PrairieThunder this Week
March 21, 2011 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Bloomington PrairieThunder News Release
When the sun sets this coming Sunday afternoon, March 27th, the CHL playoffs bound Bloomington PrairieThunder will be a tired bunch of men; having played five games in six nights and fourteen games in the past twenty-four days. Bloomington had a relatively quiet week last week, playing three games but winning only one of them. The one that did go into the "W" column was a big 4-2 victory over the Fort Wayne Komets on Sunday afternoon (March 20th). With that victory, the PrairieThunder (35-20-6) again pull to within four points of the Rapid City Rush and six of the first place Colorado Eagles. Bloomington, with five games left in the regular season, still has three games in hand on both the Rush and the Eagles.
The PrairieThunder is still looking to clinch home ice advantage for the first round of the CHL playoffs. Bloomington's "magic number" to clinch home ice for round one is five.
This Week's Schedule:
Monday (3/21): Day Off
Tuesday (3/22): HOME GAME @ 7:05pm vs. Fort Wayne Komets
Wednesday (3/23): Away Game @ Quad City Mallards (7:05pm)
Thursday (3/24): 10am-12 noon: Practice @ U.S. Cellular Coliseum
Friday (3/25): HOME GAME @ 7:05pm vs. Evansville IceMen
Saturday (3/26): Away Game @ Evansville IceMen (7:35pm)
Sunday (3/27): HOME GAME @ 3:05pm vs. Evansville IceMen
This Week's Games (Home Games @ U.S. Cellular Coliseum)
Tuesday, March 22nd: 7:05pm vs. Fort Wayne Komets
Promotion: "Rock Star Night"
Featuring Dan Hubbard and the Humadors (Pre & Post-game concert)
"Two for Tuesday": Two tickets for the price of one!
"Ticket Redemption Night": bring any unused 2010-11 PrairieThunder
ticket to the Coliseum Box Office for admission to the game.
NOTE: This game was not on the original PrairieThunder schedule. It was originally
scheduled for March 18th, moved to February 1st (for "Sugarland"), was snowed out, and
finally re-scheduled for March 22nd. It's the tenth and final regular season meeting between the PThunder and the Komets. Bloomington has won six of the first nine meetings. Fort Wayne (29-26-7) is tied for seventh with Dayton in the CHL's Turner (Northern) Conference, two points behind sixth place Quad City.
Wednesday, March 23rd: 7:05pm AT Quad City Mallards
WJBC-FM (93.7), WJBC.com, CHL-TV
Watch the game at BlueLine Nightclub, 602 N. Main Street
It's the eleventh and final meeting of the year with the Moline, Illinois based Mallards. The Quad has won seven of the first ten meetings and is 4-1 vs. the PThunder at the i Wireless Center. Quad City begins the week at 33-29-1 and if the season had ended today, the Mallards would have been the first round opponent for Bloomington.
Friday, March 25th: 7:05pm vs. Evansville IceMen
Promotion: "Chip Bobblehead Giveaway" sponsored by Country Financial
The first 2500 fans receive a FREE bobblehead of PrairieThunder Mascot Chip
It's the first of three straight games against the Evansville IceMen to close out the regular season. The two teams have met six times earlier this season with Bloomington having won all six. Evansville (19-32-12) will not qualify for the CHL playoffs. Their 12 overtime losses lead all Central Hockey League teams.
Saturday, March 26th: 7:35pm AT Evansville IceMen
WJBC-AM (1230), WJBC-FM (93.7), WJBC.com, CHL-TV
Watch the game at BlueLine Nightclub, 602 N. Main Street
Third and final trip to Evansville where the PrairieThunder is 2-0 on the season. It is also the final game to be played in Evansville's Swonder Ice Arena. The IceMen will move to the new 9000 seat Evansville Event Center for the 2011-12 season.
