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PrairieThunder signs four as beginning of training camp looms



Bloomington PrairieThunder coach Jarrod Skalde announced Tuesday the signing of four players, including Austrian veteran forward Christian Ban, to International Hockey League contracts for the 2008-09 season.



In addition to Ban, others signing contracts were defenseman Jason Lepine, center Pat Rowan and rookie forward David Mitchell. Per team rules, terms of the contracts were not released.



The 5-foot-10, 160-pound Ban will be in his 10th season of professional hockey, but his first in the United States . He has logged 362 games in the Austrian League, beginning with the 1999-2000 season with Team Telekom Austria .



The 26-year-old Ban, a native of Klagenfurt , Austria , spent seven of the last eight years with Klagenfurter AC along with a season for the Vienna Capitals and the end of last year with Ostersund.



During his pro career, Ban has scored 41 goals with 54 assists for 95 points. He also has 283 penalty minutes and played in three playoff series. His most productive offensive season was in 2006-07 with Klagenfurter when he scored 16 goals with 17 assists for 33 points in 56 games.



Rowan, a native of Montreal , has played three seasons at the pro level with Valence in the French League and the Adendorf Rams in Germany . The 6-foot, 195-pounder was the top scorer on his teams in two of his three seasons.



The 27-year-old Rowan led the league in scoring with Adendorf during the 2006-07 season when he netted 82 points (27 goals and 55 assists). During his 79-game pro career, Rowan has scored 72 goals with 124 assists for 196 points.



Lepine, a native of Cornwall , Ontario , enters his third season at the professional level. The 5-11, 185-pounder began his career with the Corpus Christi Rayz of the CHL in 2006-07.



The 23-year-old Lepine has played in 70 pro games, scoring eight goals while adding 22 assists for 30 points. He scored 14 points in 24 games last season with the Knoxville Ice Bears.



Mitchell, who sat out last season because of illness, has two seasons under his belt at the professional level. The 23-year-old began his pro career with Jacksonville in the SPHL in 2005-06. He started the 2006-07 season with Wheeling in the ECHL before finishing the campaign with Richmond in the SPHL.



The 6-2, 230-pounder has played 54 games and scored five goals with three assists for eight points. Mitchell racked up 167 minutes of penalties in 41 games at Richmond last season.



The four signings bring the PrairieThunder preseason roster to 30 with training camp beginning Monday. Bloomington opens the regular season Oct. 17 at home against Flint at U.S. Cellular Coliseum at 7:05 p.m.



Single-game, season ticket and flex-ticket packages are available at the Coliseum box office, 101 S. Madison St. , Bloomington ; online at www.ticketmaster.com or www.prairiethunderhockey.com; or by calling 309-454-5500.



The PrairieThunder has exhibition games Oct. 8 at Fort Wayne at 6:30 p.m. and Oct. 11 at Muskegon at 6 p.m.



Booras, Hafner with Rivermen



PrairieThunder players Jon Booras and Tommy Hafner are participating in the AHL camp of the Peoria Rivermen this week and could see action in Wednesday’s game at the Peoria Civic Center against the Rockford IceHogs. Game time is 7 p.m.



2008-09 PrairieThunder roster as of Sept. 30:



Goaltenders – Scott Fankhouser, Pierre-Olivier Girouard, Justin Grant, Ryan Ludzik,



Defensemen – A.J. Bozoian, Volodymyr Dashko, Peter Drikos, Nello Ferrara, Shaun Fisher, Jason Lepine, Jeff MacMillan, Sam Miller, Riccardo Rigamonti, Tim Schneider, Jason Slusher



Forwards – Christian Ban, Jon Booras, Travis Granbois, Brett Holmberg, David Mitchell, John Nail, Don Parsons, Anthony Potoshnik, Geoff Rollins, Blake Stewart, Jim Stussy, Adam Tomkow



Centers – Brent Clake, Tommy Hafner, Pat Rowan



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