For Immediate Release:
November 18, 2017
ROANOKE DROPS KNOXVILLE IN OVERTIME, 4-3
David Gandara scores the OT winner
ROANOKE, VA – David Gandara had two goals including the game-winner, Steve Mele recorded two assists, and the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs bested the Knoxville Ice Bears in overtime, 4-3, Saturday night at the Berglund Center. Roanoke’s overtime was its second in as many games
With the Dawgs leading 3-2 after two, Knoxville came out swinging in the third. Chris Santello fished a puck and fed it to Chris Izmirlian who sniped it past Brad Barone. That tied the game a minute and a half into the third period, a score that held for the remainder of regulation.
In the final seconds of overtime, Nick Schneider worked the puck from the left wing board to a cutting Gandara in the slot. He fired a shot past Zoltan Hetenyi for the game-winner and the Dawgs took it, 4-3.
Roanoke struck first in the first period while working on a power play. Mele dished the puck to Mike Moroso who snapped it by Hetenyi, giving the Dawgs a 1-0 lead.
Knoxville countered five minutes later when Evan Neugold found a streaking Gehrett Sargis to send him on a breakaway. Sargis slid the puck past Barone to knot the game up at one.
Later in the opening period while working on another power play, the Dawgs struck again. Gandara blasted a slap shot from the slot that beat Hetenyi to make it 2-1.
Knoxville tied the game in the second when Lawrence Cornellier collected his own rebound off the crossbar to even the game at 2-2. Roanoke broke the tie after Riley Spraggs batted a flying puck out of the air for a short-handed goal that put the Dawgs up 3-2.
Mele had two assists, Gandara scored twice and Barone made 29 saves to earn the win in net. The Rail Yard Dawgs improved to 3-4-1 with the win while the Ice Bears dropped to 5-4-0. Roanoke returns to action on Thursday night against the Fayetteville Marksmen. Puck drop for Thanksgiving at the Berglund Center is scheduled for 7:05 PM.
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