Ceci Brilliant in 1-0 Thunderbolts Shutout of Rivermen

Evansville, In.:  Behind an incredible 41-save performance from goaltender Cole Ceci, the Thunderbolts succeeded in picking up wins in three consecutive weekends, shutting out the Rivermen 1-0 for Teddy Bear Toss Night at Ford Center on Saturday.  The Thunderbolts’ next home game will be on Friday, December 15^th against the Huntsville Havoc, puck drop at 7:00pm CT. 

                The only goal of the game came 11:05 into the first period to set off the Thunderbolts’ Teddy Bear Toss, as appropriately it was Bair Gendunov who scored on a Rivermen turnover to put the Thunderbolts ahead, unassisted.  As for the Teddy Bear Toss, early estimates currently count the stuffed animals thrown onto the ice at roughly 2,000, all of which will be given to children in need across the Tri-State in time for the Holidays.  The star of the show was Ceci, who stopped all 41 shots to pick up his first professional shutout and his third win of the season.  Also of note were the Evansville penalty kill units who killed off all five Rivermen power plays, as well as the many Thunderbolts players who chipped into the defensive effort with shot and pass blocks.  The Thunderbolts and Rivermen meet again next Saturday, December 16^th at Ford Center.    

Individual game tickets and group packages are on sale for this 2023-24 season.  Season tickets for the 2023-24 season are also on sale.  Call 812-422-BOLT or visit our all-new website (www.evansvillethunderbolts.com) for details. 

About Evansville Thunderbolts: The Evansville Thunderbolts is the area’s only professional hockey team. The Thunderbolts are a proud member of the SPHL.  The team is owned and operated by VW Sports, L.L.C, a subsidiary of VenuWorks, Inc. www.evansvillethunderbolts.com  

Thunderbolts Edged 5-4 in Wild Game in Peoria

Peoria, Ill.:  In an extremely back-and-forth game, particularly in the second period, the Thunderbolts rallied to tie twice but came up just short in a 5-4 loss to the Rivermen in Peoria on Friday night.  The Thunderbolts’ next home game will be on Saturday, December 9^th against the Peoria Rivermen, puck drop at 7:00pm CT. 

                The only goal of the first period was scored by Peoria’s Tristan Trudel at the 12:12 mark, opening the Rivermen’s Teddy Bear Toss.  The other 8 combined goals in the game came in the second period, in rapid-fire order.  First, Scott Kirton scored to tie the game just after a power play chance concluded at 1:26 from Mark Zhukov and Dmitry Yushkevich.  The goal was Kirton’s 43^rd of his Thunderbolts career, establishing a new franchise record.  Less than a minute later however, Peoria scored twice in a span of 11 seconds, as Adam Keyes scored at 2:04 and 2:15 to put Peoria in front 3-1.  On another power play just over two minutes later at 4:36, Chays Ruddy scored to get Evansville back to within 3-2, assisted by Bair Gendunov and Mike Ferraro.  The Rivermen answered again on a power play of their own, as Alec Hagaman scored to make it a two-goal lead once again, just over a minute later at 5:41. 

                Almost three minutes after the Rivermen made it a 4-2 game, the Thunderbolts scored twice in only 7 seconds to tie the game, as Tommy Stang scored from Ruddy and Matt Dorsey at 8:30 to make it 4-3, followed by Gendunov scoring from Zhukov at 8:37.  The goals set a new franchise record for quickest consecutive goals scored, surpassing the previous record of 10 seconds, accomplished in 2019-20.  After a long stretch without scoring, the Rivermen took back the lead once again, as Trudel scored in the final minute on another power play to make it a 5-4 Rivermen lead.  Despite outshooting Peoria 9-5 in the third period, the final frame of regulation went scoreless, with the 5-4 Rivermen lead becoming final. 

                Ruddy and Gendunov finished the night with a goal and assist each, while Stang and Kirton scored the other Evansville goals.  Zhukov tallied two assists, while Cole Ceci finished with 23 saves on 28 shots.  The Thunderbolts and Rivermen meet once again on Saturday, December 9^th at Ford Center.  

Individual game tickets and group packages are on sale for this 2023-24 season.  Season tickets for the 2023-24 season are also on sale.  Call 812-422-BOLT or visit our all-new website (www.evansvillethunderbolts.com) for details. 

About Evansville Thunderbolts: The Evansville Thunderbolts is the area’s only professional hockey team. The Thunderbolts are a proud member of the SPHL.  The team is owned and operated by VW Sports, L.L.C, a subsidiary of VenuWorks, Inc. www.evansvillethunderbolts.com  

Ruddy's Two Goals Lead Thunderbolts Over Roanoke

Evansville, In.:  In a strong bounce-back performance, the Thunderbolts fought hard to earn a split out of the weekend series against Roanoke, defeating the Rail Yard Dawgs 4-2 on Saturday night at Ford Center, in large part due to Chays Ruddy’s pair of second period goals.  The Thunderbolts’ next home game will be on Saturday, December 9^th against the Peoria Rivermen, puck drop at 7:00pm CT. 

