Dawgs Roll 5-2 over Marksmen in New Year's Eve Home Win
SPHL Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs

Dawgs Roll 5-2 over Marksmen in New Year's Eve Home Win

Published on December 31, 2025 under SPHL (SPHL)
Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs News Release


ROANOKE, VA. - The Rail Yard Dawgs (14-9-3) scored early and controlled the game nearly wire-to-wire on Wednesday night, as Roanoke scored a 5-2 win over the Fayetteville Marksmen (10-13-2) to round out 2025 at Berglund Center. Joe Widmar scored two goals, Jordan Rosenbaum scored in his debut for the Dawgs, Noah Finstrom and Khristian Acosta added goals, while Austyn Roudebush stopped 33-of-35 shots in net for Roanoke as it notched its sixth consecutive head-to-head win in the rivalry over the Marksmen.

It was a quick start for the Dawgs, as the league's leading point scorer wasted no time putting the hosts on the board. Widmar took a transition outlet pass from Ryan Reifler and maneuvered his way into the Fayetteville zone before unleashing a wicked shot to give Roanoke the 1-0 lead just 50 seconds into the action. A tripping call against Acosta would put the Dawgs on the penalty kill at 8:26, but Roanoke successfully killed the Fayetteville power play chance. Another transition opportunity enabled the Dawgs to double their lead at 12:33. Andrew Harley got out to a 2-on-1 with Finstrom, and Harley's centering feed from the left-wing wall was jammed to the top right corner of the net by Finstrom to make it 2-0. Fayetteville would answer on a 4-on-2 odd-man rush of its own at 15:14, as Sam Dabrowski was all alone at the right side of the low slot to make it a 2-1 game. Roanoke would take that one-goal cushion into the first intermission.

The Dawgs quickly added on in the second period to their lead. Rookie Jordan Rosenbaum drove the left-wing wall from his own blue line right to the Fayetteville goal line before flipping his backhanded shot off the body of the Marksmen netminder and in at 1:43 to give Roanoke a 3-1 lead. Less than two minutes later, a net-front scramble enabled chances for Reifler, Tim Manning, and Widmar, and Widmar finally lifted the puck into the net from the low slot at 3:37 to make it 4-1 for Roanoke. Fayetteville would come up empty on another power play chance, as the Dawgs continued to keep the visiting offense at bay for the most part through the first 40 minutes. The Dawgs led by three heading to the final frame.

Fayetteville would mount a comeback attempt in the third period, outshooting Roanoke 17-10 in the final 20 minutes. A rebound goal by Dabrowski at 9:41 would pull the Marksmen back within two goals, but three power play chances yielded by Fayetteville to Roanoke kept preventing the visitors from mounting too much momentum. Acosta would notch an empty net goal against his former team at the 18:44 to put the cherry on top of Roanoke's sixth straight win over Fayetteville head-to-head, as the Dawgs cruised to the 5-2 victory.

Colby Muise stopped 21-of-25 shots faced in net for Fayetteville. The Dawgs went 0-for-3 on the power play, while the Marksmen went 0-for-2 on their chances.

The Rail Yard Dawgs will visit the Pensacola Ice Flyers on Friday, January 2, at Berglund Center at 8:05 P.M. EST. Season ticket packages and group tickets are on sale by contacting the Rail Yard Dawgs' front office. Single game tickets for the season are on sale now online and at Berglund Center box office.

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