ROANOKE, VA. – The Rail Yard Dawgs (4-0-1) exploded for five goals in the final period to take a 5-3 win over the Pensacola Ice Flyers (2-2-0) at Berglund Center. Xavier Filion tallied two goals (including the game-winner), Nick Ford had a goal and two assists, and Owen McDade and CJ Stubbs added goals for the Dawgs.
Roanoke conceded an early power play chance that Pensacola jumped all over, as Dallas Comeau made it 1-0 at the 4:32 mark. The Dawgs outshot the Ice Flyers 11-5 in the first frame, but left a few ‘Grade-A’ chances wide of the cage. Pensacola led 1-0 entering the intermission.
The Dawgs kept pressuring the Pensacola zone in the second period, snapping 19 shots on goal. Yet, it was the Ice Flyers that grabbed the next goal, when Zac Hermann scored in transition to make it a 2-0 game. Roanoke would enter the third period trailing by a pair, as Pensacola goalie Kaden Fulcher had already stopped 30 shots.
The constant pressure all game finally saw Roanoke score after an early penalty kill in the third period. Filion tapped home a feed from McDade at 4:05 to make it 2-1. The Ice Flyers answered at 7:20 from a Dawgs miscue behind their own net, and Lucas Hermann made it 3-1 for the visitors. McDade snagged the next goal at 11:41 to cut the deficit to one, then a beautiful power play bullet off of the shot of Stubbs tied the game just 51 seconds later at 3-all. Filion was once again driving the net and finished off a feed from the left wing corner by Ford to give Roanoke its first lead at 15:46. The Dawgs went on the penalty kill after McDade was called for tripping, but Ford notched the shorthanded goal for the Dawgs at 16:46 that would put the game on ice. In all, Roanoke tallied 50 shots on goal, and the five goals scored in just the third period was the best single period offensive showing since the Dawgs scored six goals in one period during a 10-1 win over Macon back on January 27, 2022.
Austyn Roudebush saved 17-of-20 shots faced for Roanoke, while Pensacola’s Fulcher stopped 45-of-50 shots. Both teams were 1-for-4 on the power play.
The Rail Yard Dawgs will stay home tomorrow night, November 4, to take on the Pensacola Ice Flyers. Puck drop is slated for 7:05 P.M. EST at Berglund Center, and you can watch the game on Flo or listen for free on Mixlr. Season tickets, group tickets, and single game tickets are on sale now by contacting the Rail Yard Dawgs office or visiting the Berglund Center box office.
Photo Credit: Ryan Hunt