PrairieThunder begin two-game road swing
Published on November 27, 2007 under International Hockey League 2 (IHL 2)
Bloomington PrairieThunder News Release
The Bloomington PrairieThunder, fresh off a 5-4 sudden death overtime victory at Kalamazoo on Sunday that broke a five-game losing streak on the road, hits the pavement again this week with two away games in International Hockey League action.
The PrairieThunder begins the week in fifth place with 12 points and a 6-9-0-0 record. Ironically, the team notched its sixth victory of the season on the same Nov. 25 date last year in its first season of existence.
Bloomington travels to Muskegon for the first time this year on Friday to meet the Fury in a 6:30 p.m. start before heading to Fort Wayne for a 6:30 p.m. date Saturday. The PrairieThunder owns a 3-2 shootout victory over Muskegon this year in the only meeting at U.S. Cellular Coliseum. Both teams won their last games.
The Fury, whose owner Tony Lisman also owns the PrairieThunder, trails Bloomington by one point in the standings. Muskegon owns a 5-2 lead in the overall series between the teams and a 2-1 record at home against the PrairieThunder.
Bloomington is 1-2 against the Fort Wayne Komets this season with one of the losses coming at Fort Wayne. The Komets lead the IHL standings with 20 points and a 9-3-1-1 record. The Komets have lost only once at home this year. The Komets lead the overall series 8-5 and are 4-2 at home versus the PrairieThunder.
Last week in review
The PrairieThunder sandwiched two victories over Kalamazoo around two defeats to Port Huron. Bloomington erupted for three goals in the second period in a 5-1 victory over Kalamazoo at U.S, Cellular Coliseum on Wednesday. Don Parsons started the onslaught with a goal that snapped a 135-minute, 15-seconds scoring drought over six-plus periods.
Parsons also was the catalyst in the 5-4 sudden death overtime victory at Kalamazoo on Sunday, scoring two power play goals and adding two assists to become the first player in franchise history to score more than three points in a game with four. It took a Cory Laylin goal as the third shooter in the second round of the shootout to earn the win.
The PrairieThunder's two losses to Port Huron were by 4-0 and 5-4 scores. Bloomington allowed Port Huron three power play goals in the third period in the 4-0 loss. The PrairieThunder was shut out for the second time this season despite getting off four more shots than the IceHawks.
Bloomington fell behind Port Huron, 3-0, on the next night before catching fire and creating a 3-all deadlock with three goals in the second period. Two late third-period goals doomed the PrairieThunder. Once again the PrairieThunder had more shots on goal, but was unsuccessful on six power play attempts.
Opponent leaders
Mike Watt and Robin Bouchard lead the Fury with 13 points each. Bouchard had the second hat trick in the IHL this season in the team's last outing. He also leads the league in power play goals with six, while teammate Philippe Plante has four and Watt adds a league-high eight power play assists.
Goalie Issac Reichmuth tops the IHL in minutes played with 645:23 and saves with 308. He has a 4-6-1 record and a 3.44 goals against average with a .893 save percentage. He has played in 12 of the team's 13 games. The Fury is third in the league in power play percentage (19.7) and first in penalty kills (87.5).
Fort Wayne took over the league lead having won two straight and six of its last games. Luciano Aquino is the team's leading scorer with 16 points and is second in the league in goals scored with 10.
Goalie Kevin Reiter leads the league with six victories in 10 games. He ranks third in save percentage at .913 and has a 2.48 goals against average. The Komets have a 14.3 success rate on power plays, which is last in the league, but they are second in penalty kill at 84.1 percent.
The Komets defense has allowed a league-low 35 goals or 2.50 goals against per game average and the fewest shots on goal at 408 or 29.1 per game. They also have the highest shots on goal average per game at 36.1 with 505 shots in 14 games.
