For Immediate Release:
December 27, 2016
RAIL YARD DAWGS SETTLE FOR A POINT IN FAYETTEVILLE, 3-2
James Kruger makes 36 saves in his Dawgs debut
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – James Kruger made 36 saves and Tyler Gjurich had a goal and an assist but the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs fell in overtime to the Fayetteville FireAntz, 3-2, Tuesday night at the Crown Coliseum.
The game remained scoreless until the second period when Nick Schneider carried the puck over the blue line and threw it to Mike Driscoll streaking towards the net. Driscoll slowed as he received the puck and redirected it past Sean Bonar to give the Dawgs a 1-0 lead.
Fayetteville rebounded with a pair of goals just past the halfway point of the second as Max Cook beat Kruger to tie it and then Jake Hauswirth gave the FireAntz the lead just 83 seconds later.
Roanoke would rebound to tie the game just a minute and 31 seconds after that however as a forecheck forced a giveaway in the FireAntz defensive zone. Gjurich then picked up the loose puck and carried it toward the net. He deked to his backhand, brought the puck back to his forehand and tucked it inside the near post to knot the game at two.
The Dawgs poured it on in the third, out-shooting the FireAntz, 14-7, but no goals were scored in the frame. Both teams had their chances in overtime but it was Nick Rivait’s wrister from the left wing that bested Kruger and gave the FireAntz the 3-2 win.
Kruger stopped 36 of 39 shots in his Rail Yard Dawgs debut, Driscoll scored for the third time in his last four games and Gjurich picked up his fourth multi-point game of the season.
Roanoke dropped to 5-11-3 with the overtime loss and Fayetteville improved to 10-8- 1 in the winning effort. The Rail Yard Dawgs return to action on Friday at the Berglund Center. Puck drop for the first of back-to-back games with the Macon Mayhem is set for 7:05.
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