ROANOKE, VA. – The Rail Yard Dawgs (12-6-1) outlasted the Huntsville Havoc (16-4-3) in a thrilling game on Friday night, prevailing 4-3 in an overtime win at Berglund Center. Mac Jansen (1 G, 2 A) had the overtime game-winner, Nick Ford scored twice, Tommy Munichiello had one goal, and Stephen Alvo had two assists as Roanoke won its eighth consecutive home game.
It was a physical first period between both sides, with 32 combined penalty minutes in the opening frame. Both teams failed to capitalize on their first power play chances, but Huntsville would strike first. Benito Posa centered the puck perfectly to the backdoor for Dylan Stewart, and Stewart’s one-timer made it 1-0 at 14:40. A massive scrum would occur at 17:05 after a high-stick from Huntsville wasn’t whistled, and both teams had guys head to the box. Ford received 12 minutes worth of penalties for Roanoke, while Connor Fries had 12 minutes and Terry Ryder had four minutes for Huntsville. The Dawgs received a double-minor power play, and tied the game on a long-range blast by Munichiello from the high slot at 17:40. The game would remain tied at 1-1 at the first intermission.
The fireworks continued into the second period, when a five-minute major and a game misconduct was assessed to Huntsville’s Craig McCabe after he speared Matt O’Dea at 6:27. The Dawgs got a five-minute power play, and with 71 seconds left, it became a 5-on-3 power play when Ryder went back to the box. Ford ripped the puck from above the left-wing circle at 10:56 to give Roanoke its first lead of the game. It took the Havoc less than a minute to respond, as Austin Alger’s beautiful backhanded finish at 11:50 tied the game back at 2-2 from the slot. Huntsville would add another goal right off of a faceoff win in the Roanoke zone, as Cole Reginato slotted the puck at 18:41 to give the visitors the lead back at 3-2. That scoreline held heading to the third period, with Roanoke starting the final 20 minutes on the penalty kill.
Roanoke killed off the penalty to start the third period, and immediately started pressing the Huntsville zone in search of an equalizer. It would come from Ford after he received a long outlet pass from Gustav Müller, made a power move down the left-wing side to the Huntsville crease, and slid the puck into the net as he was falling down to tie the game with 13 minutes left to play. The Dawgs would outshoot the Havoc 13-9 in the final frame and the penalties finally slowed down for both teams, but the back-and-forth affair would need overtime. Both teams had good chances, with the Dawgs owning a 5-2 shot advantage, but a 2-on-1 with O’Dea and Jansen led to Jansen dangling around Huntsville goaltender Brian Wilson with just 26.7 seconds left to give the Dawgs the 4-3 win. Roanoke has now won 11 of its last 14 games after tonight’s victory.
Austyn Roudebush saved 27-of-30 shots faced for Roanoke, while Wilson stopped 31-of-35 shots faced for the Havoc. Huntsville went 0-for-3 on the power play, while Roanoke went 2-for-5 on its chances.
The Rail Yard Dawgs will stay home on Saturday, December 28 against the Knoxville Ice Bears at Berglund Center. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:05 P.M. EST in the Star City. Single game tickets for the season are on sale now online and at Berglund Center box office.
Photo Credit: Stephen Blue