For Immediate Release:
December 17, 2016
DAWGS BURY FIREANTZ, 4-2
Roanoke snaps eight-game winless streak
ROANOKE, VA – The Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs jumped out to a 3-0 lead and held on the defeat the Fayetteville FireAntz, 4-2, Saturday night at the Berglund Center. Roanoke’s win snapped an eight-game winless streak.
The Dawgs started fast as Mike Driscoll buried the first goal just 2:58 into the opening period. He took a pass in the slot and rammed it past Sean Bonar to make it 1-0.
Driscoll’s goal halted the game as the fans hurled stuffed animals onto the ice as part of the team’s first annual Teddy Bear Toss game. The bears were then gathered up and will be donated to local children’s hospitals.
Roanoke added to its advantage just over five minutes later as Peter Gintoli led a two-on-one rush with Tyler Gjurich. Gintoli saucered a pass to Gjurich who banged it into the net, extending the lead to 2-0.
The Rail Yard Dawgs lead swelled once more in the opening minutes of the second when Mike Moroso slung a shot toward the net. Massimo Lamacchia stuck his stick out and deflected it past Bonar, giving Roanoke a 3-0 advantage.
Fayetteville then bounced back as Kyle Shapiro buried a rebound on a power play late in the second. Early in the third period the FireAntz got another when Bobby Chaumont sent a pass into the slot that Chris Porter one-timed into the net, cutting the deficit to 3-2.
Ryan de Melo would take over from that point as the Rail Yard Dawgs netminder turned aside 11 of the 12 shots he faced in the third period. The Dawgs killed off two power plays and held onto the one-goal lead until Jackson Brewer buried an empty-net goal with 31 seconds remaining, putting Roanoke ahead, 4-2, and cementing the victory.
Moroso tallied two assists, Brewer finished with a goal and an assist and de Melo made 33 saves in the winning effort.
Roanoke improved to 5-10-2 with the win and Fayetteville dropped to 8-8-1. The Rail Yard Dawgs will hit the road on Friday for Tennessee to see the Knoxville Ice Bears. Friday’s puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 PM.
###