Thunderbirds Fall to Blue Ridge, 4-2

Winston-Salem, NC – The Carolina Thunderbirds dropped game one of a home-and-home series to the Blue Ridge Bobcats, 4-2, on Friday evening at the Fairgrounds Arena in front of 3,173 fans.

Blue Ridge (15-9-3) struck early in the 1st period. Vladislav Vlasov blasted home a one-timer 5:56 into the 1st period to give the visitors a 1-0 lead. Less than three minutes later, Carolina (17-7-3) responded with Jan Salak snapped home his ninth goal of the year 8:14 into the frame tying the game at one.

The two sides went into the 2nd period tied, but seven minutes into the middle 20 minutes, Carson Andreoli beat Boris Babik over the blocker to push the Bobcats ahead, 2-1. Four minutes later, Nicholas McHugh made it a 3-1 game on a scramble in front of the net tapping home his sixth goal this year.

With a 3-1 lead going to the 3rd period, Devin Sanders snuck a bouncing puck past Babik 4:26 into the 3rd, building the lead to three, 4-1. Carolina found life with Roman Kraemer tapping home a feed from Gus Ford to cut the deficit to two, 4-2, with 7:15 remaining in regulation, but could not find another as the Thunderbirds fell to the Bobcats, 4-2.

Carolina and Blue Ridge meet again on Saturday evening in the second game of the home-and-home set in Wytheville, Virginia. Puck drop is slated for 7:30 p.m. from the Hitachi Energy Arena.