Wolves Win Over Thunderbirds

by Jay Harris

     The Watertown Wolves bested the Thunderbirds for a second game in a row, this time at the Watertown Municipal Arena. The previous victory came on Carolina's home ice snapping their league-record 24-game win streak.           

     The first period started with a barrage of Carolina Thunderbird shots on Watertown net-minder Jared Rutledge, including a Wolves penalty kill for Yianni Liarakos's hooking penalty. Watertown scored with their first shot on goalie Christian Pavlas when Kyle Powell sent the puck up to Anton Kalinin who passed it from behind the Carolina goal to Yianni Liarakos so he could tickle the twine. Just after the goal Jared Rutledge inadvertently sent the puck into the net as he tried to clear it and earned a delay of game penalty. Michael Bunn tied the game up for the Thunderbirds about thirty seconds into the power play. The Wolves successfully killed Kyle Powell's delay of game penalty before Carolina scored their second goal of the night via Josh Pietrantonio. The goal came with protest from Watertown as they felt the net come off it's moorings before the play by Pietrantonio was made. Lane King tied it back up for the Wolves off a rebound from Aleh Shypitsyn's shot.           After an extra-long intermission due to a part on the zamboni needing replacing, the Wolves bested the Thunderbirds in the second period. Tim Santopaolo took the lead back for Watertown on a play from Tyler Gjurich and Corey Sherman. The Wolves had the only power play in the period from a high-sticking call on Michael Bunn, but they could not make good on the extra-man advantage.          

      Carolina tied the game back up just under six minutes into the third period with a goal from Peter Cicmanec. The Wolves successfully defended the charge on Aleh Shypitsyn for tripping, which would be the only penalty of the period. After a frenzy of shots on Pavlas, Anton Kalinin scored the game-winner with just two and a half minutes left.        

   Kalinin's assist and game-winning goal got him the first star of the night. Yianni Liarakos's goal and assist earned him the second star of the game. After stopping 52 shots on goal Jared Rutledge was rightfully awarded the third star.