Bobcats mascot "Rufus" fires up the Hitachi Atena crowd during Tuesday's FPHL playoff game. Photo by Robert Anderson.
Bobcats mascot "Rufus" fires up the Hitachi Energy Arena crowd during Tuesday's FPHL playoff game. Photo by Robert Anderson.

The Blue Ridge Bobcats drew a record crowd to their home ice Friday night, but the visiting Carolina Thunderbirds brought the heat as the team from Winston-Salem (N.C.) rolled to a 5-2 victory in the first game of their Federal Prospects Hockey League playoff series.

Justin Daly celebrates his power goal in the third period. Courtesy of Blue Ridge Bobats.
Justin Daly celebrates his power goal in the third period. Courtesy of Blue Ridge Bobats.

Carolina needed just 3 minutes, 9 seconds to score the game’s first goal by Roman Kraemer as the T-birds were on their way to a decisive 4-0 lead. Kraemer was the game’s No. 1 star with a goal and two assists.

Gus Ford added two more goals for Carolina in the first period, followed by another from Jiri Pestuka just 1:08 into the second period.

 Denis Radchenko got Blue Ridge on the board later in the period with an assist from Daniel Martin, but Carolina’s Petr Panacek ended any thought of a comeback with a game-sealing goal for a 5-1 lead with 3:07 left in the second 20 minutes.

 Justin Daly converted on a power play for the Bobcats in the third period.

The game drew 2,407 spectators, breaking the Bobcats’ previous high at Hitachi Energy Arena of 2,079 set on Dec. 21, also against Carolina.

  The series moves to Winston-Salem on Saturday for Game 2 with the Bobcats needing a victory to keep their season alive. The puck drops at 7:05 p.m.

  Game 3 would be at 6:05 p.m. Sunday, if necessary.

See also:

‘This is a hockey town now.’ A playoff-bound pro team has put Wytheville on ice.

For the first time ever, a pro sports team will host a playoff game in Wytheville

FPHL PLAYOFFS

FIRST ROUND

April 15

 Wytheville 5, Baton Rouge (La.) 2

 Watertown (N.Y.) 4, Fraser (Mich.) 2

DIVISION SEMIFINALS

April 16

 Columbus (Ga.) 7, Athens (Ga.) 4

April 18

 Port Huron (Mich.) 6, Danbury (Conn.) 3 (Port Huron leads series 1-0)

 Athens 5, Columbus 3 (series tied 1-1)

 Winston-Salem (N.C.) 5, Wytheville 2 (Winston-Salem leads series 1-0)

 Binghamton (N.Y.) 3, Watertown 2 (Binghamton leads series 1-0)

April 19

 Watertown at Binghamton, 7 p.m.

 Port Huron at Danbury, 7:05 p.m.

 Columbus at Athens, 7:05 p.m.

 Wytheville at Winston-Salem, 7:30 p.m.

April 20

 Port Huron at Danbury, 5 p.m., if necessary

 Wytheville at Winston-Salem, 6:05 p.m., if necessary

 Watertown at Binghamton, 7 p.m., if necessary

Robert Anderson worked for 44 years in Virginia as a sports writer, most recently as the high school...