Opening the scoring for Evansville was Mark Zhukov, off a net-front scramble from Myles Abbate and Bair Gendunov at 7:22 of the first period, the goal also being the first of Zhukov’s professional career.  Roanoke tied the game 5:57 into the second period as Jacob Kelly scored on a rebound opportunity.  Midway through the second period, Ruddy scored his first goal off a set face-off play from Tommy Stang and Matthew Hobbs to give Evansville a 2-1 lead at 11:33.  Replicating the same play, Ruddy scored once again at 16:58, this time from Matt Dorsey and Hobbs, to make it 3-1.  After being denied on a penalty shot attempt in the final minute of the second period, Scott Kirton got on the scoreboard by poking home a loose puck 2:59 into the third period, assisted by Gendunov to make it a 4-1 Evansville lead.  Roanoke got a late goal back from Kelly at 14:20, but the Thunderbolts weathered a late storm from Roanoke, which at one point saw them go up on a 6-on-3 man advantage with goaltender Tyler Roy pulled, as Evansville came out on top 4-2. 

Ruddy led the offense with his two goals, while Kirton and Zhukov each finished with one goal.  Gendunov and Hobbs each tallied a pair of assists on the night, while Cole Ceci finished with 39 saves on 41 shots for his 2^nd win of the season.  The Thunderbolts and Rail Yard Dawgs meet once again on Friday, February 16^th at Berglund Center.  

Individual game tickets and group packages are on sale for this 2023-24 season.  Season tickets for the 2023-24 season are also on sale.  Call 812-422-BOLT or visit our all-new website (www.evansvillethunderbolts.com) for details. 

About Evansville Thunderbolts: The Evansville Thunderbolts is the area’s only professional hockey team. The Thunderbolts are a proud member of the SPHL.  The team is owned and operated by VW Sports, L.L.C, a subsidiary of VenuWorks, Inc. www.evansvillethunderbolts.com  

Abbate, Greco Score First Goals in Close Loss to Roanoke

Evansville, In.:  Despite the result, it was good to see some new Thunderbolts find the back of the net, as both Myles Abbate and Michael Greco picked up their first goals with Evansville in a very close 3-2 loss to Roanoke on Friday night at Ford Center.  The Thunderbolts next home game will be on Saturday, December 2^nd against the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs, puck drop at 7:00pm CT. 

                Roanoke struck first, as CJ Stubbs scored on a power play only 4:15 into the game, however the Thunderbolts were quick to respond as Abbate scored only 11 seconds later from Bair Gendunov and Nick Prestia to tie the game at one-apiece, with the goal being Abbate’s first professional goal.  In the second period, Evansville took a 2-1 lead as a shot from the point by Greco off the face-off got through, assisted by Genunov at 9:00.  However, the Rail Yard Dawgs eventually converted on their 19 shots in the second period, as Nick Ford scored at 13:48 to tie the game going into the third period.  Penalties proved costly on Evansville in the final period, as Mac Jansen scored at 10:39 on a power play to give Roanoke the lead, which would stick the rest of the way as the Rail Yard Dawgs opened the weekend series with a 3-2 win. 

Abbate and Greco scored a goal each while Gendunov finished with a pair of assists.  In goal, Cole Ceci finished with 31 saves on 34 shots.  The Thunderbolts and Rail Yard Dawgs meet once again on Saturday, December 2^nd at Ford Center.  

Individual game tickets and group packages are on sale for this 2023-24 season.  Season tickets for the 2023-24 season are also on sale.  Call 812-422-BOLT or visit our all-new website (www.evansvillethunderbolts.com) for details. 

About Evansville Thunderbolts: The Evansville Thunderbolts is the area’s only professional hockey team. The Thunderbolts are a proud member of the SPHL.  The team is owned and operated by VW Sports, L.L.C, a subsidiary of VenuWorks, Inc. www.evansvillethunderbolts.com

Thunderbolts signed Taylor, Abbate, and Greco; Waive Kuhn

On Wednesday, the Thunderbolts and Head Coach/Director of Hockey Operations Jeff Bes announced several transactions, led by the signing of goaltender Ty Taylor to a standard contract, the signing of forward Myles Abbate to a professional tryout (PTO), and the signing of defenseman Michael Greco from a professional tryout (PTO) to a standard contract.

Taylor played last season in the EIHL with the Glasgow Clan, playing in 17 games and finishing with a 3-11 record.  Previously, Taylor played briefly in the ECHL with the Orlando Solar Bears in 2021-22 after concluding four seasons of college hockey with the University of New Hampshire from 2018-21 and Grant MacEwan University in 2021-22.  The native of Richmond, British Columbia was selected in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft in the 7^th round, 214^th overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning, following two seasons in the BCHL with the Vernon Vipers between 2016-18.

Abbate turned pro this season with the Peoria Rivermen, playing in two games, including one against Evansville.  Abbate had just concluded a four-year college career with Plymouth State University from 2019-2023, scoring 54 goals and 115 points in 86 games.  Prior to college, the Norwell, Massachusetts native attended Proctor Academy in New Hampshire from 2015-19. 

Since signing a professional tryout, Greco has played in five games so far for the Thunderbolts and has added a tremendous physical element to the Thunderbolts' game, exhibiting exceptional body checking ability and drawing numerous retaliation penalties while maintaining a solid defensive presence during his early stint with Evansville, earning him a standard contract.

In additional transaction news, goaltender Sean Kuhn has been placed on waivers.