best winning percentage in the conference at .644.
Sunday's 4-1 victory over the Texas Brahmas marked the tenth straight game that the PrairieThunder has picked up at least a point in the standings. During this time period, the PThunder has posted a 7-0-3 record. Bloomington clinched their playoff spot with the victory over the Brahmas coupled with Evansville's 2-1 loss to Quad City on Sunday.
Coming off a week that saw the PrairieThunder play 5 games in 7 nights, this week should seem like a breeze to Jason Christie's lads as they only will play two games, both at the friendly confines of U.S. Cellular Coliseum in downtown Bloomington.
This Week's Schedule:
Monday (2/28): Team returned from Texas / Day Off
Tuesday (3/1): Day Off
Wednesday (3/2): 1:30pm-3:00pm: Practice @ Pepsi Ice Center
Thursday (3/3): 2pm-3pm: Practice @ Pepsi Ice Center
Friday (3/4): 7:05pm: Home Game vs. Fort Wayne @ U.S. Cellular Coliseum
Saturday (3/5): TBA
Sunday (3/6): 3:05pm: Home Game vs. Quad City @ U.S. Cellular Coliseum
This Week's Games (Home Games @ U.S. Cellular Coliseum)
Friday, March 4th: 7:05pm vs. Fort Wayne Komets
Promotion: "Mardi Gras Jersey Night" (See attached)
The PrairieThunder will wear special Mardi Gras jerseys which will be
auctioned off following the game and a portion of the proceeds will
benefit Easter Seals and the McLean County MissFits!
Also: Everyone that comes dressed for Mardi Gras will get a FREE Tiki
Cup from Maui Wowi Smoothies (with the purchase of a Smoothie)
Also: "Downtown Bloomington Association Night"
Go to: downtownbloomington.org for additional information.
It's game eight (of ten) in the season series with Fort Wayne. Bloomington leads the season series 4 wins to 3 on the strength of a 3-1 victory back on February 16th in Bloomington. After Friday's game, the two teams meet twice more in the regular season; once in Fort Wayne (3/20) and once more in Bloomington (3/22), which is the game that was moved from February 1st. Jason Dale leads all Bloomington players in scoring vs. the Komets with 3 goals & 5 assists while Tab Lardner has seven points vs. the PrairieThunder.
Sunday, March 6th: 3:05pm vs. Quad City Mallards
Promotion: "Silly Bands Night" sponsored by CM Promotions
Free "Silly Bands" to all children in attendance. Every package has a coupon
good for a free children's ticket to our Sunday, March 27th game!
Also: Family 4 Packs of Tickets for ONLY $32
Also: Pheasant Lanes Post-Game Skate with the Players!
The tenth meeting (of eleven) with the in-state rival Mallards. The Moline Silver Six have given the PrairieThunder trouble all season long, having won six of the first nine games. Bloomington did win the last game of the series 3-2 back on 2/21. Following Sunday's contest, one game will remain in the series which will be played on March 23rd in Quad City.
PrairieThunder in the Community
The PrairieThunder players and staff are out and about in the community early this week. On Monday, Bill Pinel, Keith Rodger, and Jason Dale were at the Cub Scout Banquet Dinner at the Irving Elementary School in Bloomington. And today, Tuesday, March 1st, Dustin DeGagne and Jason Williams visited the CISAR Animal Shelter in Colfax, Illinois. Here are the other events that the team is involved in this week:
Wednesday (3/2): Children's Hospital Visit in Peoria from 2pm-4pm
Wednesday (3/2): Bingo at Evergreen Village in Normal from 3pm-4pm
Wednesday (3/2): Fundraiser at Country Gingham in Bloomington from 5pm-6pm
Saturday (3/5): Miller Park 5K Stampede starting at 9:30am
Saturday (3/5): Promotional Table at the Bloomington Extreme Game starting at 7pm
PrairieThunder Notes
Goaltender Marco Emond has 22 wins on the season putting him third in the CHL in that category.....Jason Dale remains the team's leading scorer with 47 points in 52 games. Dale also continues to lead the team in assists with 31.....Jon Booras and Brett Holmberg lead the PrairieThunder in goals with 18 each.....Holmberg continues to be the plus / minus leader with a +17 rating.....Jon Booras is the team leader in power play goals with 7 while John Snowden leads in game winning goals with 8.....Travis Granbois is the team's penalty minutes leader with 98.....Garrett Klotz has 91.....In the team's last 10 games (where Bloomington is 7-0-3) Brett Holmberg and Bill Bagron are the team's leading scorers with 11 points each (4 goals & 7 assists).....In the last ten games, goaltender Brad Phillips is 4-0-2 with a 1.93 goals against average and Marco Emond is 3-0-1 with a 1.71 goals against average.
PrairieThunder Tickets
Bloomington PrairieThunder single game tickets are on sale at the U.S. Cellular Coliseum Box Office. Tickets are on sale at the Coliseum Box Office Monday through Friday from 11am to 5:30pm and on weekends when there are events in the Coliseum. PrairieThunder single game tickets are also available by going to the U.S. Cellular Coliseum website: http://www.uscellularcoliseum.com/events/all/ and click on Tickets & Seating. And for Prairie Thunder season tickets and group sales information, please call the PrairieThunder at 309-585-0507 or go to our website: www.prairiethunderhockey.com.
Central Hockey League Stories from March 1, 2011
- Rycroft's Hat Trick Helps Eagles into First Place - Colorado Eagles
- Thunder Tops Eagles in Another Wild Game - Wichita Thunder
- Brahmas Take Loss in Odessa 7-3 - Fort Worth Brahmas
- Bucks Beat First-Place Allen, 5-2 - Laredo Bucks
- Mavs Top Gems, 3-1 - Kansas City Mavericks
- Early Goals Give Mavs 3-1 Win Over Dayton Gems - Dayton Gems
- Ladies: "Hockey N' Heels" Is Thursday - Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs
- Bloomington's Brad Phillips Named Oakley CHL Goaltender of the Week - CHL
- Woollard and Hogeboom Named Oakley 3 Stars Winners - Fort Worth Brahmas
- Playoffs Bound PrairieThunder Back Home for Two Games this Week - Bloomington PrairieThunder
- Mavericks' Wakita Taken off IR, Knowles Placed on IR - Kansas City Mavericks
- Yellow Horn Named as One of CHL's Oakley Three Stars for February - Allen Americans
- Texas' Chad Woollard Wins "Oakley Three Stars" for February - CHL
- Mallards' Brown Called up to AHL's Chicago Wolves - Quad City Mallards
- RiverKings Broadcast Coverage this Week - Mississippi RiverKings
- Rush Weekly - Rapid City Rush
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