River Dragons Put Up Double Digit Effort For 2nd Time This Season In Win
Columbus, GA - The Columbus River Dragons secured the sweep of the Port Huron Prowlers with a 10-0 win on Saturday night.
After last night's start seeing a fight three seconds in to the game, Justin Schmit and Nick Williams did it in just one second and treated the crowd who arrived on time to a heck of a tilt at center ice.
The goals came fast and furious after, and in the first period primarily from Josh Pietrantonio. His 11th, 12th and 13th goals of the season came in a span of 8:44. That number could have been even smaller if not for a crossbar that denied a natural hat trick opportunity on a 2-on-1. Adam Vannelli found the back of the net at the 9:46 mark to break up Pietrantonio's streak in the first.
4-0 wasn't enough going in to the second as the Dragons found five more in the 2nd. Jagger Williamson reached back for the puck on an odd man rush and fired it post and in for his seventh of the season. Dalton Anderson would then find the next two goals through the midway point of the period to make it 7-0.
In between the two Dalton Anderson goals there was a dustup that resulted in five ejections and multiple fights including the starting netminders trading punches. After a delayed penalty against Quentin Roseboom for cross checking, Paul Fregeau and Jay Croop took exception and took penalties themselves to turn it in to a 5-on-3 for Port Huron, and those were just the minor penalties. Fregeau then dropped the gloves with Justin Barr and about 20 seconds in to their fight, the crowds eyes shifted to Bailey MacBurnie and Richard Shipman (who had come in relief in the first period for Greg Harney) who began circling and looking to scrap. A quick fight and knockdown saw both goalies escorted off the ice, but we still weren't done with the fights, as Justin Schmit and Joe Pace ended their nights with a fight after original altercation game misconducts being thrown their way when they dropped the gloves one more time in the series.
After all the penalty math was sorted out and benches were calmed, a 5-on-3 for Port Huron ensued with Schmit, MacBurnie and Jay Croop out of the game for Columbus and Shipman and Pace gone for Port Huron. Despite the 5-on-3, Port Huron was stonewalled by the new goalie Jared Rutledge and the score remained where it was.
Two late goals from MJ Graham and Pietrantonio (his 4th of the game) made it 9-0 heading into the room.
The third period saw one last explosion of energy after Brad Nolan scored to make it 10-0 and away from the play Quentin Roseboom and Marquis Grant-Mentis went at it for another fight on the card this weekend. Roseboom received a game misconduct after the last dance of the night.
Bailey MacBurnie (11 saves) and Jared Rutledge (18 saves) split the shutout with MacBurnie getting credit for the win. Greg Harney takes the loss coming in and out and in of the game with 33 saves on 41 shots. Shipman had 11 saves on 13 shots before he was out of the game after the goalie fight.
The River Dragons now look ahead to the Delaware Thunder with two games in Harrington Friday and Saturday. All games can be heard on the River Dragons Radio Network.
Three Stars of the Game
Josh Pietrantonio
Dalton Anderson
Justin Schmit