Elmira, NY – The Elmira Mammoth last faced off with the Carolina Thunderbirds on New Years Eve down in Winston-Salem, they were outscored that weekend 19-4. They looked to bounce back at home this time but fell by a final score of 7-4
The Mammoth would get the scoring started in the same way they did last Saturday against Binghamton. With some beautiful passing Nick Gullo found Kyle Stevens who passed to a wide open Tate Leeson for the first goal of the game to make it 1-0.
The game would stay that way for the next 10 minutes until a wrist shot from Gus Ford found some white netting to even up the game 1 a piece. Josh Koepplinger and John Buttita each earnedan assist.
The Mammoth would rack up 3 penalties in the period including 1 at the end of the 2nd but killed off each one of them.
The Mammoth would kill off the remaining :34 seconds of the penalty to start the 2nd period. After a Petr Panacek game misconduct the Mammoth would have a 5 minute power play.
They would capitalize over a minute later with a Noah Wild rebound goal past Boris Babik.
Exactly a minute later Tristian Mock would find his first in a Mammoth sweater with a beautifully placed shot just inside the near side post to give Elmira a 3-1 lead. Luke Richards and Dalton Anderson each earned a helper on the goal.
But in typical Carolina fashion they would pour on shots, after Jim Jensen was sent to the box for high sticking, Jiri Pestuka beat Thomas Proudlock on the glove side to tighten the gap. Susi and Koepplinger each earned an assist.
For the 2nd time tonight Gus Ford would fire one on net that beat Proudlock for his 41st of the season. Blake Peavey and Justin Pringle each got an apple. That goal would move us back even 3-3. The 2nd period would end in that way and it set us up for an exciting 3rd period of hockey.
The 3rd period would contain some fireworks here at First Arena. Brendan Hussey got the frame started with a power play goal. After Proudlock made the initial 4 or 5 saves Hussey poked home the rebound. Ford and Koepplinger earned the helpers.
Josh Sanchez would answer right back with his first professional goal to tie it up at 4. Luke Richards and Kyle Stevens had the assists.
It would then be all Thunderbirds to close out the period. Josh Koepplinger would give the Thunderbirds back the lead with a 4 on 4 goal which turned out to be the game winning goal.
Jan Salak would then bury back to back goals including an empty netter to close out the books on this one. The Mammoth fall 7-4 to the Carolina Thunderbirds.
These two teams will be back at it again tomorrow night right here at 6:35 with tickets still available on FirstArena.net
by Jacob Johnson
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