By: Joey Raymond
Headline Photo Credit: Katie Raymond-LMS Network
Roanoke, VA – The Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs hosted the Quad City Storm in an exciting early-season matchup at the Berglund Center on Friday night. With the Dawgs sitting at 3-3-1 and the Storm at 4-3, both teams looked to build momentum as they navigated the season’s opening stretch. Quad City boasted an offense led by league-scoring leaders Cole Golka and Leif Mattson, who combined for 22 points coming into Friday’s game. However, the Storm faced challenges on defense due to injuries and a lack of experience, compounded by the absence of starting goaltender Brent Moran.
Roanoke entered the game riding high after a 2-1 road victory over Birmingham, where their defensive dominance shined. Goaltender Austyn Roudebush stopped 27 of 28 shots, while the Dawgs neutralized the Bulls’ potent attack. Adding to the anticipation, defenseman Brendan Pepe has returned from an ECHL stint, and fans will finally get a look at Joe Widmar, the experienced forward acquired in the offseason. Both teams bring plenty of storylines to what promised to be a hard-fought contest. Let’s break this game down and see what happened on Friday night.
First Period
The first period opened with a broken stick off the faceoff, setting the tone for what promised to be a gritty, physical matchup. Roanoke came out strong, dominating possession early as the puck spent significant time in the Quad City zone. The Dawgs’ pressure paid off five minutes in when Nick Ford buried a rebound to give Roanoke a 1-0 lead.
Just two minutes later, Quad City took the game’s first penalty, a slashing call, putting the Dawgs on their first power play of the night. The Storm successfully killed off the penalty, keeping the deficit at one, but Roanoke maintained its offensive momentum. With eight minutes left in the period, the Dawgs struck again. Joseph Widmar found space and capitalized, firing a shot past the Storm netminder to extend the lead to 2-0.
Quad City responded quickly, needing just 49 seconds to cut into the lead. Catching Roanoke’s Austyn Roudebush out of position, Cole Golka fired into the open net to bring the score to 2-1. The rest of the period settled down, with no further goals or penalties, as both teams looked to regroup heading into the intermission.
Second Period
The second period began with a shift in momentum, as Quad City came out strong, spending most of the early minutes attacking in Roanoke’s zone. However, their aggressive play backfired when Nick Pennucci was called for high-sticking, sending the Dawgs to their second power play of the night. Roanoke struggled to control the puck for much of the advantage, but with just 22 seconds remaining, Tommy Munichiello capitalized. He sent a perfect saucer past goaltender Tyson Brouwer, extending the Dawgs’ lead to 3-1 and highlighting how much Quad City missed their starter, Brent Moran.
The goal energized Roanoke, who continued to apply pressure in Quad City’s zone. Midway through the period, however, the Storm found an opening. A turnover at the blue line allowed Johnny Witzke to find space and beat Austyn Roudebush, cutting the lead to 3-2. Quad City didn’t let up, tying the game minutes later when Tommy Tsicos capitalized on another offensive push, bringing the score to 3-3.
Roanoke wasted little time responding. Barely a minute after the equalizer, the Dawgs broke loose on a breakaway, and Gustav Muller finished the play with precision, restoring Roanoke’s lead at 4-3. Tensions flared with under seven minutes left as both teams got physical, culminating in a brief scrap. Quad City’s Tommy Tsicos landed a punch before the referees stepped in, resulting in matching two-minute roughing penalties and a stint of 4-on-4 hockey. Neither team scored during the penalties, and play resumed at full strength.
With under two minutes left in the period, Roanoke turned up the heat. Mac Jansen unleashed a blistering shot into the back of the net, stretching the Dawgs’ lead to 5-3. Just 16 seconds later, Nick Ford added another goal, firing a laser past Brouwer to make it 6-3. The late offensive burst sent the Dawgs into the second intermission with a commanding lead.
Third Period
Quad City opened the final period with a change in net, bringing in Roni Salmenkangas to guard the Storm’s crease. The period started with fireworks, as less than two minutes in, Mac Jansen and Nick Pennucci dropped the gloves for a spirited fight. Pennucci emerged victorious, but the Berglund Center crowd erupted with energy, fueling the intensity on the ice.
Following the fight, the game settled into a quieter stretch until the midway point when Joe Widmar was called for elbowing, sending the Dawgs to the penalty kill. Roanoke’s defense held firm, successfully neutralizing the Storm’s power play. Almost immediately after the penalty expired, the Dawgs pushed back offensively, but their aggression led to a scrum behind Quad City’s net. Gustav Muller was called for tripping, giving the Storm another power play opportunity. Once again, Roanoke’s penalty kill unit stood tall, snuffing out the threat with ease.
With under two minutes remaining, Quad City’s Jake Maynard was called for tripping, giving the Dawgs a late power play. Roanoke came close to extending their lead, clanging a shot off the crossbar, but despite their relentless pressure, they couldn’t capitalize before the final buzzer. Nevertheless, the Dawgs skated off with a commanding 6-3 victory, sending the Berglund Center crowd home happy.
Final Thoughts
The Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs gave the Berglund Center crowd plenty to cheer about in their 6-3 win over the Quad City Storm. It was a full-team effort, with key plays on both sides of the puck. Nick Ford got the scoring started early, setting the tone for what turned into a dominant performance by Roanoke’s offense. Veterans like Mac Jansen brought the energy, delivering big moments when it mattered most, while newcomers like Joe Widmar made an immediate impact, showing why the Dawgs brought him in during the offseason.
The Dawgs didn’t just bring offense, though. Their penalty kill was rock solid, shutting down the Storm’s chances and keeping the pressure off goaltender Austyn Roudebush, who came up big when needed. Even when Quad City pushed back and tied the game in the second period, Roanoke didn’t panic. Instead, they responded with a flurry of goals late in the period to regain control and never looked back.
The physicality was just as intense as the scoring, with multiple scrums and a spirited fight in the third period adding to the game’s excitement. Through it all, Roanoke stayed composed, showing grit and determination to close out the win. This performance not only gave fans a thrilling night but also showed the kind of team the Dawgs can be—one that plays fast, physical hockey and capitalizes on big moments.
