Thunderbirds Down Port Huron 6-3, Sweep Prowlers

Winston-Salem, NC – Following a 5-1 victory on Friday evening, the Carolina Thunderbirds finished off a weekend sweep of the Port Huron Prowlers with a 6-3 win on Saturday evening at the Fairgrounds Arena in front of 3,025 fans.

In the 1st period, Carolina (39-11-4) opened the scoring just over the midway mark. The Thunderbirds won an attacking zone draw and Jiri Pestuka wired home his 20th goal of the season putting Carolina ahead, 1-0. Port Huron (30-18-6) could not figure out Thunderbirds netminder, Boris Babik, who saved all nine shots he saw in the 1st.

The Prowlers tied the contest 4:15 into the 2nd period with Reggie Millette snapping one past Babik, but the Thunderbirds responded. Jan Salak rocketed home a shot from the top of the circles putting Carolina ahead, 2-1. Zach White then beat Port Huron goalie, Reid Cooper, on a breakaway to give the Thunderbirds a 3-1 lead, 12:16 into the frame. Joe Kennedy grew the lead to three with 3:24 remaining in the frame with assists from Salak and Pestuka as the Thunderbirds took a 4-1 lead into the final 20 minutes.

Salak got his second goal of the night on the power play 1:14 into the 3rd while Roman Kraemer sniped his 24th goal of the year 9:38 into the period, putting the Thunderbirds up, 6-1. Matt Graham and Alex Johnson both scored consolation goals within the final two minutes but the Thunderbirds rolled to a 6-3 win over Port Huron in a contest that saw 124 penalty minutes.

With the win, the Thunderbirds now sit in first place in the Continental Division with a one-point lead over the Athens Rock Lobsters.

Carolina finishes the regular season next weekend with a two-game series in Monroe, Lousiana against the Monroe Moccasins. Puck drop on Friday night for game one is set for 8:00 p.m. EDT from the Monroe Civic Center in Monroe, Louisiana.