For Immediate Release:
February 7, 2017
RYAN DE MELO NAMED SPHL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Goaltender made 98 saves over undefeated weekend
ROANOKE, VA – The Southern Professional Hockey League announced on Tuesday that Rail Yard Dawgs goaltender Ryan de Melo has been named the SPHL Bauer Player of the Week for January 30-February 5.
de Melo backstopped the Rail Yard Dawgs to a pair of victories over the Pensacola Ice Flyers during the weekend, as he stopped 98 of the 103 shots he faced. He made 61 saves during Roanoke’s 3-2 win on Saturday night, setting a new professional career high. The 61 saves were also the fourth most in a regular season game in SPHL history.
This is de Melo’s first career player of the week honor and the third by a Rail Yard Dawg. The goaltender is 8-10-3 over 22 games played with the Dawgs with a 3.19 GAA and a .915 save percentage, which is tied for the fourth-best in the league. de Melo spent the 2015-16 season with the Huntsville Havoc and went 4-5-0 with a 2.47 GAA and a .914 save percentage over 11 games. He joined the Rail Yard Dawgs after being the 11th overall selection in the 2016 SPHL expansion draft.
de Melo and the Rail Yard Dawgs will hit the road on for Fayetteville on Friday to see the FireAntz. Puck drop at the Crown Coliseum is scheduled for 7:30 PM. The Dawgs will then return home for College Night at the Berglund Center on Saturday at 7:05 PM. There is a special HoneyTree Early Learning Centers Two Pack available for Saturday’s game, featuring two tickets, two sodas and two popcorns starting at $22. Packages can be purchased online at http://bit.ly/OnlineStoreRYD.
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