Carolina Dominates Columbus, 4-1
March 8, 2025 - Federal Prospects Hockey League (FPHL)
Carolina Thunderbirds News Release
Winston-Salem, NC - Following an overtime loss on Friday night to the Columbus River Dragons, Gus Ford recorded his second hat trick of the year while Mario Cavaliere stopped 45 shots in a 4-1 victory for the Carolina Thunderbirds on Saturday evening at the Fairgrounds Arena in front of 3,070 fans.
Carolina (33-8-4) struck first for the second straight night in the 1st. Roman Kraemer delivered a cross-ice pass to Zach White who found Gus Ford crashing the near post tapping home his first of the evening 16:36 into the game.
In the middle 20 minutes, Columbus (26-12-4) tied the game just 43 seconds in, but Ford found his second goal of the evening putting the Thunderbirds ahead less than a minute later, 2-1. Clay Keeley punched home his seventh goal of the season coming off a power play 4:36 into the frame before Ford notched his second hat trick of the season with 8:38 left in the 2nd, putting Carolina ahead, 4-1.
Other than the power play goal for the River Dragons, Thunderbirds netminder Mario Cavaliere was dominant. He stopped 12 shots in the 1st, 14 shots in the 2nd, and all 19 he saw in the final 20 minutes to finish off the 4-1 victory for Carolina.
With the win, the Thunderbirds have clinched a playoff berth into the 2025 Commissioners Cup Playoffs.
Carolina now hits the road again back to New York for a split weekend with the Watertown Wolves and Binghamton Black Bears. Carolina meets Watertown first on Friday evening in Watertown, New York. Puck drop is set for 7:30 p.m. from the Watertown Arena.
Federal Prospects Hockey League Stories from March 8, 2025
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- Rico Shines in Return, Corgan the Hero as Rockers Snap Skid - Motor City Rockers
- River Dragons Fall, 4-1, to the Thunderbirds - Columbus River Dragons
- Carolina Dominates Columbus, 4-1 - Carolina Thunderbirds
- Game Preview: Hat Tricks vs. HC Venom: March 8, 2025 - Danbury Hat Tricks
- Coach Brant Sherwood Earns 100th Victory as HC - Binghamton Black Bears
- Dragons Win In Overtime, 7-6 - Columbus River Dragons
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