RiverKings Pull Away from Thunder

February 14, 2014 - SPHL (SPHL)
Bloomington Thunder News Release


BLOOMINGTON - The Bloomington Thunder missed a chance to move up in the Southern Professional Hockey League standings with a 7-3 loss to the Mississippi RiverKings on Friday night at U.S. Cellular Coliseum.

The RiverKings scored just 1:11 after the opening face-off on a power play goal by Matt Whitehead, who won a face-off by pushing the puck to the deep slot and elevating it top shelf. The RiverKings added a tally with 10:22 remaining in the opening period when Sean Jones corralled a rebound in the crease and tapped it into an open net. Bobby Watson collected a bounce at neutral ice and skated in for a breakaway goal just under two minutes later to cut the Thunder deficit to 2-1. The Thunder sent the game to the first intermission tied at 2-2 when Travis Granbois drove home a high rebound at the doorstep on assists from Reid MacLeod and Bobby Watson with 55.6 left before the first period horn.

The guests regained the lead 5:04 into the middle chapter when Burke Gallimore, who was waived by the Thunder this week but claimed by the RiverKings earlier in the day, deked his man at the right circle and scored a wrister for a 3-2 lead. The Thunder evened the game with 3:33 left before the second intermission when Nic Polaski tracked down his own rebound high in the slot and wristed in the score assisted by Eddie Olczyk and Granbois for a 3-3 tie. The RiverKings grabbed the lead back with a goal in the final minute of the period when Whitehead slipped a low drive from the right circle inside the left post.

The RiverKings built the lead to 5-3 only 53 seconds into the third period when Jones redirected a shot from the slot. The guests pushed the advantage to 6-3 when Leo Thomas swiped the puck from Thunder goalie B.J. O'Brien, who came out to play the disc in the right face-off circle, and scored into the empty net with 5:41 remaining in regulation. Devin Mantha pushed in a rebound when Phil Bronner forced a turnover in the Bloomington zone with 1:54 left for the final score.

O'Brien suffered the loss while making 26 saves while Matthew Krahn earned the win with 34 stops. The RiverKings were 3-for-5 on the power play while the Thunder were scoreless in two chances.

The Thunder rematch with the RiverKings for their final meeting of the season on Saturday at 7:05 p.m. at U.S. Cellular Coliseum. The annual Guns and Hoses game between local police and firefighters takes place at 3 p.m., and the Thunder will wear special Guns and Hoses jerseys that will be auctioned immediately after the game with all proceeds going to Special Olympics Illinois. Saturday is also Kids Eat Free Night courtesy of SERVPRO providing kids 12 and under with free hot dogs, corn dogs, popcorn, nachos and fries until the first Thunder goal. The Thunder conclude the home weekend with a 3:05 p.m. Sunday contest against the Fayetteville FireAntz on Kids Day with $5 admission for those 12 and under, $3 kids meals and a post-game skate with the players for all ages.

Thunder games can be heard on WJBC.com and inside U.S. Cellular Coliseum on 93.7 FM, and viewed via subscription on America One Sports. Links to the online broadcasts can be found at www.bloomingtonthunder.com, Facebook and Twitter (BLMThunder). For group and multi-game discount ticket packages, call the Thunder office at 309-434-2980, and for single-game and game day tickets visit the U.S. Cellular Coliseum box office or call 309-434-2980.

Juniors fall: The Bloomington Junior Blaze dropped a 6-2 decision on Friday afternoon to the Alpena Street Cats at U.S. Cellular Coliseum. Jorey Skelton and Justus Kree scored for Bloomington. The teams rematch at 12:30 Saturday and 11 a.m. Sunday at U.S. Cellular Coliseum.



SPHL Stories from February 14, 2014


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