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IceMen Add 2, Including Former NHLer Surma Team Also Announces Start Times for Saturday Home Games September 1, 2010 IceMen Head Coach and General Manager Rich Kromm has added two more familiar faces to his roster for the upcoming season, as Evansville has signed another pair of players who played for Kromm with the Muskegon Lumberjacks last season. Damian Surma and Mark Cody, both forwards, have agreed to terms with the IceMen. Per club policy, terms of the deals have not been disclosed. Surma (pronounced "SIR-muh"), 29, comes to Evansville for his tenth professional season and brings over 500 games of experience with him. Last season in Muskegon, he contributed 19 goals and 27 assists in 56 regular season games, along with 3 goals and 2 assists in 7 playoff games. Prior to joining the Lumberjacks, Surma's career spanned the NHL, AHL, ECHL, UHL and Italy. With the Carolina Hurricanes, he scored in his NHL debut game during the 2002-2003 season. (Carolina originally drafted him in the 6th round of the 1999 NHL Entry Draft.) In 2003-2004 and 2004-2005, he helped lead the ECHL's Florida Everblades to back-to-back conference championships, totalling 50 goals and 47 assists in 125 games (including playoffs). Surma's best pro season followed in 2005-2006, when he tallied 26 goals and 37 assists during the regular season, added 4 goals and 5 assists in the playoffs, and sparked the Kalamazoo Wings to their first playoff title in 26 years. Overall, including playoffs, he has compiled 164 goals and 188 assists in 532 professional games. Kromm is looking forward to having one of his top forwards with him again this season, but now in Evansville. "Damian has achieved a very productive pro career starting when he was drafted and played for the Carolina Hurricanes," he said. "Likewise, his minor pro hockey pursuits have been both effective and productive. He is very skilled, strong on the puck and a very creative player. We expect Damian to provide some solid veteran leadership for our team this season." Surma, who stands just 5'9" but weighs in at a solid 200 lbs, is a native of Lincoln Park, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. Cody, 28, enters his fifth pro season and second under Kromm. Last season with the Lumberjacks, the rugged winger contributed 3 goals and 7 assists to go with his 120 penalty minutes. Before his time in Muskegon, Cody cut his teeth in the MJAHL (Canadian Junior-A) for Halifax and Truro. In 86 games over 2 seasons, he totalled 33 goals and 31 assists, and piled up a whopping 632 penalty minutes. He then played collegiately for St. Thomas University in New Brunswick. Once turned pro, he spent time in the UHL, SEHL and LNAH (Quebec minor pro), and played a partial season with the CHL's Texas Brahmas prior to joining the Lumberjacks. Kromm is glad to have Cody on board and ready to inflict pain upon the opposition. "Mark is a big, physical presence up front for us," he said. "He likes the physical game and always finishes all of his checks. In addition, he has a very strong work ethic and is an outstanding team player. He will give our club lots of grit and energy, especially for our forward units." Cody checks in at 6'1" and 200 lbs. He hails from Halifax, Nova Scotia. Stay tuned to EvansvilleIceMen.com in the coming weeks, as additional player signings will be announced soon! SATURDAY HOME GAME START TIMES SET: The IceMen organization is happy to announce that all regular season Saturday home games will start at 7:35 PM this season. Coupled with previously-announced information, this now means that ALL IceMen home games will start at 7:35. Doors will open at approximately 6:30, with pre-game warm-ups beginning at around 7:00. Please visit our Schedule page to view the updated 2010-2011 schedule in calendar or text format! 
