Evansville finished their most grueling trip of the season Sunday afternoon in Mississippi.  Over the weekend, the Thunderbolts were eliminated from the playoffs in their inaugural season.  Similar to Friday night against Huntsville, Evansville found themselves on the wrong end of a multi-goal lead and the need to battle back.

            The RiverKings scored twice in the first period and again in the first minute of the second to build a three-goal lead. In the first, the RiverKings got goals from Joe Sova and Derek Sutliffe.  The goals came 54 seconds apart.  In the first minute of the second period, Sutliffe would score again.  The goals were Sutliffe’s third and fourth of the season.  He has played 10 game with Mississippi.

            As they have all season long, the Thunderbolts battled back.  Austin McKay scored his tenth of the season, his fifth as a Thunderbolt to get Evansville on the scoreboard.  At the end of the second, red-hot John Scorcia scored to make it a one-goal lead.  Scorcia, the reigning Bauer Player of the Week, had five goals and 10 points in the last five games before tonight.  Dave “Slick Willy” Williams and Frank Schumacher had the assists.  

                  Evansville continued the offensive pressure on Mississippi in the third period, but couldn’t get the tying goal past Brad Barone.  Mississippi would get the final goal from Devin Mantha.  The Thunderbolts pulled their goaltender for the final 2:15 without either team scoring.  Nick Kohn made his first professional start.

Thunderbolt Aces

• Nick Kohn made 59 saves on 65 shots (.907 save percentage) in two games this weekend.
• Dave Williams has a four-game point streak.
• Nick D’Avolio and Frank Schumacher led the team in shots with six.