For Immediate Release:
December 29, 2017
DAWGS BURY MARKSMEN, 7-3
Roanoke sets a season-high with seven goals
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – The Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs scored four unanswered goals in the second period and cruised to a 7-3 victory over the Fayetteville Marksmen, Friday night at the Crown Coliseum. Roanoke snapped a six-game winless streak and set a new season-high in goals.
After a scoreless first period, Fayetteville struck first with a power play goal from Jamie Hill. The Dawgs answered quickly with a power play marker of their own. Balazs Goz put a shot on net that Patrick Spano blocked but Steve Mele was waiting on the back post to bang home the rebound, tying the game at one.
The Rail Yard Dawgs didn’t wait long before adding to their lead. Just over a minute later, Ben Bauer slung a shot from the point that navigated traffic and beat a screened Spano. Just 50 seconds after that, Chris Kravtchouk muscled his way to the front of the net and crammed in a rebound for his first professional goal.
Roanoke continued to pour it on three minutes later. Riley Spraggs kept the puck alive on the forecheck and worked his way to the net. His initial shot was blocked but Spraggs gathered the rebound and fired it through Spano to push the lead to 4-1.
Fayetteville added one more in the final moments of the second when Jamie Hill beat Matt Zenzola off a rush. The Rail Yard Dawgs didn’t let up in the third. While working on a power play early in the period Joe Sova sent a pass to John Gustafsson on the left faceoff circle. Gustafsson blasted a one-timer past Spano for a power play marker that made it 5-2. Spraggs later scooped the puck off a tied up faceoff and blistered a wrist shot over Spano’s shoulder to make it 6-2.
The Marksmen got one back on a shorthanded Ludlow Harris tally. Mele put the finishing touches on the victory with an empty net goal the pushed it to 7-3.
Mele scored twice, Sova had two assists and Spraggs had two goals and an assist. Zenzola made 31 saves on 34 shots faced for his first win as a Rail Yard Dawg. Seven goals represented a season-high for Roanoke.
The Dawgs improved to 6-12-3 with the win while Fayetteville dropped to 6-14-4. Roanoke returns to action on Saturday night at home again against the Marksmen. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:05 PM at the Berglund Center.
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