PELHAM, AL. – The Rail Yard Dawgs (3-3-1) stifled the high-flying offense of the Birmingham Bulls (4-2-1) on Friday night, pulling out a 2-1 victory at the Pelham Civic Complex. Güstav Muller and Owen McDade scored goals for Roanoke, while Austyn Roudebush stopped 27-of-28 shots faced in net for the Dawgs.
Roanoke dominated the early action, outshooting the Bulls 20-5 in the first period. The Dawgs got two early power play chances, including a 5-on-3 power play for a full two minutes, but Birmingham goaltender Austin Lotz kept the Bulls alive in the early action with a handful of showstopping saves. Despite having a firm handle on the game in the first 20 minutes, the Dawgs were still deadlocked at 0-0 with the Bulls at the first intermission.
The Dawgs kept up the onslaught in the second period, and it finally paid off. After some great work in behind the Birmingham net by Nick Ford and Tim Kent, Kent found Müller at the left-wing circle and the rookie from Sweden sniped the puck bar-down to give the visitors the lead at 7:18. Just 10 seconds later off of the ensuing faceoff, McDade blasted a shot from the top of the right wing circle that beat Lotz to make it 2-0 in quick succession. That two-goal advantage would hold into the final frame for Roanoke.
The third period saw the Bulls try to mount a comeback, but the Dawgs were just too gritty and physical all night long. Birmingham’s lone power play chance late in the game would give the Bulls some life, as MacGregor Sinclair easily turned in a centering feed by Drake Glover in the low slot to cut the deficit in half at 11:59. The Bulls would empty their net, but Roanoke hunkered down and saw out the victory in Alabama. It was the seventh time in the last eight meetings between the two teams (including playoffs) that was decided by just a single goal.
Lotz turned away 34-of-36 shots in the crease for the Bulls. Birmingham went 1-for-1 on the power play, while Roanoke went 0-for-3 on its chances.
The Rail Yard Dawgs will hit the road on Friday, November 15 against the Quad City Storm 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: David Ingraham