Fayetteville Marksmen at Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs Week 2 Game Notes
October 22, 2021 - SPHL (SPHL)
Fayetteville Marksmen News Release
After nearly two years of waiting for the return of hockey to both Fayetteville and Roanoke, the Marksmen and the Rail Yard Dawgs met for the first of seventeen times this season. While Roanoke struck first, it was a four-goal third period by Fayetteville that led the Marksmen to a 4-1 win.
Matt Beer opened the scoring on not only the last meeting between these two teams, but also for the whole of the SPHL season scoring on the first shot of the game just 2:35 into the first period.
Fayetteville would withstand the physical play that a Dan Bremner-coached team always brings to the table, and when the third period rolled around, the Marksmen unleashed an onslaught of scoring. Drake Glover would score twice in the three-minute span before adding a helper on a Matt McNair one-timer. McNair, the Warrior SPHL Co-Player of the Week finished with two goals and two assists, adding an empty-netter.
Fayetteville was able to add a couple of youngsters into the lineup for this week's matchup signing defenseman Alexis Girard and forward Koby Morrisseau. The Marksmen also added forward Taylor McCloy on Thursday, Oct. 21 for veteran scoring help.
While Roanoke with hurt after losing a long-held lead, last Friday, the addition of goaltender Austyn Roudebush and forward Nick Ford should alleviate some of the sting. Roudebush played in Knoxville last season and at one point strung together a streak of 10-straight wins and a sub-1.00 GAA over the span. He falls back to Roanoke after spending the previous week in Toledo's (ECHL) training camp.
Roanoke has lost defenseman Carter Allen (ECHL-South Carolina), but looks to rebound at home on Friday night.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING...
"It was a good start for us, but we have a lot of things to clean up... a lot of things."
-Fayetteville head coach, Cory Melkert
"I'm a stay at home defenseman, I have to take of my own end first and I think our group did a good job those last 40 minutes of taking care of home."
-Fayetteville defenseman, Harrison Harper
"Ready."
-Fayetteville forward, Taylor McCloy on his return to the team.
McNAIR NAMED PLAYER OF WEEK
On Wednesday, rookie forward Matt McNair was named the Warrior SPHL Player of the Week. In his pro hockey debut, McNair scored two goals and added two assists in a 4-1 win over the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs.
McNair is a product of Adrian College and a native of Calgary, Alb.
He remains a soft-spoken, nose-to-the-grindstone player who is earning his spot daily on the Marksmen team.
McNair shared the SPHL Player of the Week honor with Evansville's Mike Ferrarro who scored 5 points (3g, 2a) in the opening weekend of the season.
TRANSACTIONS THIS WEEK
Player Date Transaction
Marly Quince 10/16 Signed
Koby Morrisseau 10l17
Signed
Alexi Girard 10/19 Signed
Taylor McCloy 10/21 Signed
A HERO AMONG US
Thomas Clayton has played pro hockey before, bouncing around with the Knoxville Ice Bears and the Watertown Wolves (FPHL). With a season lost due to COVID-19, Clayton found himself needing a job out of hockey.
So he enlisted in the United States Army.
Clayton is currently juggling a full-time Army schedule while serving at Ft. Bragg while practicing with the Marksmen.
He only saw a handful of shifts in last Friday's win over Roanoke, but Clayton is a special story and one you may not see again in the league this season.
A PUNCHER'S CHANCE
Carter Struthers, Jarret Kup and Bryce Ferrell all found themselves in serious scuffles during the season's opening contest.
With fighting as part of the game, head coach Cory Melkert was proud of his team's ability to answer the bell and create some momentum while down a goal in the second period.
Roanoke and Fayetteville face off 17 times during the course of the year and seeing an opponent that many times will mean some more fireworks throughout the course of the season.
SPECIAL F.X.
While Matt McNair and Drake Glover stole the show from a points department, F.X. Girard also notched his first professional point.
Girard, a Quebec-native, logged an assist in the 4-1 over Roanoke last week. Head coach, Cory Melkert praised him, saying he thought he had scouted and found a "real player in F.X."
Girard and McNair are currently leading the SPHL in +/- (+4) and teammates Glover and Don Olivieri are tied for third in the category (+3).
BETWEEN THE PIPES
At one point in the season, Jason Pawloski held a 24.49 GAA with an 0.00 save percentage--that was after the first shot of the season. Since the 2:35 mark of the first period in Friday's 4-1 win, Pawloski has stopped every shot he's faced. Pawloski currently leads the league in save percentage (.962) and is tied with Jimmy Poreda (KNX) for the league's best GAA at 1.00.
SPHL Stories from October 22, 2021
- Havoc Comeback over Ice Flyers - Huntsville Havoc
- Fayetteville Fires in Two Late Goals, Beats Roanoke 2-0 - Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs
- Ice Bears Tie Game with Six Seconds Left, Stun Bulls in OT - Knoxville Ice Bears
- Rivermen Silence Macon 6-0 in Home Opener - Peoria Rivermen
- Marksmen, Pawloski Shutout Roanoke - Fayetteville Marksmen
- De Coppi Breaks Storm Shutout, Thunderbolts Fall 6-1 - Evansville Thunderbolts
- Fayetteville Marksmen at Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs Week 2 Game Notes - Fayetteville Marksmen
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