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RiverHawks Open Season with Win in Front of Record Home Crowd

October 20, 2011 - SPHL (SPHL)
Augusta RiverHawks News Release


The Augusta RiverHawks opened the 2011-12 season with a measure of revenge as they knocked off the defending President's Cup Champion Mississippi Surge 4-2 in front of the largest crowd in team history. The RiverHawks fell to the Surge in the 2010-11 President's Cup Finals in three-straight games.

Newly signed center Chris Doyle was the offensive star with a goal and an assist, and goaltender Peter Skoggard picked up his first win of the season making 23 saves.

The RiverHawks got off to a great start taking advantage of an early power play. The first power play unit clicked after working the puck around effectively, breaking down the Surge penalty killing efforts. Captain and defending SPHL Most Valuable Player Matt Auffrey started the play off, working a puck over to Doyle, who managed to find Jesse Echternach in the slot. Schternach made no mistake, slipping it past Surge goaltender Nick Eno.

The RiverHawks extended their lead to two goals when Doyle picked up a loose puck in the Surge slot and fired it in off the cross-bar. The intial shot was off the stick of Ken Trentowski, giving him his first point with the RiverHawks.

The Surge managed to narrow the lead to just a goal when defenseman Scott Jenks fired a shot that deflected off of a RiverHawks forward before finding its way into the back of the net.

Before the end of the second period the RiverHawks would regain their two-goal lead. Chris Campanale picked up a pass from Trentowski and fed it to Nick Pitsikoulis. Pitsikoulis received the pass and quickly fired a shot just inside the far post and in.

The Surge came out motivated and energized in the third period, controlling play for the first five minutes of action. Their aggressiveness was rewarded when defenseman James Issacs fired a shot from the point that found it's way through a sea of legs and past Skoggard to narrow the lead back to one goal. However, but it would not be enough as the RiverHawks would protect the lead and salt the game away with a last-second empty-net goal from Campanale.

The RiverHawks are back in action on Phoenix Refrigeration at the James Brown Arena Saturday, October 22nd, as they face off against the Huntsville Havoc. The puck drops at 7:35pm. Fans are encouraged to order tickets in advance by calling the RiverHawks' front office at 706 993 2645. Additional information on the Team, tickets, and schedule are available on the RiverHawks' home on the web, www.augustariverhawks.com.



SPHL Stories from October 20, 2011


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