Athens Win In Shootout vs Dragons

Gallant’s Late-Game Heroics Set Up Shootout Win

COLUMBUS, Ga. - The Rock Lobsters won in the shootout 6-5 in their first game against in-ok state rivals Columbus River Dragons, taking two points out of the Columbus Civic Center on Saturday night. 

It was a sloppy start to the matchup for the Rock Lobsters who found themselves two goals down after some self-inflicted discipline issues. 

The deadly combination of Kayson Gallant and Filip Virgili re-emerged in Columbus, as the pair scored three-straight goals between them in a matter of four minutes to give the visitors a 3-2 lead. 

The River Dragons’ Ryan Galvin galvanized the building halfway through the second period with a goal to level the scoreline at 3 apiece. 

Garrett Milan scored his ninth of the season on a slapshot just seconds after the power play ended to take a 4-3 lead for the Rock Lobsters at the 4:40 mark of the third period.

Back-to-back goals from Justin MacDonald and Cody Wickline had the Columbus faithful thinking they secured three points after the River Dragons took a 5-4 lead with 2:50 left in regulation.

Gallant used chaos to his advantage as he stuffed a loose puck past William Lavalliere to tie the game up at 5 with just five seconds left in the third period.

A fruitless overtime led to a shootout, where Carter Shinkaruk scored the lone goal and Jack Bostedt saved all four shots to secure two points on the night.

The Rock Lobsters (9-1-0, 22 pts) return to play after a bye week with a game on Friday, Nov. 29 against the Carolina Thunderbirds.