PEORIA, IL. – The Rail Yard Dawgs couldn’t battle back from an early deficit, losing 6-3 to the Peoria Rivermen at Carver Arena on Thursday night. Nick Devito, CJ Stubbs, and Mac Jansen scored goals for Roanoke.
The Dawgs started out strong in the first period, having an early power play before opening the scoring on an even-strength score by Devito at the 4:42 mark in the action. Roanoke’s lead didn’t last long, as Lordanthony Grissom scored on his first professional shot to tie the score less than 90 seconds after Devito lit the lamp. At the 14:21 mark, Mitch McPherson gave Peoria its first lead, and Austin Wisely made it 3-1 just 57 seconds after that. Grissom’s second goal of the period at 18:17 made the task that much tougher, and Roanoke trailed 4-1 at the first intermission.
The second period was all Roanoke from the puck drop. Stubbs steered home a feed by Brant Sherwood just 95 seconds into the frame to bring the Dawgs back within two. At 7:01, Jansen’s tip on a shot by Travis Amrstrong went off the post, and he finished his own rebound to make it a one-goal game. Sacha Roy and Chris Vella fought, and Roanoke had a power play and a chance to tie the game as Roy was called for instigating. Right as the power play expired, Alec Baer scored on a one-on-one chance to make it 5-3 Rivermen. That score held entering the final period.
Roanoke had a couple of great chances early in the period to build momentum, and a shorthanded chance by Jeff Jones even rang off the crossbar after he had beaten Peoria goalie Eric Levine. The game soon fizzled out for both sides, and an empty-netter by Marcel Godbout with 94 seconds left capped the scoring on a 6-3 win by the Rivermen.
Roudebush stopped 20-of-25 shots that he faced, while Levine made 24 saves on 27 shots for Peoria. Both teams went 0-for-2 on the power play.
The Rail Yard Dawgs stay in Peoria tomorrow night to face the Rivermen at 8:15 p.m. EST. Wisler Plumbing and Air Family Four Packs, group tickets, 2022-2023 season tickets, and single game tickets for home games are on sale now, and you can listen to the games on the Haley Toyota Rail Yard Dawgs Hockey Network via Mixlr or watch it on HockeyTV.
Photo Credit: Mark Sawyer