Evansville's Professional Hockey Team
Next Game
Upcoming Games |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Knoxville Ice Bears | Ford Center Opening Weekend | ||
|
|
Knoxville Ice Bears | Ford Center Opening Weekend/Wizard's Night | ||
|
Birmingham Bulls | Pelham Civic Center Click to watch live | ||
|
Huntsville Havoc | Ford Center Hockey Horrors Night |
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
Latest News
Defenseman Dillon Hill Returns to Thunderbolts
Evansville, In.: The Evansville Thunderbolts and Head Coach/Director of Hockey Operations Jeff Bes are pleased to announce the signing of defenseman Dillon Hill 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.
Hill initially joined the Thunderbolts late in the 2021-22 season following a 20-game stint with the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs, recording 1 goal and 6 points with Roanoke. After skating in three games with Evansville to round out 2021-22, Hill played in 34 contests with the Thunderbolts in 2022-23, scoring 1 goal and 11 points. Hill also played in 25 ECHL games between 2021-2023 with the Fort Wayne Komets and Trois-Rivières Lions. In 2023-24, Hill played overseas in Hungary with DVTK Jegesmedvèk of the Erste Liga, scoring 1 goal and 4 points in 30 games. Prior to playing professionally, Hill played 5 seasons of junior hockey in his hometown of Niagara Falls, Ontario, with the Niagara Falls Canucks of GOJHL between 2015-2019 and the Niagara Whalers of the GMHL in 2019-20, before joining the Watertown Wolves of the FPHL for three games late in the season.
In returning to the Thunderbolts, Hill commented: “It wasn’t a hard decision to come back to Evansville, it’s a great city and I love the fans, and the team has a great leader in “Hobbsie” (captain Matthew Hobbs). I am excited to be coming back to Evansville, and to get Ford Center rocking again when the season begins!”
Hill joins previously announced defensemen Joey Berkopec, Benjamin Lindberg, and Gehrig Lindberg, along with forwards Matthew Hobbs, Derek Contessa, Logan vandeMeerakker and Kevin Hu 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 Defenseman Joey Berkopec
Evansville, In.: The Evansville Thunderbolts and Head Coach/Director of Hockey Operations Jeff Bes are pleased to announce the signing of defenseman Joey Berkopec 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.
Berkopec comes to Evansville following his rookie professional season with the Macon Mayhem, playing alongside another recent Thunderbolts’ signing, forward Derek Contessa. In 42 games with the Mayhem, Berkopec scored 2 goals and 5 points along with a -7 rating, which was second-best amongst all Macon players, and best amongst all defensemen, who played 20 or more games for the Mayhem in 2023-24. The native of Oakville, Ontario played a full season of junior hockey in his home province in 2016-17 with the OJHL’s Burlington Cougars, before taking his junior career out West to British Columbia’s BCHL between 2017-2020, mostly with the Merritt Centennials before finishing 2020 with the Coquitlam Express. Berkopeclater played three seasons of college hockey at Utica College between 2020-2023, winning the NCAA UCHC Championship in 2021-22, before turning pro with Macon in 2023-24.
“I’d describe my playing style as a two-way puck-moving defenseman. I focus on defending and skating well, but I have also worked hard to improve my offensive zone ability,” replied Berkopec when asked about his playing approach. On his decision to join the Thunderbolts, Berkopec continued: “It felt like Evansville was a perfect fit for me, I was drawn to the enthusiastic fanbase, the high-level facilities, and the opportunity to play under Coach Bes alongside the talented group of players. There’s always a unique kind of energy in the air at this time of year, it’s a fresh start for me, and I’m really fired up to hit the ground running and start gelling with my new teammates, and work to bring a championship to Evansville!”
Berkopec joins previously announced defensemen Benjamin Lindberg and Gehrig Lindberg, along with forwards Matthew Hobbs, Derek Contessa, Logan vande Meerakker and Kevin Hu on the roster heading into training camp.
Season tickets for the 2024-25 season are on sale now. Call 812-422-BOLT 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
Meet
The
Discover our current team roster and learn interesting information and statistics about each member of the Evansville Thunderbolts! Get involved by following your favorite players and watching their progress over the course of each season.
Team rosterCountdown to opening night
Days
Hours
Minutes
Fan
Experiences
Explore the many exciting and unique experiences we offer to our fans and spectators. Ride on the Zamboni, ring the air raid siren, get photos with the team & more. There is a little something for every fan and visitor out there. Learn more today and get involved with the Evansville Thunderbolts by clicking or tapping the link below.
Fan Experiences