IceMen Announce First Two Player Signings August 25, 2010 Less than a week after introducing Rich Kromm as the franchise's new Head Coach and General Manager, the Evansville IceMen have announced their first two player signings for the upcoming season. Goaltender Matt Lundin and defenseman Jordan Little, both of whom played under Kromm with the Muskegon Lumberjacks last season, have agreed to terms with the IceMen. Lundin (pronounced "lunn-DEEN"), 24, will be embarking on his second pro season, having been named the Lumberjacks' Rookie of the Year last season. He posted a strong 21-9-1 record with a 2.81 Goals-Against Average and a .910 Save Percentage. His GAA ranked 5th among all IHL goaltenders, and he was tops among IHL rookie netminders in Save Percentage, Wins and Winning Percentage. Prior to his rookie campaign in Muskegon, Lundin played collegiately for the University of Maine and Mercyhurst College, earning a winning record and posting a Save Percentage over .915 during 3 of his 4 seasons. He also spent one season with the Sioux Falls Stampede of the USHL (Tier-I Junior-A), compiling a 24-15-5 record to go with a 2.55 GAA and .912 SV%. Lundin, who stands 6'1" and weighs in at 185 lbs, is a native of Apple Valley, Minnesota. His contract with the IceMen is for one year. Kromm expressed much satisfaction in the signing of the IceMen’s new goalie. "We are quite happy to have Matt signed and ready to go for the new season," he said. "Last season as a rookie, he enjoyed a truly outstanding season with the Lumberjacks. This year, he is being presented the opportunity of becoming the 'number one' goaltender. He is very competitive, hard-working and he has demonstrated much promise and lots of upside." Little, 28, comes to Evansville for his seventh professional season. He spent most of last season in Muskegon after starting the year with the CHL's Wichita Thunder, posting 3 goals and 5 assists (along with 91 penalty minutes) in 58 total regular season games. Over the course of 6 seasons, Little has played 270 pro games (including playoffs) in the AHL, ECHL, CHL and IHL. The big blueliner has amassed 18 goals and 30 assists, to go with 653 penalty minutes. He is a product of the University of Manitoba, for whom he scored 14 goals and added 20 assists in 100 games spanning 3 seasons. The left-handed Little, who hails from Winnipeg, Manitoba, adds significant size to the IceMen blueline at 6'4" and 220 lbs. His contract with Evansville is for two years. Kromm is elated to have Little back with him for the next two seasons. "Certainly, we are very excited about having 'Jordy' back in the fold with us here in Evansville," he said. "He is a top-notch, experienced defenseman who possesses plenty of leadership skills. He is as steady as they come on the blueline and has the ability to contribute on the offensive side as well." Stay tuned to EvansvilleIceMen.com in the coming weeks, as additional player signings will be announced soon!
Rich Kromm Named New IceMen Head Coach & GM Championship-Winning Coach Also Played 400+ Games in the NHL August 19, 2010 During a press conference this morning at Swonder Ice Arena, IceMen Owner Ron Geary introduced Rich Kromm as the team's new Head Coach and General Manager. A veteran coach with championship credentials, Kromm will lead the IceMen franchise as it makes its "Double-A" debut in the newly-created IHL/CHL "Super League" during the upcoming 2010-2011 season. Kromm's deal with the IceMen is for two years; financial terms have not been disclosed, per club policy.  The 46-year old Kromm spent last season as the bench boss for the IHL's Muskegon Lumberjacks. Under his leadership, Muskegon posted a 51-20-5 record and captured the Huber Trophy as the league's regular season champions. Kromm's Lumberjacks posted the IHL's best home (30-7-1) and road (21-13-4) records, the league's longest overall winning (9 games) and undefeated (10 games) streaks, the circuit's longest home winning streak (11 games), and the league's best road unbeaten streak (11 games). Muskegon also scored the most goals in the league (282) while giving up the second-fewest (218). Kromm also coached the franchise (then known as the Muskegon Fury) from 1998-2001, when the IHL operated as the United Hockey League. During his first season, the Fury won the Colonial Cup playoff championship and Kromm was named UHL Coach of the Year. Prior to the playoff run, the team posted a stellar 50-18-6 regular season record, winning the Tarry Cup as the league's best team in the regular season. During Kromm's second season, the Fury went 43-26-5 and advanced to the third round of the playoffs. His third and final season as Fury coach resulted in a 37-28-9 record and a trip to the second round of the playoffs. Overall, Kromm's regular season record in Muskegon stands at 181-92-25, making him the all-time winningest coach in the Fury/Lumberjacks franchise's modern-day history. In addition to his Colonial Cup title and pair of regular-season titles in Muskegon, Kromm also won a Turner Cup playoff championship as