For Immediate Release:
November 26, 2016
DAWGS BESTED BY FIREANTZ, 4-1
Roanoke loses its fourth straight
FAYETTEVILLE, NC – The Fayetteville FireAntz scored twice in the third period to pull away as they defeated the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs, 4-1, Saturday night at the Crown Coliseum. Roanoke dropped both games during its weekend road trip and has now lost four in a row.
Both teams had their chances in the first but it was Fayetteville who converted in the latter stages of the period. With just over a minute remaining in the opening frame, Chris Porter was sprung free on a breakaway. He carried the puck deep, deked de Melo and slid the puck through the five hole to make it 1-0 FireAntz.
Fayetteville carried momentum out of the first intermission and extended its lead just under two minutes into the second period. Porter found a loose puck in the slot and spun and fired past de Melo to extend the lead to 2-0.
The Rail Yard Dawgs broke through with just over five minutes to play in the second. Dymtro Babenko put a shot on net that Michael Turner picked up off the rebound. Turner was hit hard as he backhanded the puck through Andrew Hare’s five hole to cut the deficit to 2-1.
That was as close as Roanoke would get however as the FireAntz extended their lead just 36 seconds into the third. Graeme Strukoff let a shot fly from the point that found its way through traffic and squeaked through de Melo, extending the Fayetteville lead to 3-1. Strukoff later beat de Melo again off of a Justin Hussar pass to give the FireAntz a three-goal advantage.
Hare stopped 26 of the 27 shots he faced to pick up the win. Strukoff and Porter each scored twice and Tayler Thompson chipped in two assists for the FireAntz. de Melo managed 33 saves on 37 shots in the loss and Turner’s goal was his fourth of the season.
Roanoke dropped to 4-6-2 in the losing effort and Fayetteville improved to 5-7-0. The Rail Yard Dawgs will return home for the upcoming weekend to host the Huntsville Havoc on December 2 and 3. Friday’s puck drop is scheduled for 7:05 PM at the Berglund Center.
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