PrairieThunder This Week
November 24, 2009 - International Hockey League 2 (IHL 2)
Bloomington PrairieThunder News Release
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The Bloomington PrairieThunder gets its chance to make some points in a hurry in International Hockey League action with four games in five days, beginning Wednesday's 6:05 p.m. contest at Dayton.
Bloomington, which has played only one time in the last nine days, returns home Friday for a 7:05 p.m. contest with Port Huron before making the short trip to Moline to face Quad City at 7:05 p.m. Saturday. The final game of the weekend finds the PrairieThunder at home for a 4:05 p.m. tilt with Dayton.
Wednesday's game marks the fourth meeting between Dayton and the PrairieThunder, which has won all the previous contests. Bloomington holds a 1-0-0-1 mark against Port Huron, which is making its first trip to U.S. Cellular Coliseum this season, and a 2-0-0-1 record opposite the Mallards.
Bloomington, which has a 2-3-0-2 record on the road, suffered its first loss of the season at U.S. Cellular Coliseum in its last home game to Fort Wayne to snap a season-beginning six-game winning streak on its ice.
The defeat also broke a seven-game home winning streak, dating back to last year. The team has a 52-59-6-3 all-time record at U.S. Cellular Coliseum. The six straight victories at home to start the season was a team record. The longest overall home winning streak is seven, which was set last season, and the longest undefeated overall streak at home is nine, also set a year ago.
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Bloomington will break out its third jersey for the first time this season Friday. PrairieThunder equipment manager Mark Kincher was hoping to show off the gold sweaters at an earlier home game, but because the team was winning he didn't want to go against the norm by changing colors. The PrairieThunder will wear the gold jersey at random times the remainder of the season.**
The PrairieThunder's Craig Macdonald began the week fourth in the league in scoring with 20 points, six behind Muskegon's Robin Bouchard and Todd Robinson. Macdonald, who had a string of two goals in three straight games snapped last week, enters Wednesday's game at Dayton with nine goals and 11 assists.
Jamie Carroll is third in power play assists with six, while Robin Gomez is second in penalty minutes (72) and majors (8). Russ Smith is fifth in scoring among defensemen with seven points and second in goals scored with three, while Justin Sawyer leads in major penalties among defensemen with eight.
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The PrairieThunder will help Chip, the team mascot, celebrate his fourth birthday Sunday, which is also Kid's Day. Other mascots will be on hand to celebrate the birthday. Youth tickets (age 12 and under) are $4 with Kid's meals (hot dog, chips, soda) available for $3 to the first 500 youngsters. Fans can skate with the PrairieThunder players following the game.
International Hockey League 2 Stories from November 24, 2009
- Mallards' Laplante Retires, Returning To Ontario - Quad City Mallards
- Thunder Helping In The Community - Bloomington PrairieThunder
- PrairieThunder This Week - Bloomington PrairieThunder
- Generals Player Of The Month Luncheon December 3 - Flint Generals
- DTE Energy, Huntington Bank & The Muskegon Lumberjacks launch Coats for Kids drive - Muskegon Lumberjacks
- Icehawks Crown Karaoke Winners - Port Huron Icehawks
- Mallards To Join Salvation Army Kettle Campaign On - Quad City Mallards
- Icehawks Win Two At Home Before Heading Into Road Trip - Port Huron Icehawks
- Mallards Weekly Update - Quad City Mallards
- Komets Home For Holiday Hockey Thursday And Saturday - Fort Wayne Komets
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