RIVER DRAGONS PUT UP 7 IN HOME OPENER; DEFEAT PROWLERS
Columbus, GA - The Columbus River Dragons defeated the Port Huron Prowlers 7-3 on Thursday night on the back of a Gehrett Sargis hat trick.
The River Dragons led from wire to wire in this one and got started through Mac Jansen banging home a backdoor pass from Evgenii Demin 7:41 into the first period. Sargis would then get two of his three goals to follow up and make it 3-0. The first Sargis goal came from a right point shot that found twine. The second one was 52 seconds in to the second period and came about on a rebound coughed up by Kurt Gutting.
Anton Kalinin would make it 4-0 near the game's midway point with a great shot from his knee after being taken down in the slot and somehow managed to flip it over Gutting.
The Prowlers would finally get themselves on the board when Yianni Liarakos took a drop pass from Joe Pace into the zone and just squeezed it through Jacob Caffrey to cut the deficit to 3. Columbus would restore their four goal lead when Demin deflected home a point shot from Seth Ensor on the power play.
Facing a four goal deficit with 20 minutes to play the Prowlers put pedal to metal quickly, finding goals from Liarakos (again) and Dalton Jay to make it 5-3 before the eight-minute mark of the period. Just as Port Huron was rolling with momentum, a turnover forced by Viktor Ekk was cashed in after Ekk outstretched Gutting to the far post to put the nail in the coffin at 6-3.
Sargis would add a deflection goal late to complete his hat trick and the River Dragons secured all 3 points on the night.
Jacob Caffrey picked up his 2nd win of the season stopping 36 of 39 shots he saw. Kurt Gutting takes the loss with a 27 save night on 34 River Dragons shots.
The same two teams go at it again tomorrow night from the Civic Center. A 7:35 puck drop means a 7:05 pregame show on the River Dragons YouTube channel and radio network.
Three Stars of the Game
Gehrett Sargis
Viktor Ekk
Evgenii Demin