Lancers Level Prowlers 5-1

WYTHEVILLE, VA-

Before a crowd of 2,033 at Hitachi Energy Arena Saturday night, the Blue Ridge Bobcats rebranded for one night only as the Virginia Lancers, honoring the region's first-ever pro hockey championship team. They paid homage to that John Tortorella coached squad the best way they knew how, with a dominant 5-1 win over the Port Huron Prowlers.

In another tight-checking physical affair, this time it was the home squad who controlled the pace and momentum of the contest. The scoring began just over halfway into the opening frame, when Carson Andreoli used a convenient screen from a Prowlers defenseman in front of Reid Cooper to snap a wrist shot from the right point past the glove side and in. 5:04 later, Daniel Klinecky blasted home one of his patented power play one-timers for the second night in a row to double the lead heading into the second.

Less than 4 minutes into the middle frame, Andreoli struck again, this time backhanding a shot by Cooper's stick side with help from Brandon Reller to put the Lancers up 3-0. Klinecky again followed Andreoli, this time 7:03 later and again on special teams, this time shorthanded. Klinecky, Danny Martin and Justin Daly combined to break out shorthanded, creating a mini 2-on-1 with Daly and Klinecky, and the Czech defenseman backhanded his second of the game home to put the game out of reach at 4-0 after 40 minutes.

Nicholas Favaro made things interesting, breaking Anthony Shrum's shutout bid with a goal at 14:13 of the third. It was too little too late for the Prowlers as Nick Stuckless slammed the door with an empty net goal just over three minutes later. PJ Demitrio picked up his first point with the club with the secondary assist on the Lancers' fifth goal of the night.

Andreoli's dual-goal output earned him third star, while Klinecky's pair of goals and assist on Andreoli's opening marker netted him second star. Shrum's tall-standing performance between the pipes of 34 saves on 35 shots garnered him first star honors on the evening.

Blue Ridge now hits the road for a trio of Thanksgiving week contests, beginning with a Wednesday night clash with the Pee Dee IceCats. The Bobcats then motor on to Indiana and visit the Sentinels next Friday and Saturday for the first ever meeting between the franchises. All 3 games will be available to both watch and listen along the Blue Ridge Hockey Network.