Sunday, March 27th: 3:05pm vs. Evansville IceMen
Promotion: "Fan Appreciation Day" & "Chicago Blackhawks Day"
NHL Hall of Famer Denis Savard will be in attendance signing autographs
Chicago Blackhawks giveaways throughout the game
"Pheasant Lanes Post-Game Skate"
"PrairieThunder Playoffs Pep Rally" in the Bud Light Lounge after the game!
The final regular season game of the 2010-11 CHL season for both clubs. The PrairieThunder organization will announce the first round home playoff dates as soon as the team clinches home ice for the first round.
PrairieThunder Playoff Ticket Packages & 2011-12 Season Tickets Now on Sale!
Playoff ticket packages for the upcoming Central Hockey League Playoffs (which begin at the end of the month) and 2011-12 PrairieThunder Season Tickets are now on sale. Call the PrairieThunder office during the week at 309-585-0507 for additional information or stop by the PrairieThunder information table during PrairieThunder home games. The CHL playoffs consist of four rounds. If Bloomington has home ice advantage in every round, the team could play a maximum of fourteen additional home playoff games.
PrairieThunder Notes
All Central Hockey League playoff teams must designate their nineteen man playoff roster on Monday, March 28th at 12 noon (central).....the team may also sign two amateur players (no professional experience) and an emergency goaltender at any time during the playoffs.....Jason Dale continues to be Bloomington's leading scorer with 49 points in 58 games (17 goals & 32 assists). This marks a season high for him. He tallied 43 points in 68 games for the Brampton Battalion in the Ontario Hockey Junior League in 2008-09.....Brett Holmberg leads all goal scorers with 23 and is one away from tying his career best of 24 scored in 2008-09 for Bloomington....Others who can reach the twenty goal milestone with five games to play: Jon Booras (currently with 19), and Jason Dale & John Snowden (both with 17).
PrairieThunder Tickets
Bloomington PrairieThunder single game tickets are on sale at the U.S. Cellular Coliseum Box Office. Tickets are on sale at the Coliseum Box Office Monday through Friday from 11am to 5:30pm and on weekends when there are events in the Coliseum. PrairieThunder single game tickets are also available by going to the U.S. Cellular Coliseum website: http://www.uscellularcoliseum.com/events/all/ and click on Tickets & Seating. And for Prairie Thunder season tickets and group sales information, please call the PrairieThunder at 309-585-0507 or go to our website: www.prairiethunderhockey.com.
• Discuss this story on the Central Hockey League message board...
Central Hockey League Stories from March 21, 2011
- Colorado's Kevin Ulanski Named Oakley CHL Player of the Week - Colorado Eagles
- Shots from the Point for March 21, 2011 - CHL
- Sundogs Ink Veteran Goaltender Scott Reid - Arizona Sundogs
- Mallards Weekly Update - Quad City Mallards
- Oakley CHL Player of the Week Announced - CHL
- RiverKings Playoff Ticket Information Released - Mississippi RiverKings
- Komets Skate to the Finish this Week; Playoff Tickets Go on Sale Thursday - Fort Wayne Komets
- Mavericks' Goaltender Robby Nolan Named to All-CHL Team - Kansas City Mavericks
- Thinel Named to All-CHL Team - Odessa Jackalopes
- Colorado Eagles Weekly Update - Colorado Eagles
- Mudbugs Weekly - Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs
- Killer Bees Weekly - Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees
- D-Man Darcy Campbell Named All-CHL - Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees
- Andrew Martens Named to All-CHL Team - Wichita Thunder
- CHL Announces 2010-2011 All-CHL Team - CHL
- Sundogs Notes - Arizona Sundogs
- Regular Season Wraps Up - Tulsa Oilers
- RiverKings Weekly - Mississippi RiverKings
- Dayton Gems Weekend Review - Dayton Gems
- PrairieThunder this Week - Bloomington PrairieThunder
- Jacks Weekly Update - Odessa Jackalopes
- Thunder Has Another Winning Week - Wichita Thunder
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
