Columbus, GA – The Columbus River Dragons split the weekend series with the Monroe Moccasins, winning in overtime on Saturday night, 4-3.

Photo credit – Toni Rae Hill

Trevor Babin started for the River Dragons against Tyler Masternak in the crease for the Moccasins.

The opening frame saw Columbus firing on all cylinders, putting twenty one shots on goal, compared to only six shots taken by Monroe.

Although Monroe struck first with a goal by Michael Hagan Moe at 14:32, Columbus’ Tyler Barrow found the back of the net twice.

Barrow’s first goal was scored on the power play at 15:02, following a Tripping call against Frank Schumacher seven seconds earlier.

Barrow’s second goal was scored during an even-strength 5-on-5 scenario, capitalizing on an assist by Cody Wickline at 18:04.

The first frame expired with the River Dragons ahead of the Moccasins, 2-1.

The River Dragons scored once in the second period, but slipped, allowing the Moccasins to tie the game.

112 seconds into the second act, Cody Wickline put one in the bucket for the River Dragons, extending their lead to 3-1 over the Moccasins.

At 6:15, Scott Docherty was baited into committing a Cross Check at the faceoff after an Offsides call, paving the way for Monroe’s Michael Hagan Moe to score the PPG seven seconds later.

At 10:48, Carlos Fornaris squeezed one through the crease to tie it up, 3-3.

The final twenty minutes of regulation went scoreless after nine shots fired by the River Dragons, and seven by the Moccasins, sending the contest to a 3-on-3 sudden death overtime period.

Following a sloppy line change by the River Dragons, a clutch save by Babin, and a turnover, Kyle Moore scored the game-winning tip-in goal at 1:21.

The game ended in favor of the River Dragons, claiming victory over the Continental Division leaders, the Monroe Moccasins, 4-3.

The night’s Three Stars of the Game included Tyler Barrow, Michael Hagan Moe, and Cody Wickline.

Tyler Barrow scored twice for the River Dragons on eight shots and assisted twice, producing four points.

Moccasins’ Michael Hagan Moe scored two goals on three shots, producing two points.

Cody Wickline produced three points for Columbus, scoring once and assisting twice.

Moccasins’ goaltender Tyler Masternak played well, but was unable to complete the sweep for his team this weekend. Nonetheless, Masternak produced a 91.3 SV% during the night’s contest.

The Columbus River Dragons prepare to head to the Florence Civic Center in South Carolina on Friday night to battle the Pee Dee Ice Cats.

Puck drop is scheduled to take place at 7:15 pm.

Photo credit – Toni Rae Hill

Photo credit – Toni Rae Hill

Photo credit – Toni Rae Hill

Photo credit – Toni Rae Hill

Photo credit – Toni Rae Hill

Photo credit – Toni Rae Hill

Photo credit – Toni Rae Hill

Photo credit – Toni Rae Hill

Photo credit – Toni Rae Hill

Photo credit – Toni Rae Hill

Photo credit – Toni Rae Hill

Photo credit – Toni Rae Hill

Columbus, GA – The Columbus River Dragons were defeated in regulation by the Monroe Moccasins at home Friday night, 8-4.

Photo credit: Toni Rae Hill

Tyler Masternak manned the cage for Monroe, looking to end the River Dragons’ current win streak at the Columbus Civic Center.

Tyler Roy, in the net for Columbus, faced 13 shots in the opening twenty minutes.

The Monroe Moccasins scored two short-handed goals on a single power play, following a High Sticking call against Corson Green at 3:03.

At 4:17, Casey Gerstein scored the first short-handed goal, followed by another short-handed goal by Carlos Fornaris at 4:56.

At 10:37, Jared Christy tacked on another for Monroe, scoring an even-strength goal.

At 13:02, Yianni Liarakos poured salt on the River Dragons’ wounds, scoring a third PPG and closing the frame in favor of Monroe, 4-0.

In the second frame, the River Dragons rallied to come back, managing to score three power play goals.

Kyle Moore took advantage of a Tripping call against Monroe’s  Frank Schumacher, putting Columbus on the board at 2:57.

