For Immediate Release:
March 31, 2017
DAWGS FALL TO MAYHEM IN SHOOTOUT, 6-5
Roanoke scores twice in third to force overtime
MACON, GA – The Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs scored twice in the third period to force overtime but ultimately came up short as they were defeated by the Macon Mayhem in a shootout, 6-5, Friday night at the Macon Coliseum. Roanoke picked up a point but trails the Columbus Cottonmouths by three points for the eighth and final playoff spot.
With the Dawgs trailing 4-3 with just under six minutes to go, Macon committed a cross-checking minor and sent Roanoke to the power play. Jackson Brewer took a pass on the left wing in tight and sniped a wrist shot through Jordan Ruby on the short side, tying the game at four.
Macon countered moments later while working on a power play of its own. Stephen Pierog gathered a pass in the slot and fired on net but Ty Reichenbach made the pad save. Matt Summers was waiting on the doorstep for the rebound though and chipped it into the net to make it 5-4.
Roanoke would not go away. Just over a minute after their go-ahead goal, the Mayhem brought the puck in on the attack but it was broken up by a Rail Yard Dawg back-check. Nick Schneider picked up the puck and fired it ahead to Zach Tatrn. He avoided a hip check, deked from his backhand to his forehand and tucked the puck around Ruby to tie the game at five and force overtime.
Both teams had chances in the overtime period .Mike Donnellan hit a post for Roanoke and Macon’s John Siemer was robbed on a scoring chance in front by a Reichenbach glove save, keeping the score even at five for the full five minutes.
Macon was able to score twice in the shootout while the Dawgs did not get one past Ruby. The Mayhem took the extra point and the game, 6-5.
The Mayhem got on the board first just nine seconds into the game. They won the opening faceoff and Matt Johnson and Jake Trask streaked in on a 2-on-1 break. Johnson fed a pass to Trask who one-timed it past a lunging Reichenbach to open the scoring. Macon extended its lead to 2-0 just shy of the five minute mark on a goal from Eric Shand.
Roanoke got one back in the later stages of the first while working on a power play. Schneider fed Steve Mele who skated from the left wing to the high slot. He let loose a wrist shot that worked its way through traffic and beat Ruby to put the Dawgs on the board.
A power play goal from Johnson near the halfway point of the second would again extend Macon’s advantage to two. The Dawgs again brought themselves within one however about four minutes later. Ben Bauer hit Dmytro Babenko with a stretch pass just shy of the blue line. Babenko carried the puck over the line and fired a snap shot past Ruby’s blocker to make it 3-2.
Macon countered when Mark Rivera buried a chance on a 3-on-1 chance less than two minutes later. But Roanoke was able to snag some momentum going into the second intermission by way of another power play goal. In the final minute of the period, the Dawgs cycled the puck on the man-advantage as Brewer fed Donnellan just above the left wing circle. Donnellan fired a wrist shot that Ruby got a piece of but allowed to sneak through his five hole, again cutting the deficit to one at 4-3.
Brewer finished with a goal and two assists, extending his point streak to five games. He has five goals and seven assists over the life of the streak and now leads Roanoke in scoring with 41 points in 40 games. Schneider tallied three assists and Reichenbach made 43 saves on 48 shots in his first professional appearance.
The Rail Yard Dawgs record moved to 16-28-9 while the Mayhem improved to 34-12-6. Roanoke will return to action on Tuesday against Columbus for its final home game of the regular season. The Dawgs trail the Cottonmouths by three points for the eighth and final playoff spot. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:05 PM at the Berglund Center.
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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