Babik Earns First Career Shutout in 8-0 Romp Over Wolves

WINSTON-SALEM, NC

Before a sellout crowd of 3,297 on Hockey Fights Cancer Night inside the Winston-Salem Fairgrounds Annex, many Carolina Thunderbirds shined. Boris Babik shined the brightest of all, stopping all 38 shots faced in an 8-0 trouncing of the Watertown Wolves. 

Babik's first career shutout earned him first star honors on the night.

The first 19 and a half minutes of the first period were heated, physical tight-checking and contentious. Josh Koepplinger shifted the course of the entire game in the final minute of the first. His wraparound goal with 4 seconds left in the opening frame gave Carolina a 1-0 lead, one they never looked back from.

Dawson Baker sniped home a wrist shot in the first half of the middle frame to put the Thunderbirds ahead 2-0. Jacob Schnapp's hard work for the entirety of the night was rewarded when he wired home a power play goal five minutes later to make it 3-0. S goal from Lucas Rowe and a power play tally from Justin Pringle completed a four goal onslaught by the Thunderbirds in the second period.

Jiri Pestuka and Blake Peavey added to the Carolina total. Gus Ford's 30th goal of the season was the exclamation point and the icing on the cake of a dominant 8-0 Thunderbirds victory.

The win was Carolina's 4th in a row, and 4th on the current season long six-game homestand.

The Thunderbirds wrap up that homestand next weekend against the archrival Columbus River Dragons. Tickets are on sale now at carolinathunderbirds.com, the Annex Box Office, and by calling 336-748-3949.