Rail Yard Dawgs Mash Mississippi Again, 6-3

Courtesy: Brian Gardner, Rail Yard Dawgs

ROANOKE, VA – James Kruger made 50 saves, Colin Murray had two goals and an assist and the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs dropped the Mississippi RiverKings, 6-3, Friday night at the Berglund Center.

Roanoke’s win was its second in as many nights against the RiverKings.

The Dawgs struck first in the first period as Murray led a 2-on-1 break. He feathered a pass to a streaking Mike Driscoll who ramped it up and over the blocker of Brad Barone to give Roanoke a 1-0 advantage.

Roanoke’s offense would then explode for four goals in the second. Mike Moroso got it started when he gathered a rebound of a Peter Gintoli shot and slung it into the net. The Dawgs padded their lead later in the period when Nick Schneider carried the puck along the goal line, deked to his backhand and roofed the shot over Barone’s glove to make it 3-0.

That would be all for Barone as the RiverKings opted to make a goaltender change, summoning Andy DiCristofaro from the bench. The Dawgs wasted little time in testing the new netminder as Murray burned down the left wing, and slid the puck five hole to extend the advantage to 4-0.

Off the ensuing faceoff, Moroso threw a pass toward the front of the net that deflected off of a RiverKing skate and into the net to put the Dawgs up, 5-0. Four goals represent the most that Roanoke has scored in a period this season.

Mississippi would fight back with three unanswered goals as Sam Higgins notched a power play goal late in the second, Dustin Jesseau scored early in the third and Corey Tyrell notched a shorthanded goal to bring the defecit to 5-3. Murray would provide breathing room for the Dawgs later in the third however as he led a 3-on-1 rush and wristed a shot past DiCristofaro to extend the Roanoke advantage to 6-3.

 

Five Rail Yard Dawgs recorded multi-point performances, highlighted by Murray’s two-goal, one-assist night and Kruger made 50 saves on 53 shots for his first professional victory. 53 shots were the most by a Roanoke opponent and 50 saves were the most by a Roanoke goalie this season.

 

The Rail Yard Dawgs improved to 8-13-4 with the win while Mississippi fell to 16-10-2. Roanoke will hit the road for Georgia on Saturday for its first ever game against the Columbus Cottonmouths. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 PM at the Columbus Civic Center.