DAWGS HOLD OFF FAYETTEVILLE IN 4-2 ROAD WIN

FAYETTEVILLE, NC. – The Rail Yard Dawgs (8-5-3) jumped ahead early, then relied on their defense to take a 4-2 win over the Fayetteville Marksmen (12-4-2) on Saturday night at Crown Coliseum. Brenden Stanko and CJ Stubbs scored twice, while Austyn Roudebush made 33 saves on 35 shots faced in his first game back for Roanoke in nearly a month.

It was a much stronger start for Roanoke on Saturday than it was on Friday night, as the Dawgs ripped off nine of the first 12 shots on goal of the game. An early power play chance after a Fayetteville minor penalty for cross-checking led to the game’s first goal, as Stanko tipped in Stephen Alvo’s center point blast at 7:01 to give the Dawgs the lead. Roanoke killed off a power play by the Marksmen late in the frame, and the visitors took the one-goal lead into the first intermission.

The second period saw the Dawgs earn a quick penalty shot, only their 11th penalty shot in franchise history. Stubbs was able to backhand the puck into the net at the 0:56 mark to double Roanoke’s lead. Just three minutes later, Nick Ford found Stubbs in the slot for yet another goal to make it 3-0, the eighth of the year for Stubbs. The Dawgs had to kill three penalties within the span of seven minutes to hold the Marksmen at bay, and fights broke out between Roanoke’s Owen McDade and Jacob Kelly against Preston Kugler and Tyler Barrow respectively. It was a three-goal cushion for Roanoke heading to the final frame.

Fayetteville quickly ended Roudebush’s shutout bid just 40 seconds into the third period on a rebound score by Anthony Yurkins. The Dawgs answered at 4:32, when Xavier Filion’s centering pass on a two-on-one odd-man rush was finished off by Stanko, making it a 4-1 game. A Max Johnson goal at 9:40 gave the Marksmen some life, but the Dawgs held on despite being outshot 17-3 in the final frame. Roanoke is now 4-0-1 in the season series against the Marksmen.

Fayetteville’s Ryan Kenny stopped 18-of-22 shots faced. The Dawgs went 1-for-2 on the power play, while the Marksmen went 0-for-4.

The Rail Yard Dawgs will stay on the road next Friday night, December 15, to take on the Knoxville Ice Bears. Puck drop is slated for 7:35 P.M. EST at Knoxville Civic Coliseum, and you can watch the game on Flo or listen for free on Mixlr. Season tickets, group tickets, and single game tickets are on sale now by contacting the Rail Yard Dawgs office or visiting the Berglund Center box office.

Photo Credit: Ryan Hunt