Watertown Wookies vs. Carolina Thunderbirds - Episode II

by Jeff Barrett



Watertown, NY - Game two of the three game weekend between the Wolves and the visiting Carolina Thunderbirds was on tap this Saturday evening. 

The Thunderbirds added win number 14 to their current streak, but not without a hard fought battle with the Wolves. The Thunderbirds twice had to come from behind before jumping to the lead and a 3-2 win.

Carolina's Jiri Pestuka gave the Thunderbirds the early lead with a short handed goal lifting a shot over Watertown starter Anton Borodkin at the 3:28 mark. The lone assist on the goal belonged to Jan Salak.

At the 13:03 mark of the first, Davide Gaeta continued his point scoring streak, and pulled Watertown back even with a back hand shot over Carolina's Boris Babik, assisted by Trevor Grasby and Kyle Powell.

The score stayed tied through the remainder of the period, with Watertown outshooting the Thunderbirds 11-9 in the frame.

Shots on goal in period number two were identical to the first period, 11 for Watertown and 9 for Carolina. But unlike the first twenty minutes, neither team was able to take advantage, and the second period remained scoreless, sending the game to the third tied at one goal a piece.

Jon Buttitta got free in the Watertown zone just 3:37 into the third and blasted a shot past Borodkin to put the Thunderbirds up 2-1 with the assist going to Danyk Drouin.

Watertown would strike back at the 10:49 mark when Trevor Lord took a beautiful pass from Trevor Grasby and Davide Gaeta and snapped one to the back of the goal making it 2-2.

The Thunderbirds Jan Salak would break the tie at the 19:03 mark , assisted by Pestuka and Gus Ford, and send Carolina on to their 15th win in a row.

The Wolves and Thunderbirds will battle one more time on Sunday night at 7:00 inside the Watertown Municipal Arena. The game will be the fifth and final time they will see each other in the regular season.