ST. LOUIS JR. BLUES (19-1-0, 38 pts) vs. EVANSVILLE JR. THUNDERBOLTS (6-14-1, 13 pts) and PEORIA MUSTANGS (11-8-1, 23 pts)
VENUE: Affton Ice Rink, Affton, Mo. and Owens Center, Peoria, Ill.
GAME TIMES: December 7th at 6:30 pm vs. Evansville, December 9 at 6:45 pm and December 10 at 1:15 pm at Peoria (all times Central)
WHERE TO FOLLOW: All Jr. Blues home games are broadcasted in high definition on HockeyTV.com (subscription required). Join Jr. Blues Director of Media Kevin Gier on the call. On Twitter, follow @JrBluesGameday for live updates.
WATCH THIS SPACE: Due to other circumstances, the Jr. Blues’ schedule has seen several changes (including this Thursday’s opponent) in recent days. Keep your eyes on stljrblues.org and our social media channels to stay current with who, where, and when the Jr. Blues are playing next.
NOVEMBER TO REMEMBER: Jr. Blues forward Jack Hatton was named Bauer/NA3HL Forward of the Month for November, after scoring nine goals and 13 assists during the six games the Jr. Blues played in the month. In addition, defenseman John Shivley was also named as an Honorable Mention for the Defenseman of the Month award, while Blake Bjella picked up an Honorable Mention as Vaughn/NA3HL Goaltender of the Month.
SHOWCASE SHOWDOWN: Next week the Jr. Blues will trek to the Twin Cities for the NA3HL Showcase in Blaine, Minnesota, beginning December 17th. The full schedule for the tournament, including who the Jr. Blues will face, will be released Thursday: if you are considering traveling up to Blaine to join the club, visit the NA3HL’s dedicated Showcase site for more information.
SCOUTING THE BOLTS: Evansville enters the weekend looking to snap a seven-game losing skid. Leading the offense for the men from Indiana is veteran forward Brandon Rozema (8 G, 14 A), while fellow vet Bryson Linenburg has been the team’s rock between the pipes with a .917 save percentage.
SCOUTING THE MUSTANGS: Peoria comes into the weekend having swept the Jr. Thunderbolts, although it took overtime to do so in one of the games. Braden Stewart, fresh off being named Midwest Division Star of the Week for the previous weekend, is tied for the lead in team goals (10) with Jack Radley, who himself leads the club in points with 26.
JUNIOR NOTES: As this is the last time the Jr. Blues will play at home before the New Year, all of us at the Jr. Blues wish you and your family the happiest of holidays and all the best for 2018.
