Thunderbirds Handle Zydeco, 8-0

Winston-Salem, NC – In the first ever meeting between the Carolina Thunderbirds and Baton Rouge Zydeco, the Thunderbirds dominated the visitors for 60 minutes picking up an 8-0 shutout victory at the Annex on Friday evening.

Carolina (27-9-1) scored early and often in the 1^st period. Coming off his 100^th Thunderbirds goal last Saturday, Jan Salak on the power play beat John Moriarty to open the scoring just 4:23 into the game. Just over four minutes later, Gus Ford, making his return to the Annex for the first time in a month, beat the netminder glove side to double the Thunderbirds advantage. As the 3^rd went on, Carolina waited until the final minute of the period when Dawson Baker built the lead to three for Carolina taking a 3-0 advantage into the 1^st intermission.

Baton Rouge (7-24-4) did not have an answer for the Thunderbirds as Josh Koepplinger found a rebound in front on a shot from the point from Clay Keeley adding to the Carolina advantage, 4-0.

The Thunderbirds held that lead going into the 3^rd period and tacked on four more goals with Ford getting his second on the evening, Jiri Pestuka, Jacob Schnapp and Nate Keeley all finding the back of the net as Carolina rolled to an 8-0 shutout victory. In the win, netminder Greg Hussey, in his first appearance since being traded from Baton Rouge, stopped all 21 shots he saw on the night as Carolina coasted to its 27^th victory.

With the shutout, Hussey was named the 3^rd star while Ford earned 2^nd star honors with two goals and an assist. Koepplinger was given the 1^st star with four points on the evening.

The shutout marks Carolina’s second of the season and have now won six-out-of-seven. The Thunderbirds return to action on Saturday evening at home against the Mississippi Sea Wolves. Puck drop is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. from the Annex.