MACON, GA. – The Rail Yard Dawgs (29-13-5) couldn’t find their offense on Friday night, falling in a 2-1 road loss to the Macon Mayhem (20-25-3) at the Macon Coliseum. C.J. Valerian scored the lone goal, Austyn Roudebush stopped 25-of-27 shots faced in net, and Matt O’Dea had one assist for the Dawgs in the defeat.
Both teams had solid scoring chances in the opening 20 minutes, with Roanoke and Macon each registering 11 shots on goal. The Dawgs killed off an early Macon power play, and the final seconds of the penalty kill transitioned into a counterattacking opportunity. O’Dea carried the puck all the way to the Macon crease from the Roanoke blue line, and even though his shot was saved, the puck caromed out to Valerian who sniped his shot to the roof of the net at 7:22. Roanoke had to kill off another power play chance by the Mayhem, but carried the 1-0 lead into the first intermission.
Macon controlled the game in the second period, collecting two more power play chances and outshooting Roanoke 10-2 through the first 15 minutes or so of the frame. During their third power play of the game, the Mayhem would find the game’s tying goal when Parker Allison smashed home a rebound chance at 7:35. The Dawgs would record the last four shots on goal of the period, but the game was tied at 1-1 at the end of 40 minutes of action. A scrum at the end of the second period would force Roanoke’s Cory Doney and Macon’s Matteo Ybarra to sit for two minutes each for roughing, and Roanoke’s Bryce Martin and Macon’s Jake Maynard would each sit for 10 minutes to start the third period for continuing altercation misconducts.
After both teams had a few chances during 4-on-4 action to start the final frame, Macon would take its first lead of the game through a finish by Ybarra at 2:23. Macon once again had the first four shots on goal of the period, as the Dawgs took a bit to find their groove in the final 20 minutes. After the first power play chance of the game came up empty for the Dawgs halfway through the frame, Roanoke went back on the power play with a chance for a 6-on-4 advantage with 2:01 remaining in the game as Roudebush went to the bench for the extra attacker. O’Dea seemingly tied the game with around 90 seconds left to go, but the goal was waved off for goalie interference.
Bailey Brkin stopped 24-of-25 shots faced in net for the Mayhem. The Dawgs went 0-for-2 on the power play, while the Mayhem went 1-for-4 on their chances.
The Rail Yard Dawgs stay on the road on Saturday, March 15 against the Macon Mayhem at the Macon Coliseum. Puck drop is scheduled for 6:00 P.M. EST in Georgia. Single game tickets for the season are on sale now online and at Berglund Center box office, and playoff packages for the 2025 President’s Cup Playoffs are on sale now through the Rail Yard Dawgs’ front office.
Photo Credit: David Ingraham