PrairieThunder goes to Elmira this weekend
January 29, 2007 - International Hockey League 2 (IHL 2)
Bloomington PrairieThunder News Release
The Bloomington PrairieThunder (12-30-2, 26 points) looks to snap a five-game losing streak this weekend when it travels to Eastern Conference foe Elmira (20-24-1, 41 points) this weekend for 6:35 p.m. United Hockey League games Friday and Saturday.
This is will be the third and fourth meetings between the teams this season. The teams split a two-game series in Bloomington in November. The PrairieThunder trails the Jackals in the race for a berth in the UHL playoffs by 15 points. Bloomington is 10 points behind eighth-place Port Huron by 10 points. The top eight teams make the playoffs.
About the Jackals
The Jackals suffered a 6-4 loss at Muskegon on Saturday, which was its fourth loss in its last five games. Elmira is led in scoring by Brent Cullaton, who ranks eighth in the UHL, with 46 points (14 goals, 32 assists). Teammated Scott Wray is 12th in the league in scoring with 41 points (22 goals, 19 assistst).
The Jackals are the most penalized team in the league with 1,448 minutes. They have scored 141 goals and given up 171. Elmira has a 10-11-1 record at home and averages 3,500 fans per game.
PrairieThunder 'Player of the Week'
Bloomington PrairieThunder center Greg Koehler has been named the Lone Star Restaurant "Player of the Week" for s
performance in two games last week.
Koehler, who joined the team Thursday after being acquired in a trade from Chicago, had an assist in his first game
with the team on Friday in a 5-1 loss to Muskegon. He scored his first goal with the team the following night in a 3-2 loss
to Chicago.
Other Players of the Week have included Jon Booras (twice), Ryan Gillis, Alex Goupil, Jarad Bourassa, Jeff Reynaert
and Mike Zbriger.
PrairieThunder rumblings
- Rookie forward Mike Zbriger leads the PrairieThunder in scoring with 31 points. However, 19 of those points came while he was with Flint. Zbriger was traded to the PrairieThunder, along with Dion Hyman. He has played 12 games with the PrairieThunder and has scored two goals with 10 assists for 12 points. Zbriger leads all rookies in the league in power play goals with eight.
- Alex Goupil is the team leader in goals scored with 14.
- The PrairieThunder drew its largest crowd in U.S. Cellular Coliseum and hockey franchise history Saturday when 5,488 filed through the turnstiles.
- The PrairieThunder has not outshot its opponents in seven straight games. The opponents have 277 shots on goal compared to the PrairieThunder's 187.
- Greg Koehler and John Spoltore scored their first goals of the season for the PrairieThunder in a 3-2 loss to Chicago. Both players started the season with Chicago.
- Six of Bloomington's 12 game-winning goals have been scored by players currently on the roster and Tyler Rennette has two of those. The others have been scored by B.J. Gaustad, Trevor Baker, Tim Schneider and Jon Booras.
- The PrairieThunder has a 7-8-2 record in games decided by one goal.
- The PrairieThunder has given up 34 goals in the final three minutes of a period. Sixteen of the goals have come in the final minute of a period and eight of those have been in the final minute of the third period (four were empty net goals, three were when the opponent had an extra attacker and one was a short-handed goal).
- The PrairieThunder has allowed 10 goals in the final two minutes of a period and eight goals in the final three minutes of a period.
- The PrairieThunder has an 8-14 record at U.S. Cellular Coliseum and a 4-16-2 record on the road.
- Bloomington is 3-2 in shootouts, while Chicago is 0-1. PrairieThunder shootout results among current active players: B.J. Gaustad 3-5, Alex Goupil 2-5, Tyler Rennette 1-2, Jarad Bourassa 0-2, Jon Booras 0-1, Brad Thompson 0-1, Trevor Baker 0-1.
- The PrairieThunder has a 9-19 record against Western Conference teams and a 3-11-2 record against Eastern Conference teams. The PrairieThunder competes in the Western Conference of the UHL with the Fort Wayne Komets, the Quad City Mallards, the Chicago Hounds and Rockford Icehogs. Competing in the Eastern Conference are the Elmira (N.Y.) Jackals, the Flint (Mich.) Generals, the Port Huron (Mich.) Flags, the Kalamazoo (Mich.) Wings and the Muskegon (Mich.) Fury.
- The PrairieThunder posted a 1-5 record in October; 5-6 in November; 2-11-2 in December; and is 4-8 in January.
- Bloomington ranks third in overall average attendance in the UHL, drawing an average of 3,687 people for 22 games. There has been a total of 81,121 people attend PrairieThunder games to date.
- Each time the PrairieThunder scores four or more goals in games at U.S. Cellular Coliseum, its fans are treated to free Big Mac's the day following the game at the seven Twin Cities McDonalds. Thus far, the PrairieThunder has scored four or more goals seven times meaning 5,522 Big Macs have been given out for free.
- PrairieThunder franchise firsts: First goal - Tyler Rennette (Oct. 13 at Muskegon); First goal at U.S. Cellular Coliseum - Andre Niec (Oct. 14 vs. Fort Wayne); Largest home crowd - 5,488 (Jan. 27, 2007 vs. Chicago).
- Fans can get the latest PrairieThunder news by clicking on its Web site at prairiethunderhockey.com. They can order tickets for all home games by calling the box office at 309-434-2679 or on-ilne at www.prairiethunderhockey..com Tickets are priced at $10, $12, $15 and $20.
PrairieThunder all-stars
- Forward Alex Goupil and defenseman Andrew Lackner represented the PrairieThunder in the United Hockey League All-Star Classic in Fort Wayne on Jan. 17. Lackner had an assist as the Eastern Conference All-Stars posted an 11-6 victory.
Last time out
The PrairieThunder suffered a 3-2 loss to Chicago on Saturday when Matt Amado scored with 1:51 remaining in the game.
Against the Jackals
- Nov. 10 -Elmira 5, at Bloomington 3
- Nov. 11 - at Bloomington 4, Elmira 3
PrairieThunder coach
The PrairieThunder is coached by Derek Booth, the Southern Professional Hockey League Coach of the Year last season at Fayetteville (NC). The FireAntz compiled a 31-19 record last season and advanced to the league playoffs. This is Booth's third year as a head coach and he has a 75-73 career record including this season.
PrairieThunder leaders
- Goals scored - Alex Goupil 14
- Assists - Mike Zbriger - 27 (17 with Flint)
- Points - Mike Zbriger - 31 (19 with Flint)
- Shots - B.J. Gaustad - 122
- Penalty minutes - Jarad Buorassa - 63
- Wins - Jeff Reynaert - 9
- Saves - Jeff Reynaert - 1,075 (second in the UHL)
- Save percentage - Jeff Reynaert - .900
PrairieThunder records:
Playing at home: 8-14
Playing on the road: 4-16-2
PrairieThunder scores first: 9-9-1
Opponent scores first: 2-23
PrairieThunder leads after 1st period: 7-3-1
Opponent leads after 1st period: 1-14-1
PrairieThunder leads after 2nd period: 8-2-0
Opponent leads after 2nd period: 1-22
Tied after first period: 4-13
Tied after second period: 3-6-2
Game goes into shootout: 3-2
One-goal games: 7-8-2
PrairieThunder has more shots on goal: 6-8
Goals for per game: 2.41
Goals against per game: 3.86
Shots per game: 28.84
Shots against per game: 36.91
Penalty killing record: 53-287 (81.5 percent)
Power play opportunities: Bloomington 31-247 (12.6 percent) Scoring by periods
Shorthanded goals: Bloomington 7 (6 against) Bloomington 35 41 27 0 - 106
Last 10 games: 3-7 Opponents 48 54 66 2 - 170
Last 5 games: 0-5
Recent PrairieThunder transactions
- Jan. 29 - Waived forward Shawn Roes
- Jan. 24 - Waived forward Mike Adamek
- Jan. 24 - Waived forward Andre Niec
- Jan. 23 - Obtained center Greg Koehler from Chicago for future consideration
PrairieThunder on injured reserve
- Defenseman Dion Hyman - 14 day
Coming up next for the PrairieThunder
- Feb. 2 - PrairieThunder at Elmira
- Feb. 3 - PrairieThunder at Elmira
- Feb. 7 - Rockford at PrairieThunder, 7:05 p.m.
• Discuss this story on the International Hockey League 2 message board...
International Hockey League 2 Stories from January 29, 2007
- Generals and Komets continue streaks - IHL 2
- UHL names players of the week - IHL 2
- Feeling "ZOOper" - Kalamazoo Wings
- K-Wings Week in Review - Kalamazoo Wings
- Quad City Begins Busy Month of February - Quad City Mallards
- PrairieThunder goes to Elmira this weekend - Bloomington PrairieThunder
- Chicago Hounds Weekly Notes - Chicago Hounds
- Flags Week in Review - Port Huron Flags
- Fury Third Period Onslaught Stuns Jackals 6-4 - Elmira Jackals
- Koehler earns weekly team honor - Bloomington PrairieThunder
- Komets take three straight on the road - Fort Wayne Komets
- Generals weekly recap - Flint Generals
- Muskegon Fury notes - Muskegon Lumberjacks
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