For Immediate Release:
March 22, 2019
RAIL YARD DAWGS’ COMEBACK ATTEMPT FALLS SHORT, 3-2
Roanoke dropped by Knoxville despite two third-period goals
ROANOKE, Va. – The Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs scored twice in the third period to bring themselves within one but their comeback attempt fell short as they were defeated by the Huntsville Havoc, 3-2, Friday night at Berglund Center.
With Roanoke trailing 3-0 just past the halfway point of the third, Adrian Carbonara took a puck along the left wing and curled to the high slot. He ripped a slap shot that navigated traffic and beat Cody Porter to put the Dawgs on the board.
Just one minute later the Rail Yard Dawgs struck again. Alex Adams fed Oleksandr Liulchuk at the blue line. He took a slap shot that rocketed on net and glanced off Cody Dion providing the screen in front. It hit the back of the net and Roanoke cut the lead to 3-2.
The Dawgs would continue to pressure throughout the remainder of the period and pulled Jacob Caffrey for an extra attacker in the final minute. They managed a handful of chances, notably Dion with a point-blank one-timer in the final seconds, but Porter was able to keep them off the board and the comeback attempt fell one goal short.
Knoxville struck first exactly eight minutes into the first period. Blake O’Neill carried the puck over the blue line and fed Stanislav Dzakhov for a one-timer from the right circle. He blasted it past Caffrey on the short side and the Ice Bears took a 1-0 lead.
They added to that lead at the halfway point of the second period. After the Dawgs failed to convert a chance on their offensive end, Knoxville’s Liam Kerins fed Stefan Brucato down the right wing. He carried it to the net and snuck a backhander through Caffrey, extending the Ice Bears lead to 2-0.
The Ice Bears extended the advantage to 3-0 early in the third when Brucato hit Scott Cuthrell streaking toward the net. He roofed a backhander past Caffrey and Knoxville’s lead was three.
Carbonara netted his first goal as a Rail Yard Dawg, Dion potted his 15th of the season and Caffrey made 15 saves on 18 shots in the loss. Roanoke fell to 24-23-4 in the loss as Knoxville improved to 27-18-5. The Rail Yard Dawgs return to action on Saturday at home for the Wiener Dawg Races with 94.9 Star Country. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:05 PM and the pregame show begins at 6:50 PM on the Haley Toyota Rail Yard Dawgs Hockey Network.
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