ROANOKE RAIL YARD DAWGS (22-22-4) at BIRMINGHAM BULLS (21-22-5)

7:05 PM CDT

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GAME NOTES

LAST TIME OUT: The Rail Yard Dawgs jumped out to a 4-2 lead in the second period but allowed three unanswered goals as the Macon Mayhem came from behind to defeat the Dawgs, 5-4, Friday night at Berglund Center.

ROAD WARRIORS: Roanoke loaded up the bus for a trip to Alabama following Friday’s home game, traveling 526 miles for a single road game in Pelham against the Birmingham Bulls. It is the 18th consecutive weekend (Thursday-Sunday) that the Dawgs have had at least one road game. Roanoke will also play at least one game on the road in each of the three remaining weeks of the regular season.

STANDINGS WATCH: The Rail Yard Dawgs enter Saturday’s action tied for seventh place in the SPHL with the Mississippi RiverKings at 48 points. The Dawgs and ‘Kings are each just one point clear of Birmingham who sits in ninth place with 47 points. The top eight teams qualify for SPHL postseason play.

IT’S A BIG ONE: Roanoke and Birmingham will play the last game of their season series against one another on Saturday. The Dawgs and Bulls have split the two previous games of the series, both of which took place in Roanoke. A win in regulation would give the Rail Yard Dawgs a three point cushion on the Bulls with seven games remaining. A loss in regulation would mean Roanoke would trail Birmingham in the standings for the first time all season and, depending on the result of the Mississippi-Evansville game, the Dawgs would find themselves in a tie for eighth or in ninth and on the outside of the playoff picture.

SIMULTANEOUS STREAKS: The Rail Yard Dawgs have been red-hot since early February and are 11-3-1in their last 14 games. During that same stretch, however, the Dawgs have actually lost ground on the Bulls who are 12-2-0 in their last 14, earning 24 points to Roanoke’s 23.

STILL HOT: Maxime Guyon scored on Friday to push his total to 12 points (six goals, six assists) in eight games with Roanoke. 

GUSTAFSSON’S GOALS: John Gustafsson didn’t take long to hit his stride after returning from an IR stint. He missed seven games with an injury from February 9 to March 9 and after being held off the score sheet in his first game back now has goals in three in a row. Gustafsson is tied for second on the team with 16 goals over 39 games between Roanoke and the Macon Mayhem.

PENALTIES LIVE: The Rail Yard Dawgs allowed a season-high three power play goals on Friday and are just 4-for-10 on the penalty kill in their last three games.

UP NEXT: Roanoke will return to Alabama on Friday to take on the Huntsville Havoc. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 PM CDT at the Von Braun Center.