Ryan Hunter buried the next two PPG’s for Columbus, first at 8:44 and again at 13:45, closing the gap to a one-point deficit behind the Moccasins.

At 17:34, Jared Christy scored his second goal of the night, reclaiming a two point lead for Monroe.

The second period ended with the Moccasins ahead, 5-3.

The remaining twenty minutes started with Monroe’s Michael Hagan Moe widening the gap over Columbus to a 3-point advantage with a goal at 2:02.

Ryan Hunter answered for the River Dragons at 2:51, achieving the Hat Trick for Columbus.

His achievement was in vain though, as it was the last time Columbus would score.

The Moccasins’ Yianni Liarakos buried another, and Carlos Fornaris hit the empty net goal, finishing the River Dragons off in regulation, 8-4.

Tyler Roy produced an 84.38 SV% for the River Dragons, blocking 27 of 32 shots fired by Monroe.

The River Dragons will face the Moccasins at home again on Saturday night.

Puck drop is scheduled to take place at 7:05 pm.

Photo credit: Toni Rae Hill

Photo credit: Toni Rae Hill

Photo credit: Toni Rae Hill

Photo credit: Toni Rae Hill

Photo credit: Toni Rae Hill

Photo credit: Toni Rae Hill

Photo credit: Toni Rae Hill

Photo credit: Toni Rae Hill

Photo credit: Toni Rae Hill

Columbus, GA – The Columbus River Dragons defeated the Biloxi Breakers in regulation at home on Friday night, 4-0.

Photo Credit – Kait Bauer

Tyler Roy manned the cage for the River Dragons, squaring off against Anton Borodkin in the crease for the Breakers.

To open things up, Kyle Moore put one in the bucket just 34 seconds after the opening puck drop with assists by Josh Colten and Mike Winn, giving the River Dragons a quick 1-0 lead.

At 16:32, Tyler Barrow tacked on a second goal for Columbus, closing the first frame with a 2-0 advantage over the Biloxi Breakers.

The second period was riddled with penalties against the River Dragons, gifting the Biloxi Breakers four separate power play opportunities.

Alex Storjohann was slapped with a two-minute minor for High Sticking at 6:32, followed by a Tripping call on Josh Colten at 13:27.

At 15:58 in the second frame, Kyle Moore buried his second goal of the night, putting the River Dragons up with a 3-point lead over Biloxi.

At 17:51, Scott Docherty was penalized for Unsportsmanlike Conduct.

Just as the River Dragons completed the penalty kill, Ryan Hunter was slapped with a two-minute High Sticking penalty at 17:53.

The second period closed with Columbus ahead, 3-0.

In the final twenty minutes of play, Joel Texmo was penalized twice, providing Biloxi a power play opportunity at 14:01 for Tripping. He was penalized again for Roughing following a two-minute minor penalty against Breakers’ forward DonHeaven Veilleux at 16:28.

At 16:44, Tyler Barrow added a fourth goal to the score for Columbus, ending the game 4-0 over the Biloxi Breakers.

Tonight’s contest was won due to several multi-point performances. Josh Colten and Cody Wickline assisted twice, while Tyler Barrow and Kyle Moore each put two in the back of the net.

Tyler Roy, after facing 31 shots, produced his first at-home shutout of the season.

Anton Borodkin produced an 89.19 SV% on the road for Biloxi, making 33 saves on a total of 37 shots.

The Columbus River Dragons head to the Mississippi Coast Coliseum in Biloxi, in hopes of rekindling a win streak against the Breakers on Saturday night.

Puck drop is scheduled to take place at 8:05 pm.

Photo Credit – Toni Rae Hill

Photo Credit – Toni Rae Hill

Photo Credit – Toni Rae Hill

Photo Credit – Toni Rae Hill

Photo Credit – Toni Rae Hill

Photo Credit – Toni Rae Hill

Photo Credit – Toni Rae Hill

Photo Credit – Toni Rae Hill

Photo Credit – Kait Bauer

Photo Credit – Kait Bauer

Photo Credit – Kait Bauer

Columbus, GA – The Pee Dee Ice Cats finished their sweep over the Columbus River Dragons, claiming their second victory of the weekend on Saturday night in overtime, 4-3.

