Thunder Strikes Bees in OT

BATTLE CREEK, MI--- In their second to last home game of their inaugural season of 2019-20, the Rumble Bees laid claim to their first standings point at The Rink Battle Creek in a 7-6 overtime outcome Saturday night before a near capacity crowd on Awards Night and Racing Night.

 Riddled with a rash of injuries, the Rumble Bees were gallant as they overcame two daunting deficits in the contest; rallying from a 2-0 first period with a three-goals resurgence in the same stanza to gain a 3-2 advantage at the first intermission and another brilliant three-goals rally in the third stanza to surmount a 6-3 shortfall and equalize the contest at 6-6 at the end of regulation.

 Shea Carey sparked the Rumble Bees two comeback counterattack crescendos by delivering a 3-goals' "hat trick" with two of those strikes stoked on the power play as Battle Creek scored a season's best 3-PPG. Carey's linemates, Ryan Dreossi (1-2-3) and Sage Cetrone (0-3-3) also enjoyed prolific performances as the trio accounted for all three of those power play strikes. Mike Thomas added 1-goal and 1-assist with his goal deadlocking the affair at the 10:32 mark of the third period. Jarrett Pfeiffer caged a singleton for the BC squad.

 In the OT session, the Thunder captured the bonus point on Darius Davidson's ninth goal of the five-games' series and his third GWG against the Rumble Bees. The Davidson goal came a mere moments after Battle Creek's Stavros Soilis had slipped in behind the Delaware defense only to be robbed with a larcenous-like save from replacement goaltender Aaron Taylor who supplanted starting netminder Sebastian Damassa-Carlsson midway through the third period when the Rumble Bees staged their remarkable rally.

 The Rumble Bees outshot the Thunder in OT, 5-2. However, for the game, it was the Thunder 51 and Battle Creek 34.

 The Rumble Bees power play was 3-5; the Thunder were 0-4. Battle Creek concludes its home schedule Sunday in a 12:35 pm matinee against Port Huron at The Rink Battle Creek. After Sunday, the Rumble Bees will play their last nine games on the road.