For Immediate Release:
February 17, 2017
DAWGS FALL TO ICE FLYERS, 7-3
Massimo Lamacchia records team-leading tenth multi-point game
ROANOKE, VA – The Pensacola Ice Flyers jumped out to an early lead that they would not relinquish as the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs were defeated, 7-3, Friday night at the Berglund Center.
Pensacola got to work quickly with three goals in the first from Aaron Clarke, Roger Tagoona and a shorthanded marker from Josh Cousineau. Ryan de Melo was pulled from the game in favor of James Kruger after the Cousineau goal with Roanoke trailing, 3-0, 11:22 into the game.
The Ice Flyers picked up an early power play goal from Riley Spraggs in the second to extend the advantage to 4-0. Roanoke would get on the board about ten minutes later, working on a power play of its own. Michael Turner fed Nick Schneider at the point for a one-timer that deflected in traffic and beat Matt Zenzola for the Dawgs first goal.
Pensacola answered just under 30 seconds later as Tagoona wristed a shot past Kruger on an odd-man rush. John Gustafsson scored later in the period to make it 6-1.
The Ice Flyers added one more early in the third when Louis Belisle redirected a pass into Kruger’s net in the opening minutes. Roanoke managed to cut into the deficit later in the period, first when Dmytro Babenko fished a puck out of the corner and sent it to the front of the net. A charging Daniel Vernace lifted a backhander over Zenzola for the goal. Later, Mitchell Mueller hammered a slap shot from the high slot that Jackson Brewer deflected into the net to make it 7-3.
Roanoke would not work anything further however as the Ice Flyers picked up the victory in the first game of the back-to-back set. Kruger stopped 26 of the 30 shots he faced and de Melo made nine saves on 12 shots. Massimo Lamacchia picked up a pair of assists in the loss, good for his team-leading tenth multi-point game of the season.
The Rail Yard Dawgs fell to 13-20-5 with the loss while Pensacola’s fourth-straight win improved its record to 16-15-6. Roanoke will again host the Ice Flyers on Saturday night at the Berglund Center. Puck drop for Star Wars night is scheduled for 7:05 PM.
2017-18 Rail Yard Dawgs season tickets are on sale now! Seats can be reserved by visiting the Rail Yard Dawgs office inside of the Berglund Center or over the phone at 540-344-3294.
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