For Immediate Release:

March 23, 2019

DAWGS DROP MARKSMEN, 5-3, IN FRONT OF RECORD CROWD

6,383 on hand for Roanoke win

ROANOKE, Va. – The Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs hung three goals in the third period to take command and eventually defeat the Fayetteville Marksmen, 5-3, Saturday night at Berglund Center. Roanoke’s win took place in front of a crowd of 6,383, the largest in franchise history.

With the game tied at three early in the third, the Dawgs took control. While working on a power play, Adrian Carbonara sent a pass to the slot from the left wing. It caromed off the skate of Cody Dion and into the net, giving the Rail Yard Dawgs the lead.

They added to that lead less than 30 seconds later. Colton Wolter fed Nate O’Brien who then streaked down the right wing. He flipped a wrist shot on net that trickled through Dillon Kelley’s legs and the Dawgs lead swelled to 4-2.

With Kelley pulled and an extra attacker on in the final two minutes, the Marksmen teed up Max Cook for a one-timer in the slot that he blasted past Henry Dill, bringing Fayetteville back within one. Roanoke wasted little time in pushing the lead back to two, however, as Steve Mele won a defensive zone faceoff to Colin Murray who slung it into the empty net from the center-ice logo, pushing the score to its 5-3 final.

The Rail Yard Dawgs struck first in the opening period. Wolter worked the puck toward the left post from below the goal line and sent it to Colin Murray on the back door. Murray hammered as shot past Kelley and Roanoke took a 1-0 lead.

Fayetteville answered in the second as Cook and Cody Brown gained the zone on a two-on-one rush. Cook fed a pass to Brown who took a one-timer that Dill got a piece of but could not stop as it trickled over the line to make the score 1-1.

The Dawgs snagged the lead again later in the period. Jeff Jones skated into the slot and toe-dragged into a shot that Kelley stopped. He got his own rebound, however, and slid a backhander past Kelley, giving the Rail Yard Dawgs a 2-1 lead.

With the Marksmen on a power play later in the second, Darren McCormack had a point blank shot but Dill went into the full splits and flashed his glove out to rob the scoring chance and keep it a 2-1 game.

Fayetteville later would cash in with a power play goal from Brown and the Marksmen evened the score at two late in the second.

Dill made 28 saves on 31 shots, Carbonara and Wolter each had two assists and Murray scored twice to pace the offense. The Rail Yard Dawgs broke their previous franchise attendance record of 6,301, set earlier this season on February 2.

Roanoke improved to 25-23-4 in the win while Fayetteville fell to 24-20-8. The Rail Yard Dawgs will stay at home next weekend for a pair of games against the Pensacola Ice Flyers. Friday night is Wizard Night and puck drop is scheduled for 7:05 PM at Berglund Center.

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BOX SCORE

*Photo Credit: Sarah Hobday, The Sin Bin