ROANOKE, Va. – The Dawgs President’s Cup series victory is the stuff of legend, with back to back overtime wins after giving up tieing goals late in regulation.
The Dawgs outlasted Birmingham 2-1 in overtime to win the cup after giving up the tieing goal, with just 10 seconds left.
But rather than be deflated, they rallied, with Captain Mac Jansen netting the game-winner.
It’s the city’s first hockey title since the Rebels in 1974. And the history is not lost on the principal owners, the McGinn family.
“You know, Roanoke and the whole valley has been so welcoming to them again family and hockey coming back here to the valley,” Bob McGinn said. It means the world to me to give a championship to Roanoke after 49 years here at the Berglund Center and it’s a loss for words, to be honest with you right now.”
“To see how excited they are when we got excited, I mean that means everything,” Forward Matt O’Dea said. “When your owners care that much that they’re getting emotional, there sprinting on the ice to hug all the players, it means the world to us.”
The McGinns bought the club in 2015 and the Dawgs’ first season was the 2016-2017 campaign.
Goalie Austin Roudebush was named Finals MVP — he stopped 18 shots Tuesday night.