Prairie Thunder Update
Published on January 30, 2009 under International Hockey League 2 (IHL 2)
Bloomington PrairieThunder News Release
The Flint Generals make their fifth trip to the U.S. Cellular Coliseum when the teams square off Friday at 7:05 p.m. in an International Hockey League game.
Bloomington will try to ride the momentum of a 4-3 shootout win against the Fort Wayne Komets on Wednesday into their matchup with the Generals.
The PrairieThunder (15-22-1-2, 33 points) enters the game three points behind Flint (15-24-2-4, 36 points) in the standings. In nine games against Bloomington this season, Flint holds a 5-3-0-1 record. Most recently the Generals had a 4-3 shootout victory on Jan. 22 at home.
Bloomington is also looking to continue its season-high five-game undefeated streak. The streak is two short of the franchise record of seven set in the 2007-08 season.
Flint has posted a record of 3-0-1-2 in its last six games. The Generals have not lost a game in regulation time since Jan. 10 in a 4-3 defeat against Port Huron.
Bloomington has a four-game unbeaten streak at home and a 10-10-1-1 overall at the U.S. Cellular Coliseum. Flint has struggled on the road with a 5-13-1-3 record, but has a 3-2 record at the U.S. Cellular Coliseum.
The Generals have a talented left wing in Steve Rymsha, whose 28 goals lead the league and 56 points rank third.
Earlier in the week, Kyle Deck chose to pursue hockey in Europe. Deck led all rookies and defensemen with 38 points.
Ludzik back in net
Rookie goaltender Ryan Ludzik will be back in the net Friday after getting a well-deserved night off Wednesday. Ludzik had made nine straight starts and compiled a 4-1-1-2 mark during that stretch. He had no decision in one start.
Ludzik earned the IHL's Southern Sports "Goaltender of the Week" award for the third time this season last week after going undefeated in regulation in three games, posting a 1-0-0-2 record with a .933 save percentage and a 2.21 goals against average in 190 minutes of action.
The Niagara Falls, Ontario native faced 105 shots and saved 98, while allowing only seven goals in regulation and overtime (65 minutes per game). His last loss in regulation came Jan. 15 in Port Huron.
For the season, Ludzik has a 6-7-1-2 record with a 3.75 goals against average and a .895 save percentage. A month ago, he had a 1-4 record with a 4.94 goals against average and a .855 save percentage. That's an improvement of nearly one-and-a-half goals allowed per game and four percent increase in save percentage.
Ludzik's honor marks the ninth time, and the fifth time for a goaltender, in 15 weeks that a PrairieThunder player has earned a weekly honor. Others earning the award have been goalie Scott Fankhouser (twice); center Jon Booras (twice); and forwards Henry
Kuster and Don Parsons (once each).
No crying Wolfe
The PrairieThunder was in good hands as Ludzik enjoyed his night off.
Jason Wolfe, who was signed by the PrairieThunder a week ago, made his first start Wednesday and earned the victory by stopping 41 of 44 shots in regulation and overtime, then stopped 10 straight shots in the shootout.
The 6-foot-5, 235-pound Wolfe had been playing with the New Mexico Scorpions of the CHL this season before signing with Bloomington. He had a 6-10-2 record.
No. 1 line clicking
The No. 1 line of captain Jon Booras and newcomers Jan Jas and Henry Kuster has been clicking since joining forces 10 games ago. The trio has scored 15 goals with 22 assists for 37 points.
Jas has scored 13 points in 13 games with a plus-3 rating since joining the team. He has scored at least one point in seven of the last nine games and nine of the 13 he has appeared in a Bloomington uniform. He has six goals and seven assists.
Kuster scored a goal 29 seconds into his first game with the PrairieThunder on the way to a four-point night (2 goals, 2 assists). He has 11 points in eight games. See below for Booras statistics.
Injury list
Goaltender Scott Fankhouser is on the 45-day injured reserve list with a high ankle sprain. During his recovery time, Fankhouser has taken on a more active role in coaching, administration and community services.
Defenseman Jason Lepine continues on the injury list while recovering from ACL surgery. He expects to return to action in March.
Leaders of the pack
Forward Jon Booras leads the PrairieThunder in scoring with 53 points (22 goals, 31 assists) in 39 games to rank in a tie for fourth in the league. He has already notched more assists than he had last season (29) in 74 contests and needs five points to eclipse his career-high season point total of 57 last season.
Booras is second in the league in power play goals with nine. He has scored at least one point in 29 of the 39 games he has played, including multiple-point efforts 15 times. He has scored at least one point in nine of the last 10 games.
He also is the franchise leader in games played (186), goals scored (67), assists (83) and points (150).
Shaun Fisher is the team's top scorer among defensemen with 20 points (4 goals, 16 assists), while Adam Tomkow is the top scoring rookie with nine points (3 goals, 6 assists).
Player of the Week
Rookie goaltender Ryan Ludzik is the reigning IHL Goalie of the Week after posting a 2-0-0-2 record last week.
Slapshots, etc.
Brett Holmberg has scored at least one point in 10 of the last 13 games he has played for 15 points. He missed two games with a concussion. The second-year player has already tallied 37 points in 36 games to surpass the 31 he scored last year in 76 contests.
Marty Standish has scored 21 points in the last 21 games. There have only been six times in the 28 games Standish has played with the PrairieThunder that he hasn't recorded a point. He has scored five points in the last four games.
Standish holds the record for the quickest goal scored to start a game (11 seconds) in franchise history. Four times this season, the PrairieThunder has scored a goal within the first 42 seconds of the game. Those scores came 11, 29, 38 and 42 seconds into a game.
Upcoming promotions
It's Family Four Pack Night where fans can purchase four tickets, four hot dogs and four soft drinks for $56.
It's also Pepsi Date Night where folks bringing Pepsi product cans to the box office when purchasing tickets can get a two-for-one deal.
In addition, it will be a salute to Illinois Wesleyan Night and members of the school's NCAA qualifying women's soccer team will be recognized prior to the game.
PrairieThunder players will be wearing green jerseys depicting the IWU theme during the game and will be auctioned off following the contest with a portion of the proceeds going to the IWU Alumni Association Fund.
It's also Decatur Youth Hockey Night and members of the organization's youth hockey teams will perform during the first intermission.
Next game Wednesday
The PrairieThunder plays at Kalamazoo on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. before returning home Wednesday to meet Muskegon at 7:05 p.m. That means it's another "Wacky Wednesday" game where all tickets are $7 and fans have the opportunity to purchase hot dogs, popcorn, sodas and Miller or Budweiser draught beer for 42 each.
International Hockey League 2 Stories from January 30, 2009
- Icehawks Goalie Mior Records Second Shutout In Third Start - Port Huron Icehawks
- Jan Jas Scores Hat Trick to Lead PrairieThunder Over Flint - Bloomington PrairieThunder
- K-Wings Silenced by Lumberjacks - Kalamazoo Wings
- Prairie Thunder Update - Bloomington PrairieThunder
- Countdown to Face-Off - Kalamazoo Wings
- Join The Icehawks Players At Cocktail Hour - Port Huron Icehawks
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