Rail Yard Dawgs Defeats Birmingham 2-1 (1-18-25)

By: Joey Raymond

Headline Photo Credit: Katie Raymond-LMS Network

Roanoke, VA –After a hard-fought 3-2 overtime loss to the Birmingham Bulls last night, the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs are set to host their Southern Professional Hockey League rivals again tonight. Friday’s game was a showcase of elite goaltending, with Birmingham’s Hayden Stewart stopping 38 shots and Roanoke’s Tyler Roy turning aside 27. Despite leading for much of the contest, the Dawgs couldn’t hold on for the win, settling for a single standings point in the loss.

Tommy Munichiello provided the offensive spark for Roanoke, scoring both goals in key moments. His first-period one-timer gave the Dawgs an early lead, and he forced overtime with a clutch power-play goal in the final minute of regulation. As the Dawgs prepared for tonight’s rematch, they looked to build on Munichiello’s momentum and improve their defensive play to secure a win and split the weekend series against the Bulls. Let’s get into what happened in Saturday’s rubber match against the two squads.

First Period:

This heavyweight matchup between two SPHL powerhouses didn’t take long to get exciting. Roanoke struck first, just over seven minutes in, as Carson Gallagher pounced on a rebound and buried it past the Birmingham netminder to give the Dawgs a 1-0 lead. The momentum stayed with Roanoke as Birmingham’s Kyler Matthews was called for holding with about eight minutes left in the period, putting the Dawgs on their first power play. Things got worse for the Bulls when Nikita Kozyrev picked up a delay-of-game penalty a minute into the kill, giving Roanoke an extended 5-on-3 advantage.

Roanoke wasted no time capitalizing. Stephen Alvo unleashed an absolute rocket of a slap shot, lighting the lamp and extending the Dawgs’ lead to 2-0. The Dawgs would run into trouble shortly after, as captain Mac Jansen committed a clear high-sticking penalty, sending Birmingham to their first power play of the night. However, Roanoke’s penalty kill was dialed in and made quick work of the Bulls’ attack.

As the clock wound down, tempers flared. With under two minutes to go, Roanoke’s Bryce Martin took a blindside hit from Birmingham’s Ben Higgins, who was immediately called for spearing. This dangerous hit left Martin writhing in pain on the ice and earned Higgins a match penalty, resulting in an ejection and putting Roanoke on a five-minute major power play. The Dawgs couldn’t add to their lead before the period ended, but they carried a 2-0 advantage and the extended power play into the intermission.

Second Period:

Birmingham opened the second with a solid defensive showing, killing off the remainder of Roanoke’s major power play and shifting momentum in their favor. The Bulls played a much tighter game early in the period, frustrating the Dawgs with their defense and slowing the pace.

The tide officially turned with just under 14 minutes left when Jacob Kelly was called for interference, giving Birmingham another power play. This time, the Bulls took full advantage. Trevor Thurston blasted a shot under Roanoke goalie Austin Roudebush to cut the lead to 2-1 and breathe life into the Birmingham bench.

These two teams always seem to bring the drama, and tonight was no different. Seven minutes later, tensions boiled over into our first fight of the night. Birmingham’s Trevor Thurston and Roanoke’s Bryce Martin squared off, earning roughing penalties for their efforts. It wasn’t much more than a brief scrap, but it set the tone as both players headed to the box for two minutes of 4-on-4 hockey.

After both sides returned to full strength, Roanoke found themselves shorthanded again when Gustav Muller was sent off for slashing. But once again, the Dawgs’ penalty kill stepped up, shutting down the Bulls’ attack with ease. The period wrapped up with no additional scoring, leaving us with a tight 2-1 game heading into the final frame.

Third Period:

The third period started with plenty of turnovers on both sides, as neither team could seem to establish much control early on. It wasn’t the most action-packed start, but you could feel the tension building with each passing minute.

The first real fireworks of the period came at the 12:28 mark. Roanoke was pressing hard on the attack when a Birmingham player threw a Dawg to the ice, sparking a full-blown skirmish between the two squads. Once the dust settled, both teams sent two players each to the box—Billy Roche and Brenden Stanko for Roanoke, and Trevor Thurston and Troy McTravish for Birmingham. The penalties offset, so we stayed at 5-on-5 hockey, but the intensity on the ice was starting to boil over.

As the clock ticked closer to the final minutes, you could sense Birmingham’s desperation growing. With around five minutes left, fans were starting to wonder when the Bulls might pull their goalie to try and even things up. Disaster struck for Roanoke with just four minutes remaining, as John Macdonald was called for a clear tripping penalty. This gave Birmingham a golden opportunity on the power play to tie things up.

The Dawgs’ penalty kill unit was up to the task, shutting down the Bulls’ attack and preserving the slim lead. Mere seconds after the penalty expired, Birmingham made their final gamble, pulling their goalie for the extra attacker. Unfortunately for the Bulls, a costly slashing penalty on Drake Glover ended that strategy in its tracks. The penalty put the Dawgs on the power play for the remainder of regulation, giving them the upper hand to close things out.

Roanoke held off Birmingham’s final push and sealed the 2-1 victory in what was a hard-fought battle from start to finish. But the drama didn’t end there. As the final horn sounded, Birmingham took issue with something Roanoke had done and made their way to center ice, ready to throw down. Players on both sides were pushing and shoving, and it looked like a full-on brawl might erupt, but the referees and coaches stepped in just in time to separate the teams.

It was a dramatic end to a tense, physical game, with the Dawgs coming out on top. Roanoke showed grit and composure when it mattered most, and they earned every bit of this win.

Final Thoughts

What a game from start to finish. Roanoke came out firing in the first period, setting the tone with a gritty rebound goal from Carson Gallagher and a blistering power-play slap shot from Stephen Alvo to take a 2-0 lead. Birmingham didn’t back down, showing their resilience in the second period with a power-play goal from Trevor Thurston to close the gap to 2-1. The third period was a defensive slugfest, with both teams battling for every inch of ice. Roanoke’s penalty kill came up clutch late in the game, surviving a critical tripping penalty with just four minutes left. Birmingham pulled their goalie for the extra attacker, but a costly slashing penalty sealed their fate, as the Dawgs held on for the hard-fought 2-1 victory. Even after the final horn, the intensity didn’t let up, with tempers flaring and players meeting at center ice for some post-game pushing and shoving. It was a dramatic end to a game filled with momentum swings, physicality, and stellar defense. This was a statement victory for the Dawgs and a reminder of the passion and grit this team brings to the ice every night.