MOLINE, IL. – The Rail Yard Dawgs (14-8-2) couldn’t hold onto their early lead on Friday night, falling in a 4-3 loss to the Quad City Storm (12-14-3) at Vibrant Arena. Tommy Munichiello had one goal and one assist, while Jacob Kelly and Nick Ford both added goals for Roanoke in the defeat.
Roanoke controlled the game for most of the first period, outshooting Quad City 14-4 in the first 20 minutes. The Dawgs had a couple of close early chances, but it was a breakaway goal that got the visitors on the board first. Kelly collected a long-range outlet pass at the Quad City blue line from Roanoke’s Munichiello, and Kelly handled the puck to his backhand and outdanced Storm goaltender Brent Moran at 7:37 to open the scoring. The Storm would answer and get on the board on just their second and third shots of the game, as a point-blank redirect by Weiland Parrish set up a rebound finish by Jacob Gagnon at 13:23. The Dawgs would reinstate their lead before the intermission when Gallagher and Ford got out on a 2-on-2 rush. Ford roofed the puck off of an inch-perfect feed by Gallagher at 16:56 to make it 2-1 for Roanoke, and that scoreline held to the end of the period.
The Dawgs would begin the second period with another quick goal, as Munichiello tipped in a blue-line shot by Stephen Alvo to make it 3-1 at the 4:06 mark. The Storm brought it back to a one-goal game less than 100 seconds later, as a center-point blast on the power play by Leif Mattson found the back of the net at 5:44. Roanoke would have a power play chance of its own and Jacob Kelly had a penalty shot attempt saved in the final 90 seconds of the period, but the Dawgs would take their 3-2 lead to the final period of regulation.
Both teams had plenty of chances to wrestle control away early in the third period, but it was Quad City that seized the momentum. Jordan Henderson fired a blue-line shot just a few seconds after Roanoke had killed off a Storm power play, and the Quad City defenseman tied the game at 3-3 at the 8:20 mark. Gagnon would register his second goal of the game in the late moments, as his bar-down slapshot gave the Storm a crucial game-winning goal at 16:36. The Dawgs had chances late in the game to tie the score, but fell 4-3. It marked the seventh game out of the last 10 meetings between Roanoke and Quad City that was decided by just one goal.
Austyn Roudebush saved 19-of-23 shots faced for the Dawgs, while Moran stopped 31-of-34 shots faced in net for the Storm. Quad City went 1-for-2 on the power play, while Roanoke went 0-for-2 on its chances.
The Rail Yard Dawgs will stay on the road on Saturday, January 11 against the Quad City Storm at the Vibrant Arena at the Mark. Puck drop is scheduled for 8:10 P.M. EST in Illinois. Single game tickets for the season are on sale now online and at Berglund Center box office.
Photo Credit: Will Journiette