Assistant Coach of the Chicago Wolves in the original IHL, following the 1997-98 season. Kromm is thrilled to be at the helm of the IceMen organization. "I am very excited about this great opportunity to come to such a wonderful community here in Evansville as General Manager and Coach," he said. "This presents a great opportunity to build a strong foundation for a successful organization that we hope will be here for many years to come. I want to especially thank Mr. Geary for this wonderful opportunity to lead our team." Kromm's hockey experience is not limited to the bench, as he suited up for over 400 NHL games during his extensive playing career. Including playoffs, he compiled 72 goals and 109 assists in 408 games with the Calgary Flames and New York Islanders. Kromm also won an American Hockey League ("Triple-A") Calder Cup playoff title while playing for the Springfield Indians in 1990. The native of Trail, British Columbia, was originally drafted 37th overall in the second round of the 1982 NHL Entry Draft. After playing in over 700 professional games, Kromm retired as a player in 1993 and took to coaching. In addition to Muskegon and Chicago, he has also coached the Cincinnati Cyclones (original IHL), Carolina Monarchs (AHL), Calgary Hitmen (WHL) and Portland Winter Hawks (WHL). In total, he has been behind the bench for over 600 professional and major-junior games. IceMen Owner Ron Geary is excited about Kromm's arrival. "We are absolutely elated to have Rich lead our hockey operations," Geary said. "In stepping up to a higher level and beginning a brand new era of professional hockey in Evansville, it was vital for us to find the right man for the job. In thoroughly researching and, essentially performing our due-diligence, all of our indicators pointed to Rich. He brings to us an exemplary winning record behind the bench and the extraordinary penchant to win championships. Today is a great day for pro hockey in Evansville, with Rich Kromm now a major part of our team and community." Kromm is committed to providing an entertaining and successful style of hockey in Evansville. He aims to assemble a team that will skate fast, maintain puck control, and aggressively forecheck. He would like to pattern the IceMen after the Detroit Red Wings of the 1990's - a team that won a pair of Stanley Cups and never missed the playoffs during that decade. His desire to replicate the Red Wings' success comes as little surprise. Kromm's late father, Bobby, coached Detroit for three seasons, once capturing the Jack Adams Award as the NHL's Coach of the Year. Bobby Kromm also coached the Winnipeg Jets to the World Hockey Association's Avco Cup playoff title in 1976. Rich Kromm and his wife Jackie have four children - Erica (21), Alex (19), Brian (15), and Natalie (11). While he works for the IceMen, his family will remain in Muskegon for at least the upcoming season. With Kromm now officially in the fray, the IceMen will likely announce several player signings within the next 7-10 days. Since Evansville acquired the contract rights for most of last season's Lumberjacks squad, Kromm is looking forward to seeing some familiar faces in the locker room. "We will have a strong corps of players to build around for this upcoming season," he said. "This should represent a huge advantage for us in being able to retain the rights of last season's Muskegon team." Stay tuned to EvansvilleIceMen.com in the coming weeks for news about player signings, more staff additions, exhibition games, ticket prices and much more!
Full 2010-2011 IceMen Schedule Released Nearly All Home Games Set for Friday and Saturday Nights July 23, 2010 (Updated July 27, 2010) The Central Hockey League (in partnership with the International Hockey League) has released the 2010-2011 regular season schedule, and the Evansville IceMen will make their "Double-A" debut while playing 30 home games at Swonder Ice Arena - including 26 on Friday and Saturday nights. The complete IceMen schedule can be seen here, in either full-color calendar format or black-and-white text format. The IceMen open the season at Dayton on Sat. Oct. 16, then play at Mississippi on Fri. Oct. 22. Evansville's home opener will be Sat. Oct. 23, when the Quad City Mallards visit Swonder. The next two IceMen home games will also feature the Mallards, on Sat. Oct. 30 and Fri. Nov. 5. The CHL All-Star Game will be played on Wed. Jan. 12 in Rapid City, South Dakota. The Rush will square off against a team of All-Stars from the league's other 17 teams. The regular season will conclude with a trio of games against the Bloomington PrairieThunder during the final weekend of March. The IceMen home finale will be Sat. March 26, bookended by games at Bloomington on Fri. March 25 and Sun. March 27. SCHEDULE BREAKDOWN: • Dayton (8 games) and Quad City (7 games) will visit Swonder the most often. The IceMen will also host Fort Wayne 4 times, Bloomington and Mississippi 3 times each, and Rapid City twice. Arizona, Missouri and Tulsa will each visit Evansville once. The IceMen will not play any home