PrairieThunder This Week
December 22, 2009 - International Hockey League 2 (IHL 2)
Bloomington PrairieThunder News Release
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The Bloomington PrairieThunder will be out to extend its undefeated home streak against the Quad City Mallards when the teams hook up at 7:05 p.m. Saturday at U.S. Cellular Coliseum in International Hockey League action.
The PrairieThunder has won four straight against the Mallards at home and lead the season series, 4-1-0-1. The teams meet again Sunday at 4:05 p.m. at iwireless Arena in Moline where the PrairieThunder has a 0-1-0-1 mark.
Saturday's game completes a six-game home for the PrairieThunder, which has won four of the first five. Bloomington has a 57-61-6-4 overall record at home after Sunday's 6-5 triumph over Fort Wayne.
The PrairieThunder is tied for third in the standings with Fort Wayne with a 13-8-1-2 record (29 points). Quad City has a 6-12-4-1 record (17 points). The Mallards are 2-8-3-0 on the road following a 6-5 overtime loss in its last outing Sunday at Flint.
The PrairieThunder is 10-3-1-0 at home this season and 4-2 overall during December, which has not traditionally been a good month for Bloomington. In its three previous seasons, the PrairieThunder has managed a combined eight victories.
Bloomington has an amazing 13-0-1-1 record when leading after the first period and is 11-0-1-1 when leading after two periods. The PrairieThunder also is 12-2-1-1 when scoring the game's first goal.
Defenseman Jason Lepine has been on the hot seat of late, scoring at least one point in the game five games. Lepine has scored seven points during that period after only scoring four in the first 19 games.
Another defenseman, Matthew Spiller, has only played five games, but already is tied with Craig Macdonald for the best plus-minus percentage at plus-nine.
Macdonald ranks fourth in the league in scoring with 31 points, while teammates Jon Booras (26) and Billy Bagron (22) are fifth and 10th, respectively. Macdonald has four-game winning goals.
Bloomington leads the league in power play percentage at 22.0 (24 goals in 109 chances) and is third on the penalty kill (81.4 percent).
Saturday's game has been tabbed as "Ugly Sweater Night" and fans wearing their ugliest holiday sweater can visit the sales table during the game and receive a voucher good for one free ticket to the Dec. 29 home game against Muskegon.
Also, there will be a re-gift table for fans, who received a gift they can't or won't use, can bring the unwrapped item to the sales table and participate in a re-gift gift exchange.
The Dec. 29 game also has been declared "half-price ticket night" where all tickets will be half price and kid's meals (hot dog, chips, soda) will be priced a $3.
International Hockey League 2 Stories from December 22, 2009
- Muskegon Drops Mallards 4-2 - Quad City Mallards
- Generals Fall To Icehawks 4-3 - Flint Generals
- Fort Wayne's MacMillan Suspended - IHL 2
- Santa Arrives Early For Komets; 2008 Turner Cup Champ Mitch Woods To Rejoin Fold - Fort Wayne Komets
- PrairieThunder This Week - Bloomington PrairieThunder
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