For Immediate Release:
January 4, 2019
CREEL, DAWGS, HALT MAYHEM, 2-1
Goalie makes 34 saves in Roanoke win
MACON, Ga. – Tanner Creel made 34 saves, 16 of which came in the third period, Cody Dion scored the eventual game-winner and the Rail Yard Dawgs took out the Macon Mayhem, 2-1, Friday night at the Macon Centreplex.
The Dawgs got the scoring started in the first period. While skating four-on-four, Macon had a flurry of chances in front that Creel stopped. A rebound caromed to the slot where Nate O’Brien picked it up and went charging down the ice. He got the edge on the Mayhem defense, played the puck to his forehand and roofed a wrister past Ian Sylves to make it 1-0 Dawgs.
Roanoke added to that advantage in the second when Steve Mele fed Colin Murray behind the net. Murray carried it toward the crease, lost the handle and smacked it to the front of the net. Cody Dion lifted the puck over Sylves’ glove and the lead swelled to 2-0.
The Mayhem cracked back with a goal late in the second. Seth Ronsberg found himself alone in the right wing circle. He sniped a shot over Creel’s shoulder to put his team on the board.
Macon continued that pressure in the third period. It was granted a power play less than two minutes in and went on a four minute man advantage near the halfway point but could not get anything else past Creel. The rookie goaltender faced 16 shots in the third and stopped them all as Roanoke hung on for the 2-1 win.
O’Brien scored his second of the season, Dion notched his 11th and Creel stopped 34 of 35 shots faced. Roanoke improved to 13-12-0 in the win while Macon lost its fourth straight and fell to 17-6-3. The Rail Yard Dawgs and Mayhem will finish out their season series on Saturday night in Roanoke. The team will be giving away a Rail Yard Dawgs calendar to the first 1,000 fans through the door. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:05 PM at Berglund Center. The pregame show on the Haley Toyota Rail Yard Dawgs Hockey Network begins at 6:50 PM.
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