games against Allen, Bossier-Shreveport, Colorado, Laredo, Odessa, Rio Grande valley, Texas or Wichita. • The IceMen have 2 home games in October, 8 in November (the most of any month), 5 in December, 4 in January, 5 in February and 6 in March. The road schedule features 4 games in October, 4 in November, 8 in December, 7 in January, 7 in February and 6 in March. • Evansville will play 16 Saturday home games, plus another 10 on Fridays. There will also be 2 Thursday home games and 2 Sunday home games. The road schedule includes 5 Tuesday games, 4 Wednesday games, 3 Thursday games, 12 Friday games, 7 Saturday games and 5 Sunday games. • The longest IceMen homestand is 5 games, from Thu. Nov. 11 to Sat. Nov. 20. Evansville's longest road trip is 6 games, from Fri. Dec. 17 to Tue. Dec. 28. • The IceMen will play 3 games in 3 days on 11 different occasions. Evansville also has 12 other back-to-back sets. HOME HIGHLIGHTS: • The only instance of 3 consecutive home games with no off days will be November 11-13. The Arizona Sundogs will visit Swonder for the only time this season on Thu. Nov. 11, which is Veterans Day. The in-state rival Fort Wayne Komets will then make their first of four visits to Swonder on Fri. Nov. 12, and the Dayton Gems will come to Evansville for the first of eight visits on Sat. Nov. 13. • IceMen fans will be able to entertain visiting friends and family members at a pair of home games on Thanksgiving weekend. The Komets provide the opposition on Fri. Nov. 26. The Tulsa Oilers make their only trip to Evansville on Sat. Nov. 27. • The defending CHL champion Rapid City Rush will travel to Evansville for back-to-back games on Fri. Dec. 10 and Sat. Dec. 11. • After the Rush end their visit, the IceMen will only have one home game in the 27 days that follow. The Mississippi RiverKings will come to Evansville on Thu. Dec. 30, the eve of New Year's Eve. That game is preceded by an 18-day road trip, and followed by another 8-day stretch away from Swonder. • The Missouri Mavericks will make their Evansville debut (and only trip to Swonder this season) on Sun. Feb. 20. • Prior to the season-ending 3-in-3 against Bloomington, Evansville's final home games against the other three IHL teams will be Sun. Feb. 27 (Quad City), Fri. March 18 (Dayton) and Sat. March 19 (Fort Wayne). HIT THE ROAD: Evansville's road schedule offers several interesting options for fans looking for nearby or unique road trips... • The season-opener in Dayton (Sat. Oct. 16) and the first game at Fort Wayne (Sat. Nov. 6) both should come before the weather starts to turn ugly. • You can spend Thanksgiving (Thu. Nov. 25) or New Year's Eve (Fri. Dec. 31) in Dayton, or New Year's Day (Sat. Jan. 1) in Bloomington (IL). • If your sense of adventure gets the best of you in January, consider a 3-game "vacation" to Colorado (Wed. Jan. 19) and Rapid City (Fri. Jan. 21 and Sat. Jan. 22). • Or if your sense of adventure prefers to go south during the winter, the IceMen also play a back-to-back set in Bossier-Shreveport (Fri. Feb. 4 and Sat. Feb. 5). • Finally, the final game of the regular season (Sun. March 27) in Bloomington (which is less than 5 hours from Evansville) is set for 3:05 PM, making it a reasonable "day trip" for Maniacs who wish to support the team as the regular season wraps up. Overall, Evansville's road schedule is very fan-friendly. Of the 36 IceMen games not at Swonder Ice Arena, 30 will be played within 420 miles of Evansville. GAME TIMES & TICKET INFORMATION: IceMen home games will be played at 7:35 PM on Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays. Game times for Saturday home games have not yet been finalized. For road game times, see the text version of the schedule at the link above. Single-game tickets for the upcoming season are not yet on sale, and ticket prices have not yet been determined. Season tickets are on sale now, and you can reserve yours for just $175 per ticket. For details, please click here.
IceMen Expand Radio Presence, Hire Ficorelli New "Voice of the IceMen" Has Called Over 3200 Games July 16, 2010 During a press conference this morning at Swonder Ice Arena, Evansville IceMen Owner Ron Geary introduced Terry Ficorelli as the organization's new Vice President of Communications & Broadcasting. Ficorelli will serve as the team's radio play-by-play announcer, work extensively in media relations and publicity, assist in corporate sales, and have a hand in various hockey operations duties. The franchise also revealed that IceMen fans should be able to enjoy a greatly-expanded offering of radio programming this season. Pending contractual agreements, the IceMen hope to offer live broadcasts for all IceMen home and away games, including pre-season and the playoffs. (The particular radio station - or stations - will be announced at a later date.) Ficorelli also hopes to develop and host a live IceMen radio show, to air weekly during the season and monthly during the off-season. In addition, the IceMen faithful should be able to get a daily dose of IceMen news with the "IceMen Hockey