PrairieThunder Opens Season
October 17, 2009 - International Hockey League 2 (IHL 2)
Bloomington PrairieThunder News Release
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - Embarking on its fourth season as a professional hockey franchise, the Bloomington PrairieThunder opens the International Hockey League season with three straight road games before its home opener Oct. 24 at U.S. Cellular Coliseum.
An undoubtedly more talented Bloomington team begins its six-month, 76-game campaign Saturday at 6 p.m. at Walker Arena against Muskegon. The PrairieThunder has a 16-16-3-2 record against the Lumberjacks all-time and a 9-7-0-2 mark in Walker Arena.
"We're ready to get things going," said second-year coach Jarrod Skalde, who compiled a 29-40-2-5 record last season. "I know we are starting the season with the most talented team we believe we are we've ever had here.
"It was our goal to go out and recruit bigger, more physical players; improve our defense and goaltending. We feel we have done that, plus we return a strong group of guys from last season. I learned a lot as a first year coach last year, but we didn't meet the expectations I had for the team and myself."
The PrairieThunder returns eight players from last year's team, including IHL all-league performer Jon Booras. The team MVP and captain was one of only two players to score 100 points (40 goals, 60 assists) last season from his center position.
Booras, who is in his fourth season with the franchise, holds team records for games played (222), points scored (197), goals scored (85) and assists (112).
He will be joined by on the frontline by returnees Brett Holmberg, Bill Bagron, Jan Jas and Adam Tomkow, along with defensemen Matt Frick, Jason Lepine and Russ Smith. Jas begins the season under suspension by the IHL because of immigration issues.
Holmberg, who has played alongside Booras the last two seasons, was the team's second leading scorer with 56 points (24 goals, 32 assists) despite missing the final six games with a separated shoulder. Bagron was voted as the team's top rookie last year after scoring 27 points in 42 games from his center position, while Frick was voted as the team's top defenseman.
Skalde will blend in the experience from two goalies and five players, who crafted their skills with other teams in the IHL or in the CHL and overseas, with his corps of returnees. That group includes high-scoring forwards Jamie Carroll , Craig Macdonald, Ryan Finnerty and Robin Gomez, along with defensemen Jason Sawyer and Brian Boulay.
Carroll, who was obtained in a trade, joins the team Oct. 23 in Fort Wayne. He scored 80 points last season with Port Huron, good for eighth overall. Macdonald put up 71 points in New Mexico, while Finnerty had 51 points with Sheffield in the Elite UK League overseas.
The 6-foot-2 Gomez, a very physical left winger, played with the 6-6 Sawyer at Oklahoma City a year ago where they provide plenty of punch to the lineup from a physical standpoint. Boulay was one of the better defenders for Fort Wayne.
The goaltending duties belong to seasoned veterans Paulo Colaiacovo and Andrew Martin, who played at Laredo and New Mexico last season.
The rookie class includes Tomkow, Trevor Geiger, Matt McIlvane, Cole Ruwe and Armando Scarlato. Tomkow is the most seasoned rookie in the league, playing in 57 games with Bloomington a year ago. That was three under the league maximum to be classified as a rookie.
"We really worked hard in the off-season to acquire the types of players we feel will fit our systems and philosophies," said Skalde.
Skalde said it's no secret the PrairieThunder, which finished a franchise-best fifth in the International Hockey League standings, needs to finish in the top four to qualify for the post-season playoffs and make a run at the Turner Cup.
"That's the ultimate goal," added Skalde.
*PrairieThunder facts:*
*All-time record: *85-125-5-13 (3 years)
*All-time road record: *41-62-3-8
*All-time record in October: *6-9
*All-time record in season openers: *2-1 (1-1 on the road)
*All-time record vs. Muskegon: *16-16-3-2
*All-time record at Muskegon: *9-7-2
*All-time record in Saturday games: *33-33-2-6
*All-time record in Sunday games: *13-16-1-2
Tickets for all 38 PrairieThunder home games are on sale at the U.S. Coliseum box office; on online at www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 800-745-3000. The PrairieThunder offers discounts on group tickets sold at the PrairieThunder office at 318 W. Washington St., or by calling Josh Bartolazzi at 309-585-0507, ext. 304. For more information visit the team's website at www.prairiethunderhockey.com.
International Hockey League 2 Stories from October 17, 2009
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