prairiethunderhockey.com: History

Defining moments in PrairieThunder history

Sept. 12, 1999 – Central Illinois Arena Management partners John Butler and Mike Nelson begin formulating plans to establish a professional minor league hockey franchise in Bloomington

Sept. 1, 2000 – Butler and Nelson contact the United Hockey League to express interest in forming a team

Aug. 18, 2004 – Ground broken to build 7,000-seat, $37 million multi-purpose U.S. Cellular Coliseum, which will house an ice rink and be home for a Bloomington-based professional hockey franchise

Sept. 20, 2005 – United Hockey League Board of Governors awards a membership to BMI Hockey, LLC, which is owned by Butler and Nelson and Muskegon businessman Tony Lisman

February 1, 2006 – Contest announced to the name the hockey team

Feb. 23, 2006 – PrairieThunder becomes official name of the team. Winning entry submitted by Mike Matejka. Name, in part, comes from the name of a train that traveled through Bloomington in early history. Name also refers to the power of a train and the power of Central Illinois weather. Other final name options included 66ers, Bolts, Bullfrogs and Firestorm

April, 1, 2006 – Multi-purpose U.S. Cellular Coliseum, the home of the PrairieThunder, completed

May 1, 2006 – Bloomington native Jerry McBurney named general manager of PrairieThunder

June 1, 2006 - PrairieThunder select Derek Gustafson as its first pick of the PrairieThunder in the UHL dispersal draft

June 28, 2006 – Derek Booth named head coach of PrairieThunder. Booth was the head coach for two seasons for the Fayetteville FireAntz of Southern Professional League

July 20, 2006 – PrairieThunder officials unveil team logos. Primary logo features a charging bison crashing its front hooves into a sheet of ice. The word PrairieThunder covers the buffalo with the letters “P” and “T” in the forms of lighning bolts. Team colors are navy, silver, old gold and white

Aug. 1, 2006 – Trevor Baker becomes first player to sign contract with the PrairieThunder

Sept. 18, 2006 – “Chip” becomes official name of PrairieThunder’s mascot. Megan Fish, a 12-year-old sixth-grade student at Chiddix Junior High School, won the Pantagraph-sponsored “Name the Mascot” contest

Oct. 13, 2006 – First game in franchise history a 7-3 loss at Muskegon

Oct. 14, 2006 - First home game in franchise history against Fort Wayne results in 4-2 victory before 5,102 people; Andre Niec scores first goal at U.S. Cellular Coliseum 4:20 into first period off assists from Tyler Rennette and B.J. Gaustad

Feb. 17, 2007 - Trevor Baker records first hat trick in franchise history in 5-3 loss at Port Huron

Jan. 27, 2007 – Largest home crowd of season (and in franchise history to date) of 5,488 watches PrairieThunder suffer 3-2 loss to Chicago Hounds

April 7, 2007 – PrairieThunder ends inaugural season with 25-45-6 record following 4-2 loss at U.S. Cellular Coliseum against Flint

May 15, 2007 – Muskegon businessman Tony Lisman purchases full ownership of PrairieThunder from John Butler and Mike Nelson

June 20, 2007 – PrairieThunder, along with teams from Flint, Fort Wayne, Kalamazoo, Muskegon and Port Huron, revive International Hockey League after UHL dissolved

June 15, 2007 – Don Parsons of Quad Cities Mallards selected as PrairieThunder’s No. 1 pick in International Hockey League dispersal draft

Oct. 20, 2007 – PrairieThunder begins second season with 5-1 victory at Flint

Jan. 12, 2008 – Rookie goalie Loic Lacasse posts first shutout in franchise history in 2-0 win over Port Huron at U.S. Cellular Coliseum

March 30, 2008 – Don Parsons scores a franchise record four goals and six points in 7-6 victory at Flint

April 5, 2008 - PrairieThunder establish a professional hockey league record at all levels by scoring four goals in a 35-second span during the first period in a 9-4 win at Flint. 1945. Scoring the goals were Jon Booras, John Nail, Neil Clark and Brett Holmberg.

4 goals in 35 seconds

April 12, 2008 – PrairieThunder finishes season with 31-38-3-4 record

April 18, 2008 - PrairieThunder makes Sports Illustrated magazine in the “Go Figure” section for scoring the professional hockey record four goals in 35 seconds.

April 28, 2008 – International Hockey League announces transfer of ownership of the PrairieThunder to Bloomington lawyer Tim Leighton and a group of yet-to-be-identified owners

May 15, 2008 – PrairieThunder officials announce Derek Booth’s contract will not be renewed. Booth compiled a 56-83-13 record in two seasons.

June 19, 2008 – Jarrod Skalde introduced as new coach of PrairieThunder. The former NHL player served as the team’s player/assistant coach for the first part of the 2007-08 season

July 15, 2008 – PrairieThunder defenseman Rob Guinn killed in auto accident in Iowa

July 22, 2008 – Tim Leighton, lead owner of the PrairieThunder identifies

Paul and Donna Wampler; John and Paula Hardy; Nick and Anthony Hozian and John Gahm of Saunemin as local individuals who own shares in the PrairieThunder.

