WICKLINE HAT TRICK PACES CRD TO OPENING WIN

BATON ROUGE, LA - Cody Wickline recorded a hat trick and added an assist while linemate Justin MacDonald put up four assists as the Columbus River Dragons topped the Baton Rouge Zydeco 6-3 to open the Federal Prospects Hockey League season.

Rookie Sequoia Swan scored his first pro goal at 6:11 to start the offense in motion for Columbus, and they would pour it on all night long. The line of Wickline (3-1-4), MacDonald (0-4-4) and Alexander Jmaeff (1-2-3) combined for 13 points on the night and never let the Zydeco get fully in the game.

Defensively the River Dragons played well, allowing just three shots on goal in the first period, five in the second and 10 in the third. Last year’s FPHL co-Goaltender of the Year Breandan Colgan (15 saves, W) was only called on occasionally to help secure the win.

Columbus finished the night 1-for-2 on the power play while the River Dragons PK went a perfect 3-for-3 on the evening.

The same two teams go right back at it tomorrow night at 8:30 pm ET, with the AirForce Heating and Air pregame show kicking off one half-hour before puck drop on 106.9 Really Rocks and the team’s YouTube channel @ColumbusRiverDragons.