Update," airing during the season every Monday through Friday during the afternoon rush hour. Ficorelli comes to Evansville with a wealth of experience in the business of hockey. Since making his debut as the first broadcaster and Director of Communications for the Kalamazoo Wings in 1974, "Fic" has manned the microphone for 8 championships and over 3200 consecutive games. After spending more than a decade in Kalamazoo, he went on to handle play-by-play and various other front-office duties for the Adirondack Red Wings, Baltimore Skipjacks, Cincinnati Cyclones, Muskegon Fury, Saginaw Spirit and Muskegon Lumberjacks. When the Lumberjacks announced their intention to leave the IHL and join the "Junior-A" United States Hockey League for the upcoming season, Ficorelli began to evaluate his future - and ultimately decided that Evansville was the place to be. "I am energized and excited about becoming a part of the Evansville IceMen hockey organization and the Evansville community," Ficorelli said. "I look forward to many years here as the 'voice' of Evansville hockey, in addition to learning about and becoming a part of this beautiful and prosperous community." Over the years, the Detroit native and graduate of Michigan State University has compiled an impressive collection of awards and honors. In Cincinnati, he was named the city's best sports announcer three times, and won the IHL's Snider Award for Outstanding Community Service. He also co-hosted telethons for the Muscular Dystrophy Association and Arthritis Foundation for five consecutive years. In Muskegon, he was named the league's PR Director of the Year for the 1995-1996 and 1998-1999 seasons, and was honored as the league's Broadcaster of the Year for the 1995-1996 and 2001-2002 seasons. And in 2007, he was named to the Board of Directors of the Muskegon Area Sports Hall of Fame. Geary believes Ficorelli will play an integral role in the continued growth of the IceMen. "We are very excited to be making this announcement and bringing Terry Ficorelli to Evansville to be a part of our hockey program," he said. "We believe that 'Fic' will provide our organization with so much by way of his extensive knowledge of hockey, the league, the players and his unique brand of play-by-play broadcasting of the games. We believe that the addition of Terry Ficorelli to our hockey program is yet another important part of building a premier 'AA' hockey franchise in Evansville." Ficorelli joins Brian Vaal (sponsorship sales) and Michael Shockley (webmaster) as the newest members of the IceMen staff. With the 2010-2011 home opener now less than 100 days away, the IceMen organization will be making more exciting announcements in the near future about ticket prices, player signings, and the team's vacant Head Coach and General Manager positions.
IceMen Home Opener Set for Saturday, October 23 July 13, 2010 (Updated July 14, 2010) The Evansville IceMen will play their first home game as members of the International Hockey League on Saturday, October 23, 2010. The Central Hockey League (in partnership with the IHL) has announced that after beginning the season on the road the previous weekend, Evansville will play its first CHL/IHL home game at Swonder Ice Arena on the 23rd. The game time has not yet been set, and the league has not yet announced who will provide the opposition. The CHL and IHL have also announced the conference alignment and playoff format for their first season operating together. There will be 2 conferences, each consisting of 9 teams. The IceMen will play in the North, along with in-state rival Fort Wayne, Bloomington, Colorado, Dayton, Missouri, Quad City, Rapid City and Wichita. The South will be comprised of Allen, Arizona, Bossier-Shreveport, Laredo, Mississippi, Odessa, Rio Grande Valley, Texas and Tulsa. The Top 8 teams (seeded by Points) in each conference will qualify for the playoffs, meaning 16 of the 18 CHL/IHL teams will participate in the post-season. Should teams earn an equal number of Points, the tiebreakers for seeding (in order) will be Wins, Head-to-Head Record, and Regular Season Goal Differential. Standard tournament-style brackets will be used - 1 vs 8, 2 vs 7, 3 vs 6, 4 vs 5 - and teams will not be re-seeded after each playoff round. The first two rounds (Conference Quarterfinals and Conference Semifinals) will use a Best-of-5 format, while the final two rounds (Conference Finals and Championship Finals) will be Best-of-7. Home-ice advantage for the Championship Finals will be determined by Points (with tiebreakers used as previously explained), regardless of conference seeding. Each team will play 66 games during the regular season, with the season starting October 15 and ending March 27. (Playoffs will begin the week of March 28.) Names for the post-season trophies have not yet been determined. The full regular season schedule is expected to be released within the next two weeks. Season tickets for the upcoming season are on sale now, and for just $175 per ticket. For details about how to reserve yours now, please click here.
