ROANOKE, VA. – The Rail Yard Dawgs (13-6-1) overcame some late adversity against the Knoxville Ice Bears (13-9-2), winning 5-4 on Saturday night at Berglund Center. Aidan Girduckis scored his first regular season pro goal, Cory Doney had his first-ever pro goal, Nick Ford (1 G, 1 A) and Mac Jansen each scored, and Billy Roche continued his goal streak to three games as Roanoke secured its 12th victory over the last 15 games.
The Dawgs exploded out of the gate from the opening puck drop, registering eight of the game’s first nine shots on goal. Girduckis received a back pass from Jimmy O’Kane as he entered the Knoxville zone and blasted a one-timer to the top corner of the net for his first career pro goal in the regular season at 2:43 to open the scoring. Just 47 seconds later, a shot by Tommy Munichiello led to a rebound tuck by Doney, who registered his first career pro goal at 3:30 to make it 2-0. Roanoke dominated the first 10 minutes until a defensive zone turnover gave the Ice Bears an opening back into the game. Dawson McKinney picked off a pass and scored unassisted at 10:42 to make it 2-1. A late penalty by Roanoke gave Knoxville a power play that would carry into the second period, but the Dawgs still led by one heading to the first intermission.
An early penalty kill gave the Dawgs some momentum back, then they received their first power play chance. A beautiful centering feed by Gustav Müller was easily tapped in at the backdoor by Jansen at 6:39 to make it 3-1 for the hosts on the man advantage. At 8:07, Matt O’Dea had a chance to add on with a penalty shot, but was stopped on his backhanded attempt. A delay of game against Knoxville would negate a potential power play attempt following a Roanoke penalty, as the whistle game against the Ice Bears before the faceoff to start their 5-on-4 advantage at 10:50. The Dawgs would add one more late in the frame on an offensive zone faceoff win, as Owen McDade and Munichiello combined to knock the puck back to Roche, and the Roanoke defenseman fired the puck from the blue line for his third goal in as many games. The long-range snipe made it 4-1 in the final 30 seconds of the period, and that scoreline would hold heading to the final frame.
Roanoke appeared to kill the game off early in the third period when a tic-tac-toe passing play from O’Kane, to O’Dea, to Ford enabled Roanoke’s captain to make it a 5-1 game with 16 minutes left to play. Knoxville would find a quick answer at 5:47 on a Carson Vance bar-down shot from the center point, then followed up with a power play goal on a redirect by Jason Brancheau at 7:42 to make it a 2-goal game. In the final four minutes of action, McDade (slashing) and Ford (verbal abuse of official) each received game misconducts, and Knoxville received a 5-on-3 power play chance that included a five-minute major for the penalty against McDade. The Dawgs were on the penalty kill the rest of the way, and while the Ice Bears would make it 5-4 at 17:21 on a Mitch Atkins rebound, Roanoke prevailed against the late charge by Knoxville for its ninth consecutive win on home ice.
Tyler Roy saved 27-of-31 shots faced for Roanoke, while Stephen Mundinger stopped 26-of-22 shots faced for the Ice Bears before Talor Joseph stopped 8-of-9 shots faced in relief during the third period. Knoxville went 2-for-5 on the power play, while Roanoke went 1-for-2 on its chances.
The Rail Yard Dawgs will stay home on Tuesday, December 31 against the Fayetteville Marksmen at Berglund Center. Puck drop is scheduled for 6:05 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: Weslie Rouse