Evansville's Professional Hockey Team
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Upcoming Games |
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Knoxville Ice Bears | Ford Center Opening Weekend | ||
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Knoxville Ice Bears | Ford Center Opening Weekend/Wizard's Night | ||
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Birmingham Bulls | Pelham Civic Center Click to watch live | ||
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Huntsville Havoc | Ford Center Hockey Horrors Night |
Latest News
Thunderbolts Re-Sign Lincoln Hatten
Evansville, In.: The Evansville Thunderbolts and Head Coach/Director of Hockey Operations Jeff Bes are pleased to announce the re-signing of forward Lincoln Hatten for the 2024-25 season. The Thunderbolts begin the 2024-25 season at Ford Center on Friday, October 18th as they host the Knoxville Ice Bears.
Hatten tallied 5 goals and 21 points in 54 games during his rookie professional campaign with Evansville in 2023-24, finding his offensive stride late in the regular season by finishing on a 7-game point streak (2 goals and 11 points in span) before scoring 2 goals and 5 points in Evansville’s 5 playoff games. The native of Sarasota, Florida previously played college hockey with the U.S. Military Academy’s Army team in 2020-21, scoring 4 goals and 13 points in 22 games and earning Atlantic Hockey Rookie of the Year honors, following three seasons with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights of the NAHL, where he scored 31 goals and 78 points in 121 games between 2017-2020.
“After not playing in two years, last year was definitely a good adjustment,” replied Hatten when asked how he would best sum up his rookie season. “The start of the year was obviously slow for us but what mattered was that we rallied to make the playoffs and how we did in the postseason, which surprised everyone but ourselves. I’ve been on the edge of my seat every day waiting to get back to Evansville and pick up where we left off last year!”
Hatten joins previously announced forwards Matthew Hobbs, Derek Contessa, Logan vande Meerakker, Kevin Hu, Adam Keyes, Vili Vesalainen and Myles Abbate, defensemen Dillon Hill, Joey Berkopec, Benjamin Lindberg, and Gehrig Lindberg, along with goaltender Jonah Capriotti on the roster heading into training camp.
Individual game tickets, group packages, and season tickets are on sale for the upcoming 2024-25 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
Latest News
Thunderbolts Re-Sign Forward Myles Abbate
Evansville, In.: The Evansville Thunderbolts and Head Coach/Director of Hockey Operations Jeff Bes are pleased to announce the re-signing of forward Myles Abbate for the 2024-25 season. The Thunderbolts begin the 2024-25 season at Ford Center on Friday, October 18th as they host the Knoxville Ice Bears.
Abbate joined the Thunderbolts off waivers from the Peoria Rivermen early in 2023-24, and as a rookie became one the Thunderbolts’ most prolific scorers, scoring 15 goals and 32 points along with a team-best +8 rating in 44 regular season games, along with a goal and assist in 5 playoff games. The native of Norwell, Massachusetts played four seasons of hockey at Proctor Academy in New Hampshire before a prolific four-year tenure at Plymouth State University between 2019-2023, scoring 54 goals and 115 points in 86 games. At Plymouth State, Abbate was part of three NCAA III MASCAC championship teams in 2019-20, 2021-22, and 2022-23. Individually, Abbate was the conference’s Rookie of the Year and member of the 2nd All-Star Team in 2019-20, before earning Player of the Year and 1st All-Star Team honors in 2021-22 and 2022-23.
“I had to learn quickly about adjusting to pro hockey when I joined the Thunderbolts, my teammates were a great help in getting adjusted and Coach Bes helped me improve as a player at both ends of the ice. During the playoffs I felt confident in our team, and we proved that we could play with anyone in the league on any given night. The playoff environment was great both at home and even on the road with how our fans traveled to support us,” remarked Abbate on his rookie season with Evansville. Abbate continued: “I’m excited to come back this season and build off of what we accomplished last year, I believe we all are hungry and looking forward to taking the next step as a team. I can’t wait to get back to Evansville and play at Ford Center again!”
Abbate joins previously announced forwards Matthew Hobbs, Derek Contessa, Logan vande Meerakker, Kevin Hu, Adam Keyes and Vili Vesalainen, defensemen Dillon Hill, Joey Berkopec, Benjamin Lindberg, and Gehrig Lindberg, along with goaltender Jonah Capriotti on the roster heading into training camp.
Individual game tickets, group packages, and season tickets are on sale for the upcoming 2024-25 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
Latest News
Thunderbolts Sign Goaltender Jonah Capriotti
Evansville, In.: The Evansville Thunderbolts and Head Coach/Director of Hockey Operations Jeff Bes are pleased to announce the signing of goaltender Jonah Capriotti for the 2024-25 season. The Thunderbolts begin the 2024-25 season at Ford Center on Friday, October 18th as they host the Knoxville Ice Bears.
Capriotti turns professional following a very successful career at the high school prep, junior, and college levels, beginning with two seasons at Salisbury School in Connecticut between 2015-2017. The native of Mount Hope, Ontario returned to his home province in 2017-18 to play for the OJHL’s Wellington Dukes, posting a .923 save percentage and a 21-11-5 record in the regular season along with a .919 save percentage and 15-5 record in the playoffs to backstop the Dukes to an OJHL championship victory. Capriotti followed up this performance by winning another championship title in college hockey with Trinity College in 2018-19, and in two seasons at Trinity posted a total record of 16-5-3 and a .919 save percentage. Following the COVID-19 pause, Capriotti tended goal at the University of Prince Edward Island between 2021-2024, compiling a 28-26-0 record and .910 save percentage, and was named to the USports Atlantic University Sport (AUS) Conference Second All-Star Teams of 2022-23 and 2023-24.
