For Immediate Release:
March 2, 2019
RAIL YARD DAWGS COME UP SHORT AGAINST QUAD CITY, 6-3
Roanoke allows three second period goals in loss to Storm
MOLINE, Il. – The Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs allowed three goals in the second period to fall behind and could not climb out of the hole as they were defeated by the Quad City Storm, 6-3, Saturday night at TaxSlayer Center.
Quad City opened the scoring in the first period. Vincent Beaudry slid a pass to Mike Casale on the left wing and he fired it past Jacob Caffrey to make it 1-0.
Roanoke did not wait long to answer however as Steve Mele tied the game less than a minute later. He took the puck at center ice and split two defensemen as he gained the zone. Mele snapped a shot past Ryan Mulder on the blocker side and the score was evened at one.
The Storm turned on the jets in the second period and took the lead for good with three goals in the frame. Casale netted the first of those when he cleaned up a rebound off a Sean Kacerosky shot and knocked it in the net. The Storm later added to the lead on a Tommy Tsicos goal that deflected off a Roanoke defenseman on its way to the net. Tsicos again struck in the final minutes of the second with a rebound goal on a power play and the Storm lead swelled to 4-1.
The Rail Yard Dawgs came out flying in the third and peppered Mulder early and often in the period. They brought themselves within two when Travis Armstrong fed Jordan Carvalho in front of the net. Carvalho knocked the puck in and the score was 4-2.
Quad City answered as Phil Bronner hit John Scully to finish a two-on-one rush. The Dawgs struck again later in the period after Alex Adams found Brian Rowland for a one-timer at the right circle. They would sustain pressure throughout the period and put 24 shots on net in the third but Shane Bennett put the game out of reach with an empty net goal in the final minutes and Roanoke fell, 6-3.
Jacob Caffrey started the game in net for the Dawgs and made 21 saves on 25 shots. Henry Dill played the final 20 minutes and stopped eight of nine. Roanoke outshot Quad City, 44-35 and their 24 shots on goal in the third were the most they’ve had in a period this season.
The Rail Yard Dawgs record dropped to 22-20-4 in the loss and the Storm improved to 14-26-4. Roanoke will next head south to Florida to take on the Pensacola Ice Flyers. Friday’s puck drop is scheduled for 7:35 PM CST at the Pensacola Bay Center and the pregame show begins at 7:20 PM CST on the Haley Toyota Rail Yard Dawgs Hockey Network.
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