In front of a record-high crowd of 7,870 Columbus Hockey fans, the Columbus River Dragons hosted their annual Military Appreciation Night against the Pee Dee Ice Cats.

Prior to the night’s FPHL contest, the Fort Benning Doughboys held an inter-squad game. Players consisted of active duty and veteran infantry and armor soldiers of the United States Army.

In a close contest, the Infantry defeated the Armor, 6-5.

Setting the stage for the River Dragons matchup with the Ice Cats, the MCOE Army Band played the National Anthem. They were followed by a spectacular display of gallantry and fortitude, as four Airborne and Ranger Training Battalion soldiers repelled from the rafters to deliver the Official Game Puck to Captain Kirk Underwood of the River Dragons.

With the Anthem played, the ceremonial puck drop done, and fans in their seats, Hockey Time on the Chattahoochee was on its way.

Trevor Babin started in the crease for the River Dragons, squaring off against Breandan Colgan in the cage for the Ice Cats.

The first twenty minutes was a battle.

After 13 shots made by Pee Dee and 11 shots by Columbus, Ryan Hunter tallied the opening frame’s first and only goal at 14:10, scoring on the power play following a Cross Checking penalty by Pee Dee’s Nicholas Magill-Diaz at 12:41.

The first period closed with Columbus ahead, 1-0.

During the first intermission, veterans with the Chattahoochee Valley Warriors, a hockey team built for veterans of the United States Armed Forces, whose mission is “Healing through Hockey”, played a 10-minute 4-on-4 scrimmage. Alex Herakovich scored the only goal during the scrimmage, while Jack Ridenour and Bryan DeCapite closed it out with some playful fisticuffs, before returning to the night’s regularly scheduled contest.

The second frame came loaded with action – two fights, a goal, and two minor penalties peppered in.

1:06 into the frame, Alexander Legkov tied the game.

Four seconds later, Jordan Popoff and Alexander Jmaeff squared off to settle a dispute from Friday night’s matchup. Each were slapped with a 5-minute major for Fighting.

At 10:04, Georges Laraque – known to be an enforcer in the NHL, participating in the night’s game on a one-game Celebrity contract – lured Pee Dee’s Divyne Apollon into dropping the gloves, but Scott Docherty swept in to keep Laraque out of trouble, trading blows with Apollon on Laraque’s behalf.

At 12:24, Jordon Popoff was put back in the box for two minutes for Cross Checking, before Kirk Underwood was slapped with a two-minute minor for High Sticking at 14:42.

The second frame closed with the game tied, 1-1.

The third period was an absolute rollercoaster.

At 2:06, Noah Robinson put the Ice Cats ahead, 2-1.

At 4:58, Joel Texmo answered for the River Dragons, tying the game.

At 6:35, Houston Wilson reclaimed the lead for Pee Dee.

For the majority of the period, the River Dragons remained patient, making several attempts to even the score.

Trevor Babin left his crease with two minutes remaining, offering Columbus an extra attacker.

Pee Dee pushed relentlessly, making several attempts on the empty net, but River Dragons defenders were there to protect their un-tended goal.

Then, with 29 seconds remaining in regulation, Josh Colten landed the game-tying goal, to send the contest into overtime.

3:46 into the five minute 3-on-3 overtime period, Alexander Legkov hit the game-winning goal for Pee Dee, silencing the capacity crowd with a top-shelf laser beam.

The night’s Three Stars of the Game included the Pee Dee Ice Cats’ Alexander Legkov and Houston Wilson, and the River Dragons’ Josh Colten.

Legkov produced two goals on three shots. Wilson buried one goal, and assisted once as well.

Josh Colten scored the game-tying goal, sending the contest to overtime.

Trevor Babin spent 57:58 in the crease for Columbus, producing a 90.9 SV% on a total of 33 shots.

Breandan Colgan, formerly a River Dragon, produced a 90.63 SV% for Pee Dee.

The River Dragons look to end their two-game losing streak at home against the Biloxi Breakers on Friday, February 27.

Puck drop is scheduled to take place at 7:35 pm.

Photos by Toni Rae Hill