FDNY Douses Reno's Home Hot Streak

By Phillip Goodman

January 6, 2025

The Ice Raiders' 12-game winning streak at The Jennifer M. O’Neal Community Ice Arena came to a halt when "The Bravest" from the Fire Dept. of New York swept the weekend series from Reno.

Nick Battaglia of Ladder Co. 169 stopped all 30 Reno shots while Joe Gilhooly of Engine Co. 216 poured in four goals and Billy Pascalli of Engine Co. 298 had four assists in the 5-0 Friday win. Pascalli and Gilhooly played two seasons together for SUNY-Potsdam's NCAA DIII team.

Battaglia and The Bravest stole Saturday's contest as well in a 2-1 overtime thriller. Reno peppered the former Helena Bighorn tender with 47 shots including 22 in the second period. Battaglia has only allowed one goal in three games against the Ice Raiders going back to last season.

The weekend series presented by Nevada Retina Associates paid tribute to the FDNY heroes past and present along with local Reno/Sparks first responders. The Ice Raiders donned a new version of "343 Never Forgotten" kits designed by Ice Raider Zeph Fagergren to honor the 343 men and women lost on 9/11.

Fire-engine red beanies and shirts with the Local 731 logo sold quickly on both nights. Proceeds from the warm up jersey auction and the 50/50 drawing went towards the Reno Firefighters Local 731 Benevolent Fund which benefits city firefighters.

The first period of the seventh meeting between these cross-country rivals started with matched intensity and stifling play.

Gilhooly fired a wrister through a partially screened Justis Gyori halfway through the first for the 1-0 FDNY lead.

Reno outshot FDNY in the first period 12-10 but FDNY responded with a flurry in the middle frame.

The Ice Raiders' undoing came late in the second period when FDNY scored three times in less than three minutes and on three consecutive shots on goal. Pascalli scored, James Bowerman scored, then Pascalli scored again for the 4-0 lead after two.

Pascalli's fourth of the night came three minutes into the third and Battaglia stopped 10 Reno shots in the final frame for the shutout. Reno did not convert their only Brewer's Cabinet Power Play but did kill all four Peterson Wealth Management Penalty Kills.

Saturday started looking like heavyweights ready to go the distance in a 12-round bout with neither side giving ground. Late in the first on a Brewer's Cabinet Power Play, Billy Pascalli stole a blue line pass from Reno and lifted backhander over Sand's leg pad for the shorthander and 1-0 FDNY lead.

Reno recollected their composure in the second and poured on the pressure but still could not break the seemingly magical barrier behind Battaglia. Thirteen minutes in, no. 13 Alex Gunnoe scored the Raiders' lone goal on a wrister in the slot to tie the game. Bobby Watson had drawn a tripping penalty, got back on his feet, then got the puck to Gunnoe to earn an assist.

Shots on goal were even in the third period and each team had one power play opportunity without success.

The 3-on-3 overtime started with Reno creating more chances than FDNY but missed on two shot attempts. One of those misses started a breakout for FDNY and while sliding towards the goal after being hooked by an Ice Raiders defender, John Perretta of Ladder Co. 132 managed to sweep the puck through Sand. Sand and the Raiders lobbied for interference as Perretta's stick jabbed Sand but the puck was already through Sand before the stick made contact with Sand.

One bright spot for Reno on Saturday was their disciplined play. The Ice Raiders fought off their only Peterson Wealth Management Penalty Kill, a slightly mysterious tripping penalty assessed to Morgan Ellis in the third period.

Since first battling The Bravest to open the '22-'23 season, Reno is 1-7 against FDNY with two overtime losses in Reno.

"It was a tough series for sure," said Ice Raiders' Captain Andrew Peterson. "We have no excuses for anything but thought we had a little New Years' hangover coming into this series. I don’t think FDNY had as good of a roster as they had last year so that’s kinda on us especially with the poor performance on Friday. We did what we could on Saturday but couldn’t figure out a way to get more goals."

Although Reno has lost four straight, the light at the end of this losing tunnel is the upcoming weekend in Las Vegas against the Sin City Kings. The Ice Raiders are 10-0 against the Kings and have outscored Sin City 87-21 including two shutouts. Hopefully Sin City will have a livestream of the games as they have yet to post game times or even Reno's arrival on their '24-'25 schedule page.

The next home games in Reno will be in three weekends when the Mansfield Barracudas come to town. Tickets for the series starting Fri. Jan. 24 presented by LT Automotive will go on sale Jan. 18.