For Immediate Release:
December 28, 2019
DAWGS OUTGUNNED BY RIVERMEN, 5-2
Matt O’Dea scores first pro goal in loss
PEORIA, IL. – Matt O’Dea scored his first professional goal but the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs could not tie the game late as they ultimately fell to the Peoria Rivermen, 5-2, Saturday night at Carver Arena.
The Rail Yard Dawgs opened the scoring early in the first period. Colton Wolter controlled the puck below the net and sent a backhanded pass to the slot. Austin Daae picked it up and ripped a snap shot past Eric Levine’s glove, giving Roanoke a 1-0 lead.
Peoria answered two and a half minutes later while working on a power play. Jordan Carvalho fed Cody Dion in front of the net for a wrist shot that was flicked over Ian Sylves’ shoulder to tie the game at one.
The Rivermen would then take the lead with a little over four minutes to play in the second. Alec Baer gained the zone with a two-on-two and ripped a wrist shot past Sylves’ glove to put Peoria on top, 2-1.
Early in the second, Baer put a shot on net that Sylves stopped but hat to slide out of the crease to do so. Baer controlled the rebound and fed a pass to the front of the net where Robin Hoglund banged it home to make the score 3-1.
Roanoke answered later in the period as O’Dea took a pass on the right wing circle. With a Rivermen defenseman sliding to block a pass, O’Dea ripped a wrist shot high on the glove catching side and past Levine to bring the Dawgs back within one.
The Dawgs had plenty of chances in the third but were unable to strike on three separate power plays in first eight minutes of the period. Their deficit remained at one goal until Kyle Moore buried an empty net goal with just over a minute left to play. Alec Hagaman tacked on another empty netter with 30 seconds on the clock and the Rivermen took the game, 5-2.
O’Dea netted the first goal of his professional career, Daae’s goal was his second as a Rail Yard Dawg and Sylves made 15 saves on 18 shots. Roanoke fell to 5-13-2 in the loss while Peoria improved to 16-2-3. The Rail Yard Dawgs will now return home for their fourth annual New Year’s Eve game on Tuesday night. Puck drop against the Fayetteville Marksmen is scheduled for 6:05 PM and the pregame show on the Haley Toyota Rail Yard Dawgs Hockey Network begins at 5:50 PM.
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