River Dragons Take A Shootout Win Over The Dashers

Columbus, GA - The Columbus River Dragons were looking for retribution after dropping the first of their three game set with the Dashers last night. They succeeded in that feat winning in a shootout 2-1.

Danville got on the board first with a goal late in the opening period. After a great series of moves by Patrik Zilak to get out of his own zone and then made a pass to Nigel Slade. Slade continued the stick handling display and passed it off to Levi Armstrong coming off the bench on a change and walked in for a goal low on Rutledge.

1-0 after 20 minutes of play, but the River Dragons would battle back hard in the second period. At one point the river Dragons stifled the Dashers for 14 straight minutes without a shot and near the end of that stretch they would finally break through Harley White with a power play goal from Ivan Bondarenko that was one-timed on a pass from Jay Croop.

The third period, while scoreless, was tense with chances going back and forth from each team and a late tripping call against Zilak gave the River Dragons a golden opportunity to take all three points in regulation. Unfortunately for them Danville's PK did work and killed off the penalty and forced the game into overtime.

In overtime Columbus managed more possession, yet Danville managed more shots by a margin of 5-4. A coincidental pair of penalties and a few rushes either way but neither team could break the deadlock and so we went to the skills competition.

Both leadoff men scored for their teams. For Danville it was Fred Hein off the post and in past Rutledge's low blocker. And Columbus got their goal through Yianni Liarakos with a snipe over White's right shoulder. In the bottom of the third round it was MJ Graham with a five-hole shot that gave Columbus the win and the extra point on the table.

The same two teams finish up their 3-in-3 set with a date in Athens, GA at the Akins Ford Arena, home of the UGA Ice Dawgs. Tickets available at ClassicCenter.com. Puck drop from Athens is at 4:05 with a 3:35 pregame show on WRCG and the Columbus River Dragons YouTube page.

Three Stars of the Game

MJ Graham
Ivan Bondarenko
Nigel Slade (DAD)