Rail Yard Dawgs Game Notes: Rail Yard Dawgs (23-23-4) vs Ice Bears (28-17-6)
Published on March 24, 2018 under SPHL (SPHL)
Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs News Release
ROANOKE RAIL YARD DAWGS
(23-23-4), T-7th SPHL, 50 Pts
KNOXVILLE ICE BEARS
(28-17-6), T-4th SPHL, 62 Pts
Saturday, March 24, 2018 - 7:05 PM
Berglund Center - Roanoke, VA
Broadcast: SPHL Live | Mixlr
LAST TIME OUT: The Rail Yard Dawgs erased a 2-0 deficit to force overtime and Matt Beer scored the game-winner in OT as the Dawgs defeated the Huntsville Havoc, 3-2, Friday night at the Von Braun Center. Brad Barone stopped 36 of 38 shots faced to earn the win in net.
WORKING OVERTIME: Friday's game was the 15th Dawgs game of the season that required overtime to be decided. Roanoke has gone 11-4 in OT games including a 6-3 mark in games that have been decided during the 3-on-3 portion. The Dawgs have had six games go to a shootout and have gone 5-1 during those contests.
STANDINGS WATCH: Saturday's win over Huntsville coupled with Birmingham's loss in Knoxville put the Rail Yard Dawgs back into a playoff position. The Dawgs now have 50 points and are even with the seventh-place Mississippi RiverKings, who own the tiebreaker over Roanoke. Both teams have a game in hand on the Bulls who now sit in ninth and on the outside of the postseason picture looking in with 49 points.
ICE BEARS LEGEND RETURNS: Knoxville made news this week when it announced that Kevin Swider had come out of retirement and signed with the Ice Bears. Swider, 40, is a seven-time league MVP and last played in the 2011-12 season. He is the SPHL's all-time leading scorer with 687 points (253 goals, 435 assists) over 376 games played, all with the Ice Bears. Swider made his return to the Knoxville lineup on Friday and registered an assist