Dawgs Barrage Not Enough in 4-2 Loss to Bulls
April 5, 2019 - SPHL (SPHL)
Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs News Release
PELHAM, Ala. - Colin Murray netted his 22nd goal of the season and Travis Armstrong had a pair of assists but the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs came up short against the Birmingham Bulls, 4-2, Friday night at the Pelham Civic Complex. Roanoke outshot Birmingham, 39-20, in the loss.
The Rail Yard Dawgs struck first in the first period. Mac Jansen gained the zone and dropped a pass to Armstrong who fired a wrister on net. Murray got his stick on the puck and deflected it past Sebastian Andersson to give Roanoke a 1-0 lead.
The Bulls took control of the game early in the second. Cole Golka sent a puck to the front of the net that deflected off of Taylor Dickin's skate and slid past Jacob Caffrey to tie the score at one. Just over three minutes later, Matt Fuller sent a pass to the back door where Jacob Barber guided it in and Birmingham grabbed a 2-1 advantage.
Roanoke evened things up with just under four minutes to play in the second. Travis Armstrong took a shot from the blue line that sailed through traffic and was deflected into the net by Maxime Guyon, knotting the game at two.
Birmingham grabbed the lead again in the third off a won faceoff. Austin Daae took a shot from the left wing that Caffrey stopped but Craig Simchuk gathered the rebound and slid it between Caffrey's legs to make it 3-2.
Later in the period, the Dawgs gained the zone on a three-on-two rush and Steve Mele dropped a pass to Murray who ripped a shot. Andersson made the save and Jansen gathered the rebound and fired a shot that Andersson lunged for and snared with his glove, preserving the 3-2 Birmingham lead.
That save would loom large as the Dawgs dominated play in the third and out-shot the Bulls, 17-8, in the final frame. They would not crack Andersson though and Birmingham tacked on a Golka empty-net goal in the last minute to push the score to its 4-2 final.
Murray's goal pushed him into the team lead and matched Mele's single-season franchise record of 22. The Rail Yard Dawgs fell to 27-24-4 with the loss and were mathematically eliminated from finishing higher than fifth in the SPHL standings. Birmingham improved to 39-14-2 in the win.
Roanoke will finish its regular season slate on Saturday night again in Pelham against the Bulls. Puck drop at the Pelham Civic Complex is scheduled for 7:30 PM CDT and the pregame show on the Haley Toyota Rail Yard Dawgs Hockey Network begins at 7:15 PM CDT.
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SPHL Stories from April 5, 2019
- Mizzi Scores in Return to Lineup in Loss to Quad City - Evansville Thunderbolts
- Dawgs Barrage Not Enough in 4-2 Loss to Bulls - Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs
- Second Period Buries Mayhem in Road Defeat to Peoria - Macon Mayhem
- Bulls Win and Tie SPHL Record - Birmingham Bulls
- Rail Yard Dawgs Game Notes: Rail Yard Dawgs (27-23-4) at Bulls (38-14-2) - 7:30 PM CDT - Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs
- Preview: Mayhem at Peoria Rivermen (Game 55) - Macon Mayhem
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