Sanders Shines, 'Cats Complete First Ever Sweep of Carolina

WYTHEVILLE, VA-

Before a franchise-record crowd of 2,970 for Holiday Havoc at Hitachi Energy Arena, the Blue Ridge Bobcats put a hug feather in their caps by completing their first-ever weekend series sweep of the archrival Carolina Thunderbirds. 

Carolina got off to a better start than they did at home the previous night, with Gordon Whalen scoring less than four minutes into the 1st period. Much like last night in Winston-Salem, Saturday's contest in Wytheville was a back-and-forth affair. Jakub Volf answered for Blue Ridge, wristing home a shot past Boris Babik on a breakaway to tie the game at the 11:06 mark of the first and send the stuffed animals flying on Teddy Bear Toss night from the nearly 3,000 in attendance.

Both squads played scoreless until the 4:28 mark of the second, kickstarting a wildly eventful middle frame. Petr Panacek one-timed home a power play goal for the Thunderbirds, but Blue Ridge again answered in the form of Devin Sanders. Sanders created a solo break, sped past multiple Carolina defenders, and backhanded a shot home far side on Babik to tie the game again at 2 on one of the most gorgeous goals of the young season.

Nick Stuckless, on a play started behind the net by Austin Bellefeuille and a saucer centering pass from Hunter Hall stuffed a shot under Babik's pads to give the Bobcats their first lead of the night. Sanders wasn't done, though. 32 seconds after Stuckless, Sanders drove the net again and sent a backhand shot off Babik that trickled behind Carolina's netminder. Sanders followed his own shot and snuk it over the goal line for his second of the night. Carolina would answer with one goal in the third, but it was not enough as Blue Ridge held on for a 4-3 win.

Sanders, shining two-goal performance earned him first star honors. Jakub Volf's teddy bear tossing goal earned him second star, and Hunter Virostek stopped 40 of 43 Carolina shots in goal for the Bobcats to earn third star on the night.

Blue Ridge returns to action next weekend, hitting the road for a two-game set against the Columbus River Dragons. Friday's game is scheduled for a 7:35 PM puck drop, while next Saturday's contest is scheduled to begin at 7:05. Both games can be seen on BobcatsTV and heard on 96.5 WCGX "The Cat."