For Immediate Release:
January 12, 2018
ROANOKE HAMMERS FAYETTEVILLE, 5-2
Steve Mele puts up four points in Rail Yard Dawgs win
ROANOKE, VA – Steve Mele had a goal and two assists, Matt Beer and Eric Witzel each scored twice and the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs dispatched of the Fayetteville Marksmen, 5-2, Friday night at Berglund Center. Matt Zenzola made 30 saves on 32 shots to earn the win in net.
Roanoke started fast in the first period. Less than four minutes into the game, Mele dumped the puck into the left wing corner where David Gandara dug it out. Gandara fed a pass to the slot for Beer who was charging the net. He blasted it past Peter Di Salvo and the Rail Yard Dawgs took a 1-0 lead.
Fayetteville was able to even the game just 11 seconds later thanks to some puck luck. Brad Campagna dumped the puck in from the neutral zone. It took an odd bounce off a body in front and worked its way through Zenzola to tie the game at one.
The Dawgs took command later in the period however thanks to strong work on the power play. With a man advantage, Nick Schneider took a pass at the point and let loose a slap shot. It sailed through traffic and beat Di Salvo on the blocker side to make it 2-1.
Roanoke got another power play goal at the tail end of the period when Riley Spraggs cleaned up a rebound, pushing the lead to 3-1.
The Rail Yard Dawgs never let go of the momentum from that point as they added a goal from Mele in the second and Witzel in the third to extend their advantage. Joe Kalisz managed to put one more in for the Marksmen with a power play goal in the third period, bringing the game to its eventual 5-2 final.
Mele’s four-point performance highlighted a Roanoke offense that featured four players with multiple points. Witzel had a goal and an assist, Gandara dished out two assists and Beer had a goal and an assist. Zenzola stopped 30 of the 32 shots he faced to backstop the victory.
The Rail Yard Dawgs improved to 9-15-3 in the win while the Marksmen fell to 7-17-4. Roanoke and Fayetteville will complete the latter half of their home-and-home set on Saturday night in North Carolina. Puck drop at Fayetteville’s Crown Coliseum is scheduled for 6:00 PM
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