ROANOKE, Va. – The Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs started the game aggressive and never really let up Saturday night in a 4-3 home win over Knoxville.
The first period was fast-paced, but the Dawgs got off to another strong start. Martin was able to snap home a rebound goal in the low slot after McDade had been denied on a wraparound, and the first goal of Martin’s career as a Dawg made it 1-0 at 5:17. At 13:17, Müller would tip in a shot from the center-point by McDade to make it a two-goal lead. The Ice Bears would answer in the final half of a minute in the first frame, as Jimmy Soper blasted home a one-time shot on a cross-crease pass to make it 2-1 at 19:30. Despite being outshot 12-7, the Dawgs led 2-1 at the first intermission.
The Dawgs continued to have success in the second period, starting on the penalty kill. A breakaway chance for Mac Jansen led to a second opportunity for Roanoke, and Ford banked a pass to himself off of the Knoxville net and wrapped the puck back out to the low slot before firing home a shorthanded goal at 4:25. The Dawgs would notch another tally thanks to McDade’s third primary assist, as he found Kelly in the slot and Kelly’s low shot found the five-hole of Knoxville’s Stephen Mundinger to make it 4-1 for the Dawgs at 10:40. Roanoke led 4-1 at the second break, despite being outshot 25-17…