For Immediate Release:
March 16, 2019
DAWGS BLANK BOLTS, CLINCH PLAYOFF SPOT
Jacob Caffrey makes 24 saves for first pro shutout in 3-0 win
EVANSVILLE, In. – Jacob Caffrey made 24 saves, Maxime Guyon had two goals and an assist and the Rail Yard Dawgs shut out the Evansville Thunderbolts, 3-0, Saturday night at the Ford Center. In the victory, Roanoke clinched its spot in the President’s Cup Playoffs.
The Rail Yard Dawgs opened the scoring in the second period. Alex Adams fed Guyon for a one-timer on the left wing circle that he blasted on net but was blocked by Braeden Ostepchuk. Steve Mele gathered the rebound, quickly pulled it to his backhand and slid a shot under Ostepchuk’s left pad to make it 1-0.
Roanoke added to that lead in the final minutes of the period. A bouncing puck made its way toward a streaking Guyon in the slot and he swatted it up and over the shoulder of Ostepchuk, extending the Dawgs’ lead to 2-0. The Rail Yard Dawgs outshot the Thunderbolts, 19-4, in the second period and took the 2-0 advantage into the second intermission.
Guyon struck again in the third. He gathered the puck in the slot, spun and fired a wrist shot top shelf and past Ostepchuk, pushing the score to 3-0.
Evansville ramped up pressure in the final period and outshot the Dawgs, 10-4, in the third but could not crack Caffrey. He made 24 saves in the game for his first professional shutout and the third in franchise history.
The Rail Yard Dawgs improved to 24-22-4 and mathematically eliminated the ninth-place Quad City Storm from catching their point total this season, cementing Roanoke’s spot in the postseason. The Thunderbolts fell to 11-34-5 in the loss.
Roanoke will return home on Friday night to host the Knoxville Ice Bears at Berglund Center. It’s NASCAR night and the puck is scheduled to drop at 7:05 PM. The pregame show on the Haley Toyota Rail Yard Dawgs Hockey Network begins at 6:50 PM.
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