For Immediate Release:
January 22, 2017
RAIL YARD DAWGS FALL TO FAYETTEVILLE, 4-2
Dmytro Babenko and Zach Tatrn record two-point games in loss
ROANOKE, VA – The Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs tied the game at two in the second period but then allowed a pair of goals and ultimately fell to the Fayetteville FireAntz, 4-2, Sunday afternoon at the Berglund Center.
The FireAntz struck first just under two minutes into the contest. Bobby Chaumont feathered a pass to Chase Nieuwendyk, springing him for a partial breakaway. Nieuwendyk walked in on Ryan de Melo, deked to his backhand and slid the puck into the net to put the FireAntz on the board.
Roanoke would answer just 16 seconds later however as Phil Tesoriero cleared the puck from the Dawgs zone and Dmytro Babenko won the race to wash out the icing call. He took the puck in the corner and backhanded a pass to the slot where the trailing Zach Tatrn rammed it into the net, tying the game at one.
Later in the first just as a Fayetteville power play expired, Brad Drobot controlled the puck behind the net and fed it into the slot. Chaumont streaked toward the crease and one-timed the pass past de Melo, giving the FireAntz a 2-1 lead.
The Dawgs would tie the game in the second while working on a power play of their own. Nick Schneider took a slap shot from the point that Babenko redirected in front of the net. It snuck through Sean Bonar and Roanoke tied the game at one.
Fayetteville waited only 19 seconds to respond. Jake Hauswirth gained possession of the puck on the right wing and threw it on net. It snuck through de Melo’s legs and gave Fayetteville the lead. The FireAntz added one more later in the second when Nieuwendyk bested de Melo on a rebound to push the score to 4-2.
Tatrn’s goal was his first as a Rail Yard Dawg and he and Babenko each finished with a goal and an assist. de Melo made 38 saves on 42 shots in the loss.
The Rail Yard Dawgs fell to 9-15-5 in the losing effort while Fayetteville improved to 15-11-1. Roanoke will play each of its next six games on the road, beginning on Friday in Columbus against the Cottonmouths. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 PM at the Columbus Civic Center.
2017-18 Rail Yard Dawgs season tickets are on sale now! Seats can be reserved by visiting the Rail Yard Dawgs office inside of the Berglund Center or over the phone at 540-344-3294.
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