Voorhees, NJ - February 2, 2008

It has been nearly two years since the Growl skated at Sportsplex, the rink they used to call home. Saturday they played their first ever road games in Feasterville, against the rink's new inhabitant the Fury. The Growl entered the match up riding a five game winning streak, while the Fury have managed only two wins out of their first eight games played this year.

Things started well for the Fury as they would score the first goal of the game just two minutes in. Carmello Stracuzzi scored a snap shot goal with assists from Gary and David Kull. The Growl were unshaken however as they continued to skate and play with the swagger of an elite team in the league. Ray Katinsky got the Growl on the board with a good snap shot of his own, assist credited to Matt McKeon. For Katinsky, better known for his shut down defense, it was his 50th point as a member of the Growl. With just under two minutes to go in the half, Growl captain Sean Sullivan scored on an amazing individual effort to give his squad a 2-1 half time lead.

The second half favored the Growl even more then the first, as they claim possession of the puck and the Fury defensive zone for most of the period. As the game's final minutes approached the Growl was once again able to break into the scoring column. Sean Sullivan scored his second of the game and followed it up with an amazing move at center court, followed by a great dish to Jim Redstreake for the game's final goal and a 4-1 victory.

Joe D'Aloisio stopped 14 of 15 shots in the game and earned his 9th victory of the season. On the other side of the rink, the loss was credited to Andrew Driscoll who stopped 13 of 17 shots. The games three stars were Sean Sullivan, Jim Redstreake, and Joe D'Aloisio.

Game two started quickly for the Growl. They would score the first two goals of the game and chase Andrew Driscoll from the contest. Those goals were scored by Dan Quartucio and Mike Keating. Driscoll was replaced by Neal Bhatla with 8:39 left in the first. The change in goal seemed to spark the Fury, as former Growl player Brian Fischer scored against his former team just under a minute after the change. It was Sean Sullivan that responded just before the end of the half and the Growl this time around had a two goal lead entering halftime.

The Fury would again make a game of it with a big slapshot goal by Jeff Columbo, but the Growl remained unrattled. Two more goals in the game by the Growl would be enough to seal another victory, as Mike Keating scored his second and Bill Katinsky netted a late power play goal.

Manny Rayo won his fifth consecutive game by stopping 12 of 14 shots and Neal Bhatla registered the loss while stopping 21 of 24 Growl shots. The games three stars were Dan Quartucio, Mike Keating, and Sean Sullivan.

The two teams will meet again in late April at the Flyers Skate Zone. For the Fury they have a long uphill battle to recover from a 2-8 start, while the Growl now ride the tide of a seven game winning streak. Now officially at the halfway point of the season, the Growl stand at 14-2, with a three point edge on the NJ Grizzlies for the division. The team is now off until they host the Massachusetts Bombers at home on Saturday, March 8th. In fact the Growl's next ten games are all against the Northeast Division, before they end the season with six big Atlantic Division games.