PrairieThunder rumblings
Forward Don Parsons became the first player in PrairieThunder history to score four points in a game when he had two goals and two assists against Kalamazoo on Nov. 25. Defenseman Jeff Ewasko, the team's 6-foot-7 gentle giant, scored his first goal of the season on Nov. 24 and promptly did a body slam into the glass to celebrate. Defenseman Pascal Bedard had scored only one point in the PrairieThunder's first 11 games. He has scored five points in the last four games. The PrairieThunder had gone six-plus periods without a point - a span of 135:15 - before erupting for three goals in the second period against Kalamazoo in a 5-1 victory on Nov. 21. Parsons ranks fourth in the IHL in scoring with a team high 17 points. He also ranks second in the league in assists with 11 and power play goals with four. Parsons leads the league in shots taken at 75.
Jason Ralph, who had gone six games without a point, is on a two-game goal scoring streak along with Parsons. He's tied for the league lead with two game-winning goals.
Don Margettie leads the league with 15 minor penalties for 24 minutes. He spent time in the penalty box in the first 13 games before ending the streak on Nov. 24. Teammates Jeff Ewasko and Sam Miller are tied for second in the league with seven major penalties. The PrairieThunder has a league-leading 27 major penalties.
Cory Laylin ranks second among defensemen with 11 points, while Scott Crawford is fourth with eight points. Laylin is tied for the league-lead in goals scored by a defender with four and second in power play assists with five.
Goalie Derek Dolson has the second most saves in the league with 267.
The PrairieThuinder has allowed the most power play goals with 19. The team ranks last in penalty kills with a 75 percent rate and fifth in power play opportunities at 14.5 percent.
The PrairieThunder ranks second in attendance, drawing 27,493 people for eight games or an average of 3,436. Fort Wayne is the leader with 56,014 for seven games or an average of 8,002.
Each time the PrairieThunder scores four or more goals in a game at U.S. Cellular Coliseum, fans can redeem their game ticket the next day at Bloomington-Normal McDonalds Restaurants for a free Big Mac. The PrairieThunder has scored four or more goals three times this year at home and 1,661Big Macs have been given out.
Guns n Hoses game
Members of the Bloomington police department will meet members of the Bloomington fire department will meet on the ice in an exhibition game Dec. 8, beginning at 3:15 p.m. that will benefit the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Illinois.
The PrairieThunder faces Muskegon at 7:05 p.m. the same day and will wear specially designed jerseys featuring the Special Olympics and Torch Run logos, during the game which will be auctioned off after the game. A portion of the proceeds will go to Special Olympics.
Upcoming games/promotions
Nov. 30 - At Muskegon, 6:30 p.m.
Dec. 1 - At Fort Wayne, 6:30 p.m.
Dec. 7 - At Flint, 6:30 p.m.
Dec. 8 - Muskegon, 7:05 p.m. (PrairieThunder long-sleeved T-shirt given to first 3,000 fans entering the Coliseum sponsored by U.S. Cellular and Radio Bloomington): Guns n' Hoses game between Bloomington police and fire departments, beginning at 3:15 p.m. Specialty jersey auction following the game.
Dec. 12 - Kalamazoo, 7:05 p.m. - Military Night sponsored by the Army National Guard; Wild Wednesday College Night ($1 hot dogs, soda, beer and popcorn; half price ticket for college students with valid ID); Wine Women and Hockey presented by Fox & Hounds Day Spa ($35 ticket includes admission to U.S. Cellular Coliseum party suite, services provided by Fox & Hounds Day Spa staff; appetizers and win tasting). Tickets priced at $20 are available for Club seat holders.
Dec. 14 - Flint, 7:05 p.m. - Pepsi Date Night where fans redeeming Pepsi product cans when purchasing tickets at the box office receive a "buy one, get one" general admission ticket; Post-Game Puck Shot where fans have the opportunity to shoot a puck at the net following the game to win Pepsi voucher.
International Hockey League 2 Stories from November 27, 2007
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- PrairieThunder begin two-game road swing - Bloomington PrairieThunder
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