For Immediate Release:
January 19, 2018
ROANOKE OUTLASTS FAYETTEVILLE IN A SHOOTOUT, 3-2
Matt Zenzola makes 28 saves and four more in the shootout to backstop the win
ROANOKE, VA – Matt Zenzola made 28 saves, John Gustafsson and Nick Schneider both scored and the Rail Yard Dawgs defeated the Fayetteville Marksmen in a shootout, 3-2, Friday night at Berglund Center.
With the game tied at two at the end of regulation, the Dawgs and Marksmen moved into overtime. Roanoke’s Matt Beer was called for a penalty just 18 seconds into the OT period and the Dawgs were forced to a penalty kill. Fayetteville was unable to solve Zenzola on that power play chance or on any of its five overtime shots, pushing the game into a shootout.
Steve Mele and Viktor Tiutchenko both scored on their tries while Zenzola blocked three of the first four shootout attempts he faced. However, with Fayetteville down to its last chance in the shootout, Joe Kalisz lit the lamp to keep the game alive.
Roanoke sent Mele back out for the sixth round of the shootout and again put it through Peter Di Salvo’s legs. Kalisz took the sixth try for the Marksmen and was stoned by Zenzola, giving the Dawgs the 3-2 shootout win.
The Rail Yard Dawgs got the goal scoring started in the first period on a power play when Schneider’s shot from the point made its way through traffic and beat Di Salvo. Fayetteville answered late in the second. Jamie Hill’s wrap-around attempt was blocked by Zenzola but Jake Hauswirth jammed home the rebound, evening the score at one.
Roanoke snagged the lead again in the third period off a gorgeous two-on-one rush. Tiutchenko gained the zone with Gustafsson on his wing and drew the lone defender to him. He put a spin move on and backhanded a pass to Gustafsson’s tape. Gustafsson carried it deep and snapped a shot past Di Salvo’s blocker to make it 2-1 Roanoke.
The Marksmen answered a minute and a half later when Kalisz fired a puck into the net off a won faceoff to tie things at two.
Mele picked up an assist in the game to extend his point streak to five, Zenzola made 28 saves and improved to 3-0-0 in three starts against his former team and Gustafsson’s goal was his sixth as a Rail Yard Dawg and 11th of the season.
Roanoke improved to 10-16-3 in the win while Fayetteville moved to 8-17-5. The Rail Yard Dawgs return to action on Saturday night in Knoxville against the Ice Bears. Puck drop at the Knoxville Civic Coliseum is scheduled for 7:35 PM.
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