Courtesy: Brian Gardner, Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs
ROANOKE, VA – Ryan de Melo made 28 saves, Tyler Gjurich and Nick Schneider each recorded two assists and the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs defeated the Mississippi RiverKings, 3-1, Thursday night at the Berglund Center.
The game remained scoreless until the second when Brantley Sherwood controlled the puck and circled around de Melo's net. He worked into the slot, spun and wristed a shot past de Melo's glove to put the RiverKings on top, 1-0.
Mississippi's lead would not last long however as the Rail Yard Dawgs went on the power play just over two minutes later. Peter Gintoli won the draw then worked his way to the right circle where he received a pass from Gjurich. Gintoli quickly tapped the puck to Phil Bronner in front of the net, who backhanded it past the diving Brad Barone, tying the game at one.
The Dawgs carried that momentum to even strength play as a minute and a half later Gjurich took a pass from Schneider below the net. He quickly found Mike Moroso open in the slot for a one-timer that beat Barone five hole, giving Roanoke a 2-1 lead.
From that point on, de Melo stood tall in the Rail Yard Dawgs net. He stopped all 11 shots he faced in the third, including a lunging pad save on a 2-on-0 rush that preserved the lead. Mississippi pulled Barone for an extra attacker late in the third and Massimo Lamacchia was sprung free for an empty net goal, sealing the 3-1 victory.
Gjurich's two assists represented his team-leading sixth multi-point game of the season, Schneider had a pair of assists and de Melo stopped 28 of 29 shots in the win. Bronner's goal was his fifth of the season and his first as a Rail Yard Dawg.
Roanoke improved to 7-13-4 with the win while Mississippi fell to 16-9-2. The Rail Yard Dawgs and the RiverKings will renew acquaintances at 7:05 PM on Friday at the Berglund Center.