Carolina Takes Season Series Over Danbury in Win, 4-3

Winston-Salem, NC – Following a 3-2 overtime victory on Friday night, the Carolina Thunderbirds held on for a 4-3 victory to take the season series over the Danbury Hat Tricks Saturday night at the Annex.

In the 1^st period, Danbury (17-13-3) came out quickly but could not find the back of the net allowing Carolina (23-8-1) to settle into the game. After Jiri Pestuka was called for an interference, Jacob Schnapp pressured Conor McCollum and forced a turnover resulting in an unassisted shorthanded goal giving the Thunderbirds a 1-0 lead going into the 1^st intermission.

In the second, the Thunderbirds struck quickly. Roman Kraemer beat McCollum just 13 seconds into the frame doubling the Carolina lead, 2-0. Five minutes later, Tucker Firth beat McCollum from the point giving Carolina a 3-0 advantage. Just a minute later, Schnapp again found an unassisted goal moving the lead to four, 4-0.

After the four goals, McCollum was pulled, and Liam Murray replaced him and pitched a shutout the rest of the way keeping Danbury in the game. With five seconds left in the 2^nd, Corey Cunningham jammed home a goal making it a three-goal game going to the 3^rd, 4-1.

In the final frame, Danbury cut the lead in half on a Dustin Henning goal and cut the lead to one at the 10:47 mark. The two sides battled over the final nine minutes in a 4-3 game but the Thunderbirds held on to take down the Hat Tricks, 4-3, in regulation.

In the win, Cunningham was named the 3^rd star with Kraemer earning 2^nd star honors. With two goals and the game winner, Schnapp received the 1^st star on the evening.

Carolina takes the season series over Danbury, 3-1-0, and now turns its attention to Blue Ridge next weekend in Wytheville. Puck drop from the Apex Center is set for 7 p.m. next Saturday.