Injury woes striking early

Health issues, a huge problem last season, are hampering the Wichita Thunder already.

Two of the team's top defensemen, Chris Kovalcik and Jordan Little, will start the season on injured reserve.

Kovalcik, expected to bring toughness to the team, will have surgery on his right knee and could miss a month, the team said. Little has a sprained knee and is expected to be out two to three weeks.

"It's a little bit of a blow," Coach Brent Bilodeau said Wednesday. "Obviously, we lose a bit of size and toughness, but other guys are gonna get a chance to play and prove what they can do.

"It's like a machine. You take one part out and put another part in."

Mike Batovanja, who missed most of last season with a knee injury, has injured ribs. He practiced Wednesday, but his status for opening weekend is uncertain.

In addition, Brandon Kaleniecki has been hampered by a groin injury and Marc Belanger is sick. Bilodeau wasn't sure if either will play this weekend.

Goalie Tim Boron, who missed both exhibition games because of illness, has been feeling better and is expected to start Friday.

Radio silence — For the first time in the 18-year history of the franchise, the Thunder will not broadcast any games on radio.

General manager Joel Lomurno said that radio stations in town had too many other commitments to fulfill the team's broadcasting wishes.

"So we would have ended up getting a handful of games here and there," he said.

Lomurno said he has "no concern whatsoever" about the radio silence. He said broadcasts are too expensive — the team loses money on them — and that fans can follow the games in other ways.

"Radio's just not essential anymore," he said. "Ten years ago, the only way you could find out about games was on the radio. Now there's message boards, chat rooms, webcasts, Pointstreak (the league's scoring system)."

All of the Thunder's games will be available via Webcast, with Steve Schuster calling the action. Lomurno said the team averages 1,000 hits per game on the webcasts.

A positive for this year is that the Thunder will have its games, including the ones at the Kansas Coliseum, on CHL-TV, a pay-per-view Web site.

Etc. —The CHL has switched to a conference alignment this season. The Thunder is joined by Bossier-Shreveport, Colorado, Mississippi, Missouri, Rapid City, and Tulsa in the North.... Chris Tarkir and Arthur Fritch were waived on Wednesday.... Chris McAllister is team captain, and Jason Duda and Glenn Detulleo are assistant captains. They were selected by a team vote.