For Immediate Release:
March 8, 2020
DAWGS FALL IN SHOOTOUT TO PEORIA, 3-2
Roanoke earns a point in third straight game
PEORIA, Ill. – Jeff Jones’ power play goal gave the Rail Yard Dawgs a 2-1 lead in the second period but they allowed a late goal as the Peoria Rivermen forced overtime and eventually beat the Dawgs in a shootout, 3-2, Sunday afternoon at Carver Arena.
Roanoke struck first in the final minute of the opening period. Just after a Peoria penalty expired, Matt Beer intercepted a clearing attempt and gave the puck to Travis Armstrong at the blue line. He took a shot that hit bodies in front and Marcus Ortiz was able to jam it through Eric Levine on the short side to give the Dawgs a 1-0 lead.
Peoria countered early in the second period following the conclusion of a power play of its own. Zach Nieminen carried the puck from below the goal line back to the left wing circle and fired a wrist shot. It snuck past a screened Henry Dill and the game was tied at one.
But the Dawgs grabbed the lead back while skating on a five-on-three power play five minutes later. Kyle Wagner hit Jones on the tape at the back door and he slammed the puck past Levine to make it 2-1.
That lead held until the final two minutes of regulation, when the Rivermen pulled Levine for an extra attacker. They controlled the puck in the attacking end and worked it over to Ryan Cusin outside the right-wing circle. He fired a wrist shot that got through the net front screens and snuck under Dill’s pads, tying the game at two.
Following a scoreless overtime, the Rail Yard Dawgs scored first in the third round of the shootout on a CJ Stubbs goal. Peoria countered in the fourth round with a goal from Nieminen and then sent him out again in the sixth round with a chance to win it. Nieminen carried the puck in and flipped a wrist shot past Dill’s glove, giving the Rivermen a 3-2 shootout win.
Dill made 22 saves on 24 shots faced and Jones’ goal extended his point streak to four games. The Rail Yard Dawgs moved to 16-22-9 and, by virtue of earning a point in the shootout loss, remained in seventh place in the SPHL. Peoria improved to 33-8-5 in the win.
The Rail Yard Dawgs will next take the ice on Friday night on the road against the Birmingham Bulls. Puck drop at the Pelham Civic Complex is scheduled for 8:30 PM.
###