For Immediate Release:
November 10, 2016
RAIL YARD DAWGS DROPPED BY ICE BEARS, 6-4
Knoxville scores three times in final 2:22 to gain control
ROANOKE, VA – Massimo Lamacchia scored a go-ahead goal late in the third period but the Knoxville Ice Bears countered with three goals in the final 2:22 to defeat the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs, 6-4, Thursday night at the Berglund Center. Roanoke’s loss snapped a four-game point streak.
With the game tied at three, Knoxville was called for a delayed penalty and Ryan de Melo skated for the bench to give Roanoke an extra attacker. Working 6-on-5, Massimo Lamacchia took a pass in the slot and slung a wrist shot past Charles Grant to give Roanoke a 4-3 lead.
The Ice Bears would quickly fight back however as Luke Sandler deflected a Danny Cesarz shot past de Melo just over two minutes later, tying the game at four. It remained tied for 29 seconds until Berkley Scott led an odd-man rush and beat de Melo on the glove side to give Knoxville the lead.
Adam Stuart later added an empty net goal to extend the advantage to 6-4 and seal the game. de Melo allowed five goals on 42 shots in the losing effort.
The game was scoreless until the second period when Travis Jeke beat de Melo low to the glove side with a slap shot from outside the slot. Roanoke quickly answered however as Lamacchia found David Gandara in front who threw the initial shot off of Grant’s pad but buried the rebound. Gandara’s first professional goal tied the game at one.
106 seconds later, Michael Turner ripped a snap shot from the left wing that snuck past Grant’s glove to put Roanoke ahead. Gandara then followed with a second goal, again set up by Lamacchia, extending the advantage to 3-1.
Knoxville quickly tied the game in the third however as Scott fired a wrister past de Melo in the period’s opening minute. Jake Rivera later beat de Melo with a wraparound to even the score at three with fewer than three minutes gone in the frame.
The Rail Yard Dawgs were out-shot, 43-20, in the losing effort and 17-4 in the third period. Lamacchia finished with a goal and two assists, Gandara scored twice and Tim Boyle notched a pair of assists.
Roanoke dropped to 3-3-1 with the loss while Knoxville improved to 6-1-0. The Rail Yard Dawgs will return to action on Friday inside the Berglund Center as the Evansville Thunderbolts come to town. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:05 PM on Military Night. The Dawgs will be wearing special camouflage jerseys that will be auctioned off after the game.