ROANOKE, VA. – The Rail Yard Dawgs defense and goaltending was strong for yet another game, but an overtime goal on the power play by Knoxville’s Kyler Matthews gave the Ice Bears the extra point on Wednesday night. Billy Vizzo scored the lone goal for the Dawgs.
The first period saw end-to-end action from both teams, with maybe a slight advantage in play to Knoxville. The Ice Bears outshot Roanoke 11-8 in the first 20 minutes, but neither team scored or committed a penalty. Both teams entered the first intermission scoreless.
Both teams had a power play chance in the second period, with a double roughing minor by Roanoke’s Sean Leonard overhauling a single roughing penalty to Knoxville’s Sacha Roy at 1:37. The Dawgs killed that penalty, then had a power play of their own after goaltender Jimmy Poreda tripped Roanoke’s Dillon Radin at 16:57. The Dawgs had chances that came up empty on the power play, but seized momentum in the closing moments of the frame. Nick Ford kicked a puck out of his own zone to neutral ice, creating a two-on-one for him and Vizzo. Ford’s centering pass was smashed home by Vizzo with seven seconds left in the period, giving the Dawgs the 1-0 cushion after 40 minutes of play.
The third period featured a quick answer by Knoxville captain Justin MacDonald, who tied the score at 1-1 at the 1:56 mark. A MacDonald interference and an interference for Radin gave each team a power play chance each to win the game in regulation, but the game was all knotted up at 1-all after 60 minutes. CJ Stubbs committed a quick hooking penalty right off the center ice faceoff, and Roanoke went back on the penalty kill. Matthews blasted a center point shot into the Roanoke net after some penalty killing heroics earlier in the shift, and Knoxville took the victory 2-1.
Austyn Roudebush stopped 29-of-31 shots faced for Roanoke, while Jimmy Poreda recorded 34 saves on 35 shots faced for Knoxville. Roanoke was 0-for-2 on the power play, while the Ice Bears connected on one of their three power play chances.
Roanoke will stay at home on Friday, November 25 at 7:05 P.M. EST to host the Fayetteville Marksmen at Berglund Center. Friday’s game is Star Wars Night sponsored by K92, and 100 percent of net proceeds from the specialty jersey auction will be donated to the American Cancer Society in association with the Roanoke Cattle Baron’s Ball. Season tickets and single-game tickets are available by calling the Rail Yard Dawgs office, visiting the ‘Tickets’ page on our website, or by visiting the Berglund Center box office.
Photo Credit: Paula Greenway