Evansville IceMen Move Up to IHL for 2010-2011 Season Muskegon Lumberjacks Franchise Rights Purchased, Moved to Evansville June 22, 2010 The Evansville IceMen are proud to announce that they will move up and compete in the "Double-A" International Hockey League for the 2010-2011 season. IceMen Owner Ron Geary has purchased the rights to the former Muskegon Lumberjacks IHL franchise, and will transfer it to Evansville under the IceMen name for the upcoming season. The announcement was made during the IHL's Annual Meeting in Las Vegas. The IceMen will play their first IHL season at Swonder Ice Arena, with the hopes of securing a lease for the new Downtown Evansville Arena for subsequent seasons. The Lumberjacks franchise brings with it 50 years of Muskegon pro hockey history, and the team won the Huber Trophy this past season after posting the IHL's best regular-season record. The team's owners had no plans to continue playing in the IHL, having established a new "Junior-A" team with the Lumberjacks name in the United States Hockey League. "The chance to bring a storied team like Muskegon, with its 50-year pro hockey history, to Evansville was an opportunity that we could not pass up," Geary said. "I'm excited to bring this higher level of hockey to Evansville and our IceMen fans," he told The Evansville Courier & Press. "This is great news for hockey fans in Evansville," stated Dennis Hextall, IHL Commissioner. "Bringing the Muskegon history to Evansville creates instant credibility for the IceMen organization. This will not be an expansion team." The IceMen organization already had a signed franchise agreement with the IHL, although the original plan was to move up starting with the 2011-2012 season as a true expansion team. Instead, Geary will take the IceMen to the next level a year sooner than initially expected, with the Lumberjacks' remaining player contract rights in hand. The IHL recently announced that it will collaborate with the 13-team Central Hockey League to form an 18-team "super league" for at least the 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 seasons. With the addition of the All-American Hockey League Davidson Cup Champion IceMen, the combined CHL-IHL will have 3 reigning professional championship teams competing under its banner during the 2010-2011 season. The Fort Wayne Komets won the IHL's 2010 Turner Cup title, while the Rapid City Rush took home the CHL's Ray Miron President's Cup in 2010. Below are the 18 teams expected to play in the combined CHL-IHL during the 2010-2011 season: Allen Americans (CHL) [Allen, TX (Dallas area)] Arizona Sundogs (CHL) [Prescott Valley, AZ] Bloomington PrairieThunder (IHL) [Bloomington, IL] Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs (CHL) [Bossier City, LA (Shreveport area)] Colorado Eagles (CHL) [Loveland, CO (Fort Collins area)] Dayton Gems (IHL) [Dayton, OH] Evansville IceMen (IHL) [Evansville, IN] Fort Wayne Komets (IHL) [Fort Wayne, IN] Laredo Bucks (CHL) [Laredo, TX] Mississippi RiverKings (CHL) [Southaven, MS (Memphis area)] Missouri Mavericks (CHL) [Independence, MO (Kansas City area)] Odessa Jackalopes (CHL) [Odessa, TX] Quad City Mallards (IHL) [Moline, IL] Rapid City Rush (CHL) [Rapid City, SD] Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees (CHL) [Hidalgo, TX] Texas Brahmas (CHL) [North Richland Hills, TX (Fort Worth area)] Tulsa Oilers (CHL) [Tulsa, OK] Wichita Thunder (CHL) [Wichita, KS] The upcoming season is slated to begin October 15. Conference alignment and the league schedule are among the many topics still being discussed at the IHL Annual Meeting, and more information will be announced in the coming weeks. The IceMen organization is reviewing candidates for both the General Manager and Head Coach positions. Jack Collins, who manned the bench for the IceMen during last season's AAHL championship run, is among the candidates under consideration.
Championship T-Shirts Still Available June 21, 2010 Limited quantities of IceMen Championship T-Shirts are still available for $15 each. The shirts are a white version of the black shirts the players wore during the on-ice celebration after the IceMen won the Davidson Cup Championship at Swonder. To find out which sizes remain (original availability included sizes S-XXL) and/or place an order, please call the IceMen office at 812-435-8971 or e-mail Bridget McDonald at icemen.operations@yahoo.com. Shirts may be picked up at Ellis Park, weekdays between 9 AM and 4 PM by appointment. Delivery is available with an extra $4.95 shipping fee. Cash is accepted only for the exact purchase amount; we also accept checks, Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express. Don't hesitate - get your shirt now, before they're all gone!
Pair of Championship-Winning IceMen Heading to France May 13, 2010 Two popular members of Evansville's Davidson Cup Championship-winning team will have a new home for the 2010-2011 season - Avignon, France. Forwards Ryan Ford and Steve Koich have signed on to play with Les Castors d’Avignon of the French First Division. Ford leaves as Evansville's most prolific scorer, having compiled 46 goals and 65 assists in 81 games over 2 seasons, including playoffs. During the inaugural IceMen season, he was named Team MVP after leading the squad in assists (34), points (53), power-play goals (12) and fights (10). He completed the first "Gordie Howe Hat Trick" in team history, wasting no time by posting 1 goal and 1 assist along with a fight in the first game in IceMen history on November 14, 2008. During Evansville's second season, he led the team in regular season goals (19), playoff goals (8) and playoff points (18). He was selected as his team's MVP at the inaugural AAHL All-Star Game on January 9, 2010, after tallying 4 goals and 2 assists while leading his team to victory in the contest. He also played 8 games at the "AA" level with the ECHL's Cincinnati Cyclones and the CHL's Laredo Bucks, notching 1 assist and 5 penalty minutes. He is a native of Cambridge, Ontario. Koich racked up 19 goals and 25 assists in 44 games (including playoffs) with the IceMen, making him the third-highest scorer on the championship squad. (Aaron Naphan and Ford topped the chart.) Isaac Coy presented him the "Captain's Choice Award" at the conclusion of the season. He started the season with the SPHL's Mississippi Surge, for whom he scored 1 goal and 1 assist in 7 games. During the 2008-2009 season, he helped lead the Battle Creek Revolution to a runner-up finish in the AAHL playoffs, totalling 26 goals and 49 assists in just 40 games. He hails from Chelsea, Michigan. "Obviously, this is a big opportunity for Ryan and I," Koich said. "I'm really excited to get over there and have some success. I enjoyed my time in the AAHL, both in Battle Creek and in Evansville, and I'm grateful for all the support from the fans, the teams and of course, my family. I think this can be a chance for us to show the world that the AAHL can develop players for higher levels of hockey."
