Dragons Outlast Monarchs in Back-and-Forth Divisional Opener

COLUMBUS, GA - The Columbus River Dragons opened divisional play with an opportunity to secure valuable early-season points in their first meeting of the year with the Mid-South Monarchs. After building a commanding 4-0 lead, the Dragons weathered a furious Monarchs comeback before ultimately prevailing in a shootout by a final score of 5-4, earning their first road victory of the 2026-27 campaign.

Columbus wasted little time establishing its presence in the opening period. Just 1:52 into the contest, Ron Jay Peeaychew collected the puck along the half wall and found Yaro Yevdokimov in the slot, where the forward finished to give the Dragons an early 1-0 advantage. Both teams traded opportunities throughout much of the frame, with Trevor Babin standing tall in his return between the pipes. Columbus struck again at 15:17 when Kyle Moore worked his way down the slot off a setup from Jack Cullen, firing a shot past Thomas Nappier on the blocker side to double the lead. The Dragons carried a 2-0 advantage into the first intermission while holding a 17-11 edge in shots.

The second period brought a dramatic shift in momentum, beginning with a pair of quick Columbus strikes. Just 1:58 into the frame, Moore found the back of the net for the second time on the night, slipping a shot through the five-hole to make it 3-0. Nineteen seconds later, Alex Storjohann capitalized on an opportunity to push the Dragons' lead to four.

From there, the physicality of divisional play took center stage, with several penalties and altercations interrupting the flow of the game. Mid-South eventually found its footing, using the home crowd's energy to fuel a four-goal response over the next 11:20. Frank Trazzera scored twice, at 5:32 and 11:11, to cut the deficit in half before the Monarchs added a pair of power-play goals from Mike McBride at 13:29 and Darion Benchich at 16:52. What had been a four-goal Columbus advantage was suddenly erased, sending both teams into the second intermission deadlocked at four. Mid-South held a narrow 29-28 advantage in shots through 40 minutes.

The third period featured a more controlled effort from Columbus, as the Dragons generated sustained offensive pressure and earned several power-play opportunities. Despite their opportunities, Nappier continued to deliver for the Monarchs, turning aside multiple quality chances to keep the game even. Mid-South, meanwhile, struggled to generate offense, going more than 11 minutes without registering a shot on goal. Neither side could find the decisive mark before the final horn, sending the contest into overtime with an additional point in the divisional standings up for grabs.

Columbus carried its momentum into the extra frame, drawing a power play and controlling much of the action. The Dragons outshot the Monarchs 9-1 in overtime, but Nappier once again kept his team alive, forcing the game to a shootout.

In the shootout, Yaroslav Yevdokimov and Alex Storjohann each converted with shots to the glove side of Nappier. Babin answered with two crucial stops at the other end, sealing the victory and securing two valuable points for Columbus in its first divisional matchup of the season.

The Dragons will look to carry that momentum into tomorrow night's rematch, as the two teams meet again at 8:00 p.m. inside the Landers Center.