For Immediate Release:
November 1, 2019
DAWGS RALLY IN THIRD BUT FALL TO ICE BEARS, 3-2
Roanoke outshoots Knoxville, 16-1, in final frame
ROANOKE, Va. – The Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs scored twice in the third period and nearly erased a three-goal deficit but they ultimately fell to the Knoxville Ice Bears, 3-2, Friday night at the Knoxville Civic Coliseum.
With the Dawgs trailing, 3-0, early in the third period, a holding penalty sent them to a power play. Brant Sherwood took the puck near the blue line, carried it to the right wing circle and snapped a shot that beat Hayden Stewart on the blocker side to put Roanoke on the board.
Later in the third while working shorthanded, Joe Sova cleared the puck from the defensive end and Jeff Jones sprinted after it. He beat the Knoxville defenseman to the puck and forced it to the crease where Sova and Matt Beer were crashing. After a pair of close-range shots, Jones grabbed the loose puck and roofed it to cut the deficit to 3-2.
The Dawgs kept the pressure up throughout the final frame and ended up outshooting the Ice Bears, 16-1, in the period. With just over a minute and a half to play, Roanoke pulled Jake Theut for an extra attacker but was unable to grab the equalizer. The comeback attempt came up short and they fell, 3-2.
The Ice Bears struck first in the first period. Bryce Nielsen fed a cutting Brady Fleurent who directed the puck on net. Theut made the original save but Fleurent was able to snap the rebound past him, giving the Ice Bears a 1-0 lead.
Less than a minute later Knoxville doubled that advantage. Marly Quince carried the puck down the right wing, cut into the slot and snapped a wrister past Theut’s blocker to make it 2-0.
The Ice Bears struck again just shy of the halfway point of the second period. Roanoke turned the puck over below its goal line and Quince fed an open Scott Cuthrell in the slot. He ripped a snap shot past Theut and the score was 3-0.
Jones and Sherwood each netted their second goal of the season and Theut made 23 saves on 26 shots in his first pro start. The Rail Yard Dawgs fell to 1-3-1 with the loss while Knoxville improved to 2-2-0.
Roanoke will return home on Saturday night to again take on the Ice Bears. It’s Mossy Oak night presented by Sportsman’s Warehouse with 94.9 Star Country and the team will be wearing specialty jerseys that will be auctioned off after the game. A portion of proceeds from the auction will be donated to the local Hunters for the Hungry organization. Puck drop at Berglund Center is scheduled for 7:05 PM and the pregame show on the Haley Toyota Rail Yard Dawgs Hockey Network begins at 6:50 PM.
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