IceMen Jersey Auction Raises Over $1500 May 7, 2010 The first-ever IceMen Autographed Game-Worn Jersey Auction was a big success, raising over $1500. The auction, which was conducted online, began on April 27 and concluded on May 6. Each game-worn black jersey was signed by the appropriate championship-winning player. A total of 18 jerseys were available, each with a starting bid of $65. Five of the jerseys hit triple-digits, with TJ Schneider's #22 topping the list at $150. Aaron Naphan's #10 fetched $130, Ryan Ford's #44 collected $120, and John Dorman's #30 and Paul D'Agostino's #52 brought in $100 each. All 18 available jerseys were purchased. The IceMen do plan on using the same jersey designs for the 2010-2011 season, but a fresh set will be purchased because the 2009-2010 jerseys took quite a beating over the course of the season. While the black jerseys were auctioned off, the players were allowed to keep their white jerseys. Given the success of our first jersey auction, we do hope to conduct additional auctions in the future. Thanks to everyone who placed bids this time around, and congratulations to all of our winners!
Chip Rossetti Out as IceMen General Manager April 27, 2010 Chip Rossetti, who was instrumental in convincing Ellis Park owner Ron Geary that professional hockey could succeed in Evansville, will not return for a third season as IceMen General Manager. Geary, who bankrolled Rossetti's vision and made the Evansville IceMen a reality, said Rossetti's departure was a mutual decision. Rossetti "elected to pursue additional opportunities outside the IceMen organization," Geary said. "We wish him well." The search for a new General Manager is underway, and an announcement will be made in the coming months. Rossetti also designed and operated the IceMen website during the first two seasons; IceMen Music Director and Fan Forum Administrator Michael Shockley has been contracted to build an all-new site for the organization, and will serve as webmaster going forward. Shockley can be contacted at icemenweb@gmail.com.
2009-2010 IceMen Team Awards Announced Naphan Honored as MVP and Fan Favorite April 18, 2010 On April 17 during a private celebration dinner at Ellis Park, the 2009-2010 Evansville IceMen Team Awards were handed out. Aaron Naphan was named Team MVP (as voted by the players), and he also won the Fan Favorite award (the vote for which was conducted online). Ryan Ford was named Best Offensive Player, while Tim Recio was named Best Defensive Player. The Hard Hat Award went to Ryan Strayer, while Jose Vazquez took home the title as Most Improved Player. Finally, Isaac Coy delivered the Captain's Choice Award to Steve Koich. The team awards were announced just a few days after IceMen netminder John Dorman was named the 2009-2010 All-American Hockey League Goaltender of the Year. Dorman was among the league's statistical leaders during the regular season, and was undoubtedly the best goalie in the playoffs as he helped lead the IceMen to the championship.