Oct. 17, 2008 – PrairieThunder begins third season with 6-2 win over Flint at U.S. Cellular Coliseim in Jarrod Skalde’s coaching debut

Next game: Friday at Kalamazoo, 6:30 p.m...Tickets for PrairieThunder games on sale at the U.S.Cellular Coliseum box office; by calling 309-454-5500 or by email at www.prairiethunderhockey.com....Follow the PrairieThunder and the other IHL team by clicking on ihl.com web site
TEAM Roster Coaches/Staff Front Office IHL Standings/Stats Schedule Records 07-08 Season Records History	Defining moments in PrairieThunder history Sept. 12, 1999 – Central Illinois Arena Management partners John Butler and Mike Nelson begin formulating plans to establish a professional minor league hockey franchise in Bloomington Sept. 1, 2000 – Butler and Nelson contact the United Hockey League to express interest in forming a team Aug. 18, 2004 – Ground broken to build 7,000-seat, $37 million multi-purpose U.S. Cellular Coliseum, which will house an ice rink and be home for a Bloomington-based professional hockey franchise Sept. 20, 2005 – United Hockey League Board of Governors awards a membership to BMI Hockey, LLC, which is owned by Butler and Nelson and Muskegon businessman Tony Lisman February 1, 2006 – Contest announced to the name the hockey team Feb. 23, 2006 – PrairieThunder becomes official name of the team. Winning entry submitted by Mike Matejka. Name, in part, comes from the name of a train that traveled through Bloomington in early history. Name also refers to the power of a train and the power of Central Illinois weather. Other final name options included 66ers, Bolts, Bullfrogs and Firestorm April, 1, 2006 – Multi-purpose U.S. Cellular Coliseum, the home of the PrairieThunder, completed May 1, 2006 – Bloomington native Jerry McBurney named general manager of PrairieThunder June 1, 2006 - PrairieThunder select Derek Gustafson as its first pick of the PrairieThunder in the UHL dispersal draft June 28, 2006 – Derek Booth named head coach of PrairieThunder. Booth was the head coach for two seasons for the Fayetteville FireAntz of Southern Professional League July 20, 2006 – PrairieThunder officials unveil team logos. Primary logo features a charging bison crashing its front hooves into a sheet of ice. The word PrairieThunder covers the buffalo with the letters “P” and “T” in the forms of lighning bolts. Team colors are navy, silver, old gold and white Aug. 1, 2006 – Trevor Baker becomes first player to sign contract with the PrairieThunder Sept. 18, 2006 – “Chip” becomes official name of PrairieThunder’s mascot. Megan Fish, a 12-year-old sixth-grade student at Chiddix Junior High School, won the Pantagraph-sponsored “Name the Mascot” contest Oct. 13, 2006 – First game in franchise history a 7-3 loss at Muskegon Oct. 14, 2006 - First home game in franchise history against Fort Wayne results in 4-2 victory before 5,102 people; Andre Niec scores first goal at U.S. Cellular Coliseum 4:20 into first period off assists from Tyler Rennette and B.J. Gaustad Feb. 17, 2007 - Trevor Baker records first hat trick in franchise history in 5-3 loss at Port Huron Jan. 27, 2007 – Largest home crowd of season (and in franchise history to date) of 5,488 watches PrairieThunder suffer 3-2 loss to Chicago Hounds April 7, 2007 – PrairieThunder ends inaugural season with 25-45-6 record following 4-2 loss at U.S. Cellular Coliseum against Flint May 15, 2007 – Muskegon businessman Tony Lisman purchases full ownership of PrairieThunder from John Butler and Mike Nelson June 20, 2007 – PrairieThunder, along with teams from Flint, Fort Wayne, Kalamazoo, Muskegon and Port Huron, revive International Hockey League after UHL dissolved June 15, 2007 – Don Parsons of Quad Cities Mallards selected as PrairieThunder’s No. 1 pick in International Hockey League dispersal draft Oct. 20, 2007 – PrairieThunder begins second season with 5-1 victory at Flint Jan. 12, 2008 – Rookie goalie Loic Lacasse posts first shutout in franchise history in 2-0 win over Port Huron at U.S. Cellular Coliseum March 30, 2008 – Don Parsons scores a franchise record four goals and six points in 7-6 victory at Flint April 5, 2008 - PrairieThunder establish a professional hockey league record at all levels by scoring four goals in a 35-second span during the first period in a 9-4 win at Flint. 1945. Scoring the goals were Jon Booras, John Nail, Neil Clark and Brett Holmberg. 4 goals in 35 seconds April 12, 2008 – PrairieThunder finishes season with 31-38-3-4 record April 18, 2008 - PrairieThunder makes Sports Illustrated magazine in the “Go Figure” section for scoring the professional hockey record four goals in 35 seconds. April 28, 2008 – International Hockey League announces transfer of ownership of the PrairieThunder to Bloomington lawyer Tim Leighton and a group of yet-to-be-identified owners May 15, 2008 – PrairieThunder officials announce Derek Booth’s contract will not be renewed. Booth compiled a 56-83-13 record in two seasons. June 19, 2008 – Jarrod Skalde introduced as new coach of PrairieThunder. The former NHL player served as the team’s player/assistant coach for the first part of the 2007-08 season July 15, 2008 – PrairieThunder defenseman Rob Guinn killed in auto accident in Iowa July 22, 2008 – Tim Leighton, lead owner of the PrairieThunder identifies Paul and Donna Wampler; John and Paula Hardy; Nick and Anthony Hozian and John Gahm of Saunemin as local individuals who own shares in the PrairieThunder. Oct. 17, 2008 – PrairieThunder begins third season with 6-2 win over Flint at U.S. Cellular Coliseim in Jarrod Skalde’s coaching debut
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