Four-goal second period has Thunderbirds singing Auld Lange Syne against Danbury

 Winston-Salem, NC – The Carolina Thunderbirds invited 2,400 of their closest friends to the Fairgrounds for a New Year’s celebration on Friday night. They would use an explosive second period to propel themselves to a 6-3 win over the Danbury Hat Tricks.


Evan Morrison made his Winston-Salem debut for the Thunderbirds, but the action began across the ice in Frankie McClendon’s goal. Gus Ford threw a harmless backhand shot into his pads that found a way into the back of the net. Just 59 seconds into the game, the Thunderbirds had a 1-0 lead. Carolina would hold steady at that mark for another eight minutes, until Devin Warfield cashed in for his first goal in over a month. Cameron Dimmitt sent him the puck, garnering his first assist in his first game back from injury. Danbury wouldn’t stay down for long, as a Jonny Ruiz wrist shot beat Morrison low to the stick side. Ruiz would cash in with a powerplay goal later in the frame to tie the game at 2-2.


As even as the first period was, the second period was anything but. On the powerplay, Gus Ford found Jacob Schnapp in the right wing circle. Schnapp wasted no time snapping a shot over the right shoulder of McClendon, breaking the deadlock. A minute later, Blake Peavey collected the puck in the slot and ripped one low to the stick side for his 3rd of the season. The onslaught would continue moments later, with Dawson Baker deflecting a Cody Oakes point shot past McClendon. Finally, Dawson Baker would cap the period off with an incredible individual effort. Catching up to a 50/50 puck, Warfield got inside body position on a defensemen, lowered the shoulder and sent a sneaky backhand shot past the blocker of McClendon to make it a 6-2 game.


The Third period brought less in the form of goals, and only a bit more in physicality. Tim Perks would beat Morrison for the only goal of the period and make it a 6-3 game. Jacob Schnapp and Dustin Jesseau would drop the gloves at the end of the game, giving the fans an exclamation point on the night.


With the win, Carolina improves to 8-8-2-1 on the season. The second game of this three game set is set for Saturday night at 6:05pm.