IceMen are AAHL Davidson Cup Champions! Evansville Hoists Cup in Front of Capacity Crowd at Swonder April 15, 2010 The Evansville IceMen have won the 2009-2010 All-American Hockey League Davidson Cup Championship. In just the second season of professional hockey in Evansville, the IceMen delivered a title on home ice in front of a raucous capacity crowd at Swonder Ice Arena. It is the first professional sports championship in the city of Evansville since the Evansville Otters won the Frontier League baseball crown in 2006. The IceMen entered the playoffs as the #3 seed after finishing the regular season with a 20-23-0-3 record, but heated up when it mattered most. Evansville went 7-2 in the playoffs, scoring 7 or more goals in 4 of the 9 games after doing so just 4 times in 46 games during the regular season. The IceMen went 4-0 on the road in the playoffs, after posting a dismal 6-16-0-1 road record during the regular season. In the Best-of-5 opening round, Evansville prevailed 3-games-to-1 over the #2 seed Battle Creek Revolution. The IceMen dominated to take Game 1 in Battle Creek 10-2, then escaped with a 4-3 win in overtime in Game 2. John Dorman made 54 saves and Jason Gorrie scored the game-winner in the extra session, sending the IceMen home for Game 3 with a chance to complete the sweep. However, the Revolution bounced back with a hard-fought 3-2 win at Swonder, handing Evansville its first home loss in 37 calendar days. The IceMen then regrouped and put an end to the Revolution in Game 4 at Swonder, emerging with a 4-3 overtime victory. Watch the series-winner by Jose Vazquez and the resulting celebration here. In the Best-of-7 championship round, the IceMen hoisted the Cup by eliminating the #4 seed West Michigan Blizzard 4-games-to-1 to win the Davidson Cup. (West Michigan advanced to the finals by knocking off the #1 seed and defending champion Chi-Town Shooters 3-games-to-1.) Evansville took Game 1 at home 7-2, but the Blizzard stole away home-ice advantage with a 3-1 victory in Game 2 at Swonder. Undeterred, the IceMen hit the road and promptly wrestled back control of the series with a pair of victories in Muskegon. Evansville took Game 3 by a score of 7-4, then won on enemy ice 10-5 in Game 4 to ensure that the Davidson Cup would be on the line in Game 5 back at Swonder. With a sell-out crowd watching, Ryan Ford posted a hat trick and John Dorman made 47 saves to lead the IceMen to a 4-3 series-clinching victory. Fans can watch nearly 20 minutes of the memorable post-game celebration (in 3 parts) here, here, and here. QUOTABLES: Goaltender John Dorman, when asked what winning the championship means: "It feels amazing. Greatest fans in the league, baby. Greatest fans in the league!" Forward Ryan Ford, on winning the championship and the IceMen fans: "Unbelievable. I really don't know what to say. I'm really at a loss for words. ... It's great, ya know. We wouldn't have done it without all the fans, and we just want to thank you guys." Coach Jack Collins, on the team's ultimate goal and the fan support: "We wanted to win the last game, and we did. Thank you to all of you fans for your support." Owner Ron Geary, summing it all up: "What an incredible year. ... This is what hockey's all about. ... We've got the best fans. ... It's been a great victory and a great year. It's going to be hard to top this one, but we'll do our best next year."
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Friday, October 15: 2010-2011 Season Begins Saturday, October 16: First IceMen Road Game Saturday, October 23: 2010-2011 Home Opener! New Website Coming for 2010-2011 Season An all-new EvansvilleIceMen.com is coming for 2010-2011, our third season in pro hockey and our first as members of the IHL. The new site will be much more fan-friendly, with a greatly expanded offering of general information and far more frequent updates during the season. We already have a championship-winning team and the best fans in the world of minor league hockey, so now we want to give you a website that is of the same quality! While the new site is under construction, please visit our temporary Info & Contacts page for details about the following: • Trying out for the IceMen • Sponsoring the IceMen (for as little as $125) • Serving as a host family • Donating housing or furnishings • Getting involved with the Icicles promotional team • Participating as part of the IceMen Junior Dance Team • Becoming an IceMen intern • Serving as a game-day volunteer • Singing the national anthem Also, while we're building our new online home, this temporary news page will be updated throughout the off-season with all of the latest IceMen news. The full new EvansvilleIceMen.com will be up and running in time for the start of the 2010-2011 season. Until then, please keep checking back for updates as the season approaches! IceMen Fan Forum IceMen Booster Club IceMen Facebook Group IceMen MySpace Group IceMen YouTube Channel IceMen Photo Gallery CHL Website IHL Website IceMen Desktop Wallpaper Goal Celebration Ringtone "COOL SUMMER" FAN GATHERINGS Visit this thread on the Fan Forum to find out all the latest info on our "Cool Summer" Fan Gatherings, hosted by the IceMen Maniacs Booster Club. Events include live thoroughbred horse racing at Ellis Park, Otters baseball games, a Bearcats football game, and a ROSI roller derby match. The "Cool Summer" Fan Gatherings offer IceMen fans a chance to get together during the off-season and show off their IceMen pride at events around the Evansville area. All fans are invited to attend, so please visit the link above to find out when and where you can join the fun!      Old National Bank Toyota Deaconess Hospital Evansville Regional Airport Heritage Federal Credit Union Penn Station East Coast Subs La Quinta Inn & Suites Kruckemeyer & Cohn Jewelry Clear Window Solutions Schneider Funeral Home The Nick Nackery Cold Stone Creamery Wright Motors Loans Unlimited Goldenrod Dairy Eaton Heating & Air Spuds -N- Stuff Bud Light Thumbs Up Promotions Shoe Carnival |
