For Immediate Release:
December 30, 2016
GJURICH, DAWGS TAKE OUT MAYHEM IN OT, 3-2
Winger scores twice in OT win
ROANOKE, VA – Tyler Gjurich scored the game-winning goal in overtime, Ryan de Melo made 36 saves and the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs defeated the Macon Mayhem, 3-2, Friday night at the Berglund Center. Gjurich recorded two goals and an assist for his second straight multi-point game.
With the game tied at two in overtime, Macon’s John Siemer was called for an interference penalty, giving the Dawgs a 4-on-3 power play. Working on the man-advantage, Mike Driscoll set Gjurich up outside of the crease on the left side and he wristed the puck past Macon goaltender Jordan Ruby for the game-winner.
Gjurich notched two goals and an assist for his fifth multi-point game of the season and his second in a row.
Roanoke started fast and struck first just 2:05 into the game. Daniel Vernace gathered the puck below the net and sent a backhander banking off of Ruby’s back. It bounced over the goal line and into the net to give the Dawgs a 1-0 lead.
Late in the first period with the Rail Yard Dawgs working on a 5-on-3 power play, Nick Schneider found Massimo Lamacchia on the half-wall. Lamacchia sent a pass into the slot for Gjurich who blistered it past Ruby, making it 2-0.
That lead held until the third as de Melo stopped the first 26 shots he faced. He was bested on a power play just 28 seconds into the final period however as Matt Summers snuck a stuff attempt past him. Siemer tied the game just under two minutes later with a wrister from the left wing.
de Melo stopped 36 of the 38 shots that he faced and was named the game’s first star. The Rail Yard Dawgs went 2-for-6 on the power play, their first game with multiple power play goals since a 4-2 win over Fayetteville on November 4.
Roanoke improved to 6-11-3 with the win while the Mayhem fell to 16-3-3. The Dawgs will remain on home ice on Friday to host the Knoxville Ice Bears. The New Year’s Eve puck drop is scheduled for 7:05 PM at the Berglund Center.
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