Columbus Ends up on the Short End of Road Thriller
Published on December 31, 2025 under Federal Prospects Hockey League (FPHL)
Columbus River Dragons News Release
ATHENS, GA. - The Columbus River Dragons fell to the Athens Rock Lobsters on Wednesday night, losing 6-5 in a shootout.
Trevor Babin tended the net for the River Dragons, while William Lavalliere, formerly a member of Columbus, got the start for the road team.
Kyle Moore scored on the first shot of the game for the River Dragons, but the goal was waved off due to an offside call.
At 5:17 of the opening period, Columbus capitalized on the power play as Kevin Szabad beat Lavalliere from between the circles to give the River Dragons the lead.
At 14:35, also on the power play, Ryan Hunter scored his first of two goals on the night, putting the road team ahead by two.
In the second period, the Rock Lobsters struck twice in a span of 4:32, with goals from Gleb Bandurkin and Devyn Mayea.
Two goals in less than a minute restored the River Dragons' two-goal advantage, as Hunter netted his second power-play goal of the night, followed shortly by a goal from Tyler Barrow.
The Rock Lobsters responded with three goals in nearly seven minutes, completely turning the game around and taking a 5-4 lead.
At 7:25, Chiwetin Blacksmith tied the game for Columbus, swinging momentum back to the River Dragons.
After a scoreless overtime, Athens won in the shootout following a goal from Filip Virgilli.
Babin finished the night with 38 saves on 43 shots through regulation and overtime, while Lavalliere stopped 41 of 46 shots, including all River Dragons attempts in the shootout.
Columbus will be back in action on Friday and Saturday night, taking on Monroe for the first time this year. Coverage of both games begin at 7:35 p.m. on YouTube!
The River Dragons return home on Friday, January 9, for a back-to-back set with the Blue Ridge Bobcats.
Federal Prospects Hockey League Stories from December 31, 2025
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- Columbus Ends up on the Short End of Road Thriller - Columbus River Dragons
- Crustaceans Stay Perfect at the Tank on New Year's Eve - Athens Rock Lobsters
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