“Coming from college, I’m ready to prove myself at the pro level. Ultimately, helping the team win is my main goal,” said Capriotti on making the jump to the professional level with the Thunderbolts. Capriotti further remarked: “I chose to sign with Evansville because they are giving me an honest chance to prove that I can play at the pro level, allowing me to give my full effort into the hope of winning a championship at this level. I am super excited to get going and compete every night with this squad!”
Capriotti joins previously announced forwards Matthew Hobbs, Derek Contessa, Logan vande Meerakker, Kevin Hu, Adam Keyes and Vili Vesalainen, along with defensemen Dillon Hill, Joey Berkopec, Benjamin Lindberg, and Gehrig Lindberg on the roster heading into training camp.
Individual game tickets, group packages, and season tickets are on sale for the upcoming 2024-25 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
Latest News
Thunderbolts Sign Forward Vili Vesalainen
Evansville, In.: The Evansville Thunderbolts and Head Coach/Director of Hockey Operations Jeff Bes are pleased to announce the signing of forward Vili Vesalainen for the 2024-25 season. The Thunderbolts begin the 2024-25 season at Ford Center on Friday, October 18th as they host the Knoxville Ice Bears.
Vesalainen is the first-ever Thunderbolts signee from Finland, hailing from the city of Jyväskylä. Vesalainen played most of the first 4 seasons of his junior hockey career for his hometown team JYP Jyväskylä’s junior programs at the U16 through U20 levels between 2012-2016, followed by one final full season of junior hockey with Jukurit’s U20 team in 2016-17. In 2017-18, Vesalainen turned pro with D-Kiekko of the Suomi-sarja league, before joining Hermes in 2018-19, beginning with their U20 team and moving up to their professional club in the Mestis league later in the year. After returning to D-Kiekko in 2019-20 and playing in the II-divisioona circuit with Urho in 2020-21, Vesalainen left Finland to play in Sweden’s Division 2 league in 2021-22 with Nittorps IK and Åmåls SK, scoring 8 goals and 26 points in 22 games with both clubs. In 2022-23, Vesalainen joined EHC Klostersee of the Germany3 league, scoring 8 goals and 28 points in 39 games, followed by Courchevel-Méribel-Pralognan of the France3 league in 2023-24, scoring 5 goals and 29 points in only 8 games, adding 5 goals and 9 points in 12 playoff games.
In joining the Thunderbolts, Vesalainen commented: “I’m excited to join the Thunderbolts and take the next step in my career overseas. I can’t wait to get started and play in Ford Center in front of the great fans!”
Vesalainen joins previously announced forwards Matthew Hobbs, Derek Contessa, Logan vande Meerakker, Kevin Hu and Adam Keyes, along with defensemen Dillon Hill, Joey Berkopec, Benjamin Lindberg, and Gehrig Lindberg on the roster heading into training camp.
Individual game tickets, group packages, and season tickets are on sale for the upcoming 2024-25 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
Latest News
Thunderbolts Sign Forward Adam Keyes
Evansville, In.: The Evansville Thunderbolts and Head Coach/Director of Hockey Operations Jeff Bes are pleased to announce the signing of forward Adam Keyes for the 2024-25 season. The Thunderbolts begin the 2024-25 season at Ford Center on Friday, October 18th as they host the Knoxville Ice Bears.
Keyes joins the Thunderbolts after splitting his first professional season with four teams in 2023-24, beginning with EG Diez-Limburg of the BeNeLiga in Germany. After scoring 5 goals and 18 points in 11 games, Keyes joined the Peoria Rivermen, scoring two goals in 12 games. Keyes was then involved in the midseason blockbuster trade from the Rivermen to the Pensacola Ice Flyers, with whom Keyes scored 3 goals and 6 points in 15 games. Keyes finished the year with the Fayetteville Marksmen, scoring a goal and 2 points in 2 games. The London, Ontario native played the bulk of his junior career with the St. Thomas Stars of the GOJHL between 2015-2019, scoring 66 goals and 168 points in 165 total games of GOJHL play. Keyes played alongside recent Thunderbolts addition Kevin Hu in 2016-17 and 2017-18, with Hu and Keyes finishing 1-2 respectively in team scoring for both seasons. Keyes then embarked on a four-season collegiate career at Aurora University, scoring 40 goals and 114 points in 92 games between 2019-2023, was a member of the NCAA NCHA All-Freshman Team in 2019-20, and was a member of the All-Conference teams in 2020-21 and 2022-23.
“I would describe myself as a playmaker, I like to create scoring opportunities for myself and my linemates, as well as being reliable defensively and in any other situations,” replied Keyes when asked about his playing style. Reflecting on facing the Thunderbolts in 2023-24 while with Peoria, Keyes continued: “Playing against Evansville was a tough battle every night. They were well-structured defensively and relentless offensively.” Keyes further commented on his decision to join Evansville and his excitement for the coming season: “The conversations I had with Coach Bes, the opportunity to play for the Thunderbolts organization in front of the fans at Ford Center and the opportunity to play again with my close friend Kevin Hu factored into my decision to sign here. I’m very excited to join this group and build on the success they had last season. It’s been a long summer, and I can't wait to get back on the ice!”
Keyes joins previously announced forwards Matthew Hobbs, Derek Contessa, Logan vande Meerakker and Kevin Hu, along with defensemen Dillon Hill, Joey Berkopec, Benjamin Lindberg, and Gehrig Lindberg on the roster heading into training camp.
Individual game tickets, group packages, and season tickets are on sale for the upcoming 2024-25 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
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Fan Experiences