Thunderbolts Pull Off Game 3 Comeback, Advance to Semifinals

Evansville, In.:  Down but never out, the Thunderbolts rallied from 1-0 and 3-1 deficits in the third period to force overtime, where Isaac Chapman’s goal won the game and the series for Evansville by a 4-3 final score on Sunday afternoon.  Game three in the best-of-five semifinal series against the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs at Ford Center will be on Wednesday, April 22nd, face-off at 7:00pm CT.

After a scoreless first period, the Ice Flyers managed to score the first goal in the second period as Jack Suchy scored on a power play at 14:11.  Down 1-0 going into the third period, Evansville rallied as Scott Kirton scored seconds after a power play expired at 1:02 off a feed from Aiden MacIntosh.  Pensacola responded shortly afterward at 2:42 as Matt Allen scored to make it 2-1 Pensacola, followed up with a power play goal from Tyler Burnie at 8:40 to suddenly make it 3-1 Ice Flyers and stack the odds against Evansville.  The Thunderbolts refused to surrender, and at 12:03, Caleb Huffman rifled a shot past Christian Propp to make it a 3-2 game, assisted by Tyson Gilmour and Aaron Huffnagle.  30 seconds later at 12:33, Evansville closed the gap entirely as Jordan Simoneau moved in from the left boards and found daylight through Propp to make it a 3-3 game, assisted by Huffman.  At 4:24 of the first overtime, the rebound from a shot from Joey Berkopec found its’ way to Chapman at the edge of the crease, where he scored to become the hero of the series for the Thunderbolts and win the game 4-3, and the series 2-1, with Huffnagle picking up the secondary assist.  It was the first time in 19 games this season that Evansville won a game after trailing through two periods, as the comeback finally manifested when they needed it most.  The Thunderbolts will be a member of the SPHL’s final four for the third consecutive year, with the stage now set for a rematch with the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs, who defeated Evansville in the opening round of the 2023 President’s Cup Playoffs, in a best-of-five game series starting on Friday night in Roanoke.

Huffman led the way with a goal and assist, Chapman scored the winning goal, Kirton and Simoneau added one goal each, and Huffnagle tallied a pair of assists.  In goal, Kristian Stead finished with 32 saves on 35 shots on goal for his 2nd win of the playoffs.  Games one and two against the Rail Yard Dawgs will be played at Berglund Center in Roanoke on Friday, April 17th and Saturday, April 18th, both games set to begin at 6:05pm CT.  Games three and four (if necessary) will be played at Ford Center on Wednesday, April 22nd and Thursday, April 23rd at 7:00pm CT, and if necessary, game five would be at Berglund Center on Saturday, April 25th at 6:05pm CT.

Season tickets for the 2026-27 season are on sale now. Individual game tickets and group packages are on sale for the remainder of this 2025-26 season.  Call 812-422-BOLT(2658) or visit our 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 Look Ahead to Game 3 after 3-1 Loss to Pensacola

Pensacola, Fl.:  The Thunderbolts hit a snag in game two in Pensacola on Friday night with a 3-1 loss and will now look to Sunday’s winner-take-all game three at Ford Center to keep their season alive.  Game three at Ford Center will be this Sunday, April 12th, face-off at 3:00pm CT.

The Thunderbolts had some solid chances in the opening minutes of the first period but could not find a way to convert and take an early lead.  Not long afterward at the 4:43 mark, the Ice Flyers got a massive break as an Evansville turnover in front of Kristian Stead was quickly scored on, with Tyler Burnie scoring the goal.  In the rest of the first period, Evansville was kept down by only one goal thanks to more outstanding goaltending from Kristian Stead, and early in the second period, the Thunderbolts managed to tie the game on a net-front deflection with Aiden MacIntosh scoring from Ethan Lund and Scott Kirton at 2:51.  The rest of the second period was mostly even, however the Ice Flyers broke the tie in the final minute as Laudon Poellinger’s screened shot ended up in the Evansville net at 19:15.  Down 2-1 going into the third period, Evansville was simply unable to generate the necessary offense, and Matt Allen scored for the Ice Flyers at 10:06 to make it a 3-1 game.  The series will now shift to Ford Center for game three on Sunday afternoon, as the Thunderbolts will look to take advantage of the home ice advantage that they battled hard to obtain over the course of the regular season in order to overcome the setback and advance back to the second round. 

MacIntosh scored Evansville’s lone goal, while Stead finished with 32 saves on 35 shots on goal.

Season tickets for the 2026-27 season are on sale now. Individual game tickets and group packages are on sale for the remainder of this 2025-26 season.  Call 812-422-BOLT(2658) or visit our 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 Rally to Win Playoff Series Opener Over Pensacola

Evansville, In.:  After a shaky first period in which Pensacola struck first, the Thunderbolts called upon their playoff veteran experience to settle things down before scoring four unanswered goals to win game one of the best-of-three series, 4-1 the final score.  Game two will be in Pensacola on Friday, April 10th, face-off at 7:05pm CT.

The Thunderbolts were slower to acclimate than they would have liked out of the gate, with Pensacola taking control in the first period and taking the first lead as Matt Allen scored at 10:01.  After  a stronger finish to the first period, great goaltending from Kristian Stead, and a jolt coming from an Ice Flyer shot hitting the crossbar early in the second period, Evansville found their game and scored three unanswered goals within a span of 3:53 to turn the 1-0 deficit to a 3-1 lead;  Aaron Huffnagle scored first at 10:08, skating through the right circle and sniping a shot over the shoulder of Christian Propp off the rush to tie the game, assisted by Isaac Chapman.  Less than two minutes later at 11:41, Myles Abbate scored off the rush coming up the left side, firing just over the glove of Propp, assisted by Chapman again to give Evansville their first lead.  At 14:01, another goal off the rush made it 3-1 Evansville as Evan Miller scored on a breakaway amid a bad Pensacola line change, assisted by Anthony Mollica.  Only 12 seconds into the third period, Evansville extended the lead to 4-1 as Abbate entered the zone and dangled around Propp, assisted by Chapman and Huffman to finish the scoring.  Evansville will have two opportunities to win the series, starting with game two in Pensacola on Friday, April 10th at 7:05pm CT.  Game three (if necessary) would be at Ford Center on Sunday, April 12th at 3:00pm CT.

Abbate scored two goals while Huffnagle and Miller added one goal each.  Chapman tallied three assists, breaking the franchise single-game playoff record for assists and tying the record for points, while Stead finished with 29 saves on 30 shots on goal for his first professional playoff win.

Season tickets for the 2026-27 season are on sale now. Individual game tickets and group packages are on sale for the remainder of this 2025-26 season.  Call 812-422-BOLT(2658) or visit our 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 Set First Round Playoff Schedule vs Ice Flyers

For the first time in franchise history, the Thunderbolts will have home ice advantage as they look to defend their 2025 Presidents Cup Title starting on Wednesday, April 8th at the Ford Center against the #5 Pensacola Ice Flyers. In a best of three series for the first round, the Thunderbolts will head to the Pensacola Bay Center in Pensacola, FL on Friday, April 10 for a 7:05 pm puck drop for Game 2. If needed, the Thunderbolts will be back at home at the Ford Center on Sunday, April 12 at 3:00 pm to determine the series winner. Tickets for the first round go on sale on Monday, April 6th at 12:00 pm on Ticketmaster.com, the Ford Center Box Office, or call us at 812-422-BOLT (2658).

Thunderbolts Finish Regular Season with Sweep of Ice Flyers

Evansville, In.:  In what turned out to be a first round playoff preview, the Thunderbolts ended the regular season schedule with a weekend and regular season series sweep over the Ice Flyers, 4-1 the final score on Saturday night at Ford Center.  The Thunderbolts’ first playoff home game at Ford Center will be on Wednesday, April 8th against the Pensacola Ice Flyers at 7:00pm CT.

The Thunderbolts got off to a bit of a slower start compared to Friday, with the Ice Flyers taking the opening lead as Zach Bross scored quickly off a takeaway from Will van der Veen in the Evansville zone at the 8:44 mark.  Undaunted, Evansville bounced back to tie at 14:11 as Jordan Simoneau moved in from the left circle off a feed from Aaron Huffnagle, dangling the puck past Troy Kobryn and into the net, with a secondary assist going to Anthony Mollica.  Only 3:08 into the second period, Evansville took the lead as Mollica’s shot through traffic found the back of the net, assisted by Isaac Chapman and Myles Abbate.  Shortly afterward at 6:16, Abbate scored off a turnaround shot that bounced off Andrew Poulias and into the net to make it a 3-1 game, assisted by Mollica and Chapman.   Early in the third period, Evansville put the game out of reach at 4-1 as Simoneau scored off an end-board dump-in from Ethan Lund and Joey Berkopec at 1:13, the assist being Lund’s first professional point.  Evansville held firm the rest of the way and the Thunderbolts’ penalty kill went 4-for-4 as the Thunderbolts secured their 31st win of the regular season.  With Huntsville and Roanoke victorious tonight, the Thunderbolts will again face the Ice Flyers in the best-of-three first round of the President’s Cup Playoffs, Evansville with home ice advantage as the 4th seed and Pensacola the 5th seed.  Game one will be at Ford Center on Wednesday, April 8th at 7:00pm CT, game two in Pensacola will be on Friday, April 10th at 7:05pm CT, and game three (if necessary) will be at Ford Center on Sunday, April 12th at 3:00pm CT.

Simoneau scored two goals, Mollica finished with a goal and two assists, and Abbate picked up a goal and one assist.  Chapman tallied a pair of assists, while Kristian Stead finished with 19 saves on 20 shots on goal for his 23rd win of the season, setting a new Thunderbolts’ single season franchise record by one goaltender.  The Thunderbolts and Ice Flyers conclude the regular season series with Evansville winning 4-0.  

Season tickets for the 2026-27 season are on sale now. Individual game tickets and group packages are on sale for the remainder of this 2025-26 season.  Call 812-422-BOLT(2658) or visit our 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