For Immediate Release:
March 29, 2019
MELE STARS IN DAWGS SHOOTOUT WIN
Center nets hat trick in 4-3 triumph over Pensacola
ROANOKE, Va. – Steve Mele had a hat trick, Jacob Caffrey made 12 saves on 12 shots in relief and the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs dropped the Pensacola Ice Flyers in a shootout, 4-3, Friday night at Berglund Center.
The Dawgs started the scoring in the first period when Jordan Carvalho forced a turnover behind the net. He picked up the loose puck and fed Colin Murray for a one-timer that he blasted past Brian Billett to make the score 1-0.
Pensacola answered about a minute and a half later when Eddie Matsushima streaked into the zone and went give-and-go with Brian Morgan to tie the game at one. Roanoke cracked back quickly however with Mele’s first of the night. Ben Bauer fed him from the right wing boards for a tap-in back door goal and the Dawgs once again led, 2-1.
The Ice Flyers evened the score late in the first on a Tim Moore snap shot from the left wing. They then took the lead in the second period after Moore sprung Joseph Drapluk down the right wing for a wrister that beat Henry Dill top shelf.
Dill would be lifted from the game in favor of Caffrey after the Drapluk goal. He exited having made eight saves on 11 shots faced.
The Rail Yard Dawgs evened the score late in the second while working shorthanded. Mac Jansen forced a puck loose at center and got it to Mele who barreled down the right wing. He ripped a shot high on the blocker side that beat Billett and the Dawgs tied the game at three.
Following a scoreless third period and overtime, the game progressed to a shootout. Pensacola could not crack Caffrey with its first three attempts and Mele lit the lamp with a snap shot in the third round to give Roanoke the lead. Caffrey then blanked Pensacola’s next two attempts, cementing the Roanoke victory.
Mele was credited for a goal for having the game-winning shootout goal and thus finished with a hat trick, Jansen had two assists and Caffrey stopped all five shootout attempts as well as all 12 shots he faced during game action.
The Rail Yard Dawgs improved to 26-23-4 while Pensacola fell to 25-22-6. Roanoke will again host the Ice Flyers on Saturday night at Berglund Center at 7:05 PM. It’s Fan Appreciation Night and the first 500 fans will receive a Rail Yard Dawgs team poster.
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