PrairieThunder Home Opener and Conference Alignment Announced
Published on July 13, 2010 under International Hockey League 2 (IHL 2)
Bloomington PrairieThunder News Release
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The Bloomington PrairieThunder will find itself playing against some new rivals for the 2010-11 season, while still playing some old ones along the way. The cause is the new affiliation between the International Hockey League (IHL) of which the PrairieThunder has been a member and the Central Hockey League (CHL) based in the southern part of the country. The new 18-team league will start play on October 15, 2010.
The 18 teams will be split into two conferences, one based in the north and the other based in the south. Bloomington will be part of the northern conference along with familiar teams from last season including Dayton, Fort Wayne, and Quad City.
"We are very excited about the divide between the two conferences and feel the balance and rivalries created will be great for all CHL fans," said Duane Lewis the CHL Commissioner. "Followers of both the CHL and IHL will enjoy the introduction of new teams as opponents and the formation of new rivalries."
Tim Leighton, President of the PrairieThunder, added additional insight, "Since the NHL expansion from the old original six teams, it has been clear that fans expect more teams in a league than we have had in the IHL the past few seasons. Realizing this, the IHL decided to take the logical next step by seeking out additional teams. With the current economy, it was clear that new teams weren't going to just materialize out of thin air. It turns out that the CHL was thinking along similar lines, so an affiliation between the two leagues was natural and was welcomed by both sides."
Obviously, the biggest question on the minds of many is the travel situation. Bloomington will now have to go as far west as Colorado, east to Dayton, and south to Mississippi or Texas. A completed schedule has yet to be released, but is expected to be announced soon along with the playoff alignment and other details.
"I've been assured the traveling won't be that bad," noted Jarrod Skalde the third year coach of the PrairieThunder. "We've found that traveling can be time well spent, discussing plays and team bonding. I have heard the schedule will accommodate longer road trips with overnight stays which will be better for the boys. This should help get them settled in a bit more."
The PrairieThunder will begin their 5th season with their home opener at U.S. Cellular Coliseum on Friday, October 22. Season tickets, multi-game packages, and flexible game packages are available now by calling (309) 585-0507 or visiting prairiethunderhockey.com.
International Hockey League 2 Stories from July 13, 2010
- PrairieThunder Home Opener and Conference Alignment Announced - Bloomington PrairieThunder
- Komets Re-Sign P.C. Drouin for Fourth Straight Championship Run - Fort Wayne Komets
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