Two Goal Third Period Forces Extra Time, Lose in Shootout 3-2

This young Zydeco team is extremely fun to watch. No matter the opponent, they will play until the final horn. Kevin Szabad said it best last week “we have this identity as a team that never quits”. That trend continued this weekend against the Thunderbirds.


Last night, they nearly tied the game late and lost 2-1 to Carolina. Tonight, they were hoping to generate more offense than Friday night’s game where they had 25 shots on net, mostly from the outsides.


The first period of tonight’s game saw Carolina open the scoring for the second straight night as Gus Ford potted a Powerplay goal with only 8 seconds remaining on a Zydeco 5 on 3 penalty kill. That would be the only goal of the period.


Just as they had in the first, the Thunderbirds opened the scoring in the 2nd period. Over halfway through the period Jan Salak had thrown the puck from the bottom of the far circle towards the net hoping to hit Pancek who was battling with Namiki at the top of the crease, and beat Bailey Stephens to make it 2-0, and that’s how the period would close.


As they have all year long, the Zydeco would not back down. They turned the heat up if anything and were rewarded with a goal from Kevin Szabad, his second of the weekend. He received a great pass from Elijah Wilson and had a breakaway from the top of the circles and slid it under the pad of Mario Cavaliere.


In true Zydeco fashion, it was a full court press to tie the game. Finally, with 15 seconds remaining Dmitry Kuznetsov was able to rip a shot from the top of the near circle and somehow beat a maze of bodies and Cavaliere to tie the game and force overtime.


Overtime generated chances on both sides, but no one was able to find the back of the net and took us to a shootout. Both teams went scoreless in round one of the shootout. Dmitry Kuznetsov was stopped and Gus Ford beat Bailey Stephens over the glove to give Carolina a lead in the second round. Mario Cavaliere was able to get a glove on Elijah Wilson’s attempt and the Thunderbirds came away with the extra point. Bailey Stephens made 38 saves and Mario Cavaliere made 37 through 65 minutes of play.


Baton Rouge’s record will drop to 12-5-0-2 and make their way back to Baton Rouge to prepare for the Blue Ridge Bobcats who come to town for a three game set next week start Friday at 7:05. The pregame show will start at 6:40. You can catch all the action on the Baton Rouge Zydeco YouTube page.