For Immediate Release:
February 8, 2017
ROANOKE LOANS THREE TO ECHL
Ryan de Melo, Travis Armstrong and Mike Driscoll earn call-ups
ROANOKE, VA – The Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs have announced that three players have been loaned to ECHL teams. Goaltender Ryan de Melo will join the Greenville Swamp Rabbits, defenseman Travis Armstrong is headed for the Idaho Steelheads and forward Mike Driscoll will join the Wheeling Nailers.
de Melo has appeared in 22 games with the Rail Yard Dawgs, going 8-10-3 with a 3.19 goals against average and a .915 save percentage. His save percentage mark is tied for the fourth-best in the SPHL. de Melo is coming off a weekend during which he went 2-0-0 and stopped 98 of 103 shots against, earning him his first career SPHL Player of the Week honors.
The Brampton, Ontario native makes his first trip to the ECHL this season and the second of his career. He made his professional debut playing 13 games for his hometown Brampton Beast in 2014-15 after completing his four-year NCAA career at Elmira College.
Idaho will be Armstrong’s fourth ECHL team this season as the blueliner has combined for 12 games with Brampton, the Norfolk Admirals and the Manchester Monarchs. Over 22 games with the Dawgs, Armstrong has two goals, five assists and 39 penalty minutes.
Driscoll has appeared in 24 games with Roanoke, totaling five goals and four assists. He will join his second ECHL team this season having previously notched a goal and an assist over three games with Norfolk. Driscoll will be reunited with Rail Yard Dawgs teammate Tim Boyle, who has six assists over nine games for Wheeling.
Roanoke will return to the ice on Friday in Fayetteville against the FireAntz. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 PM at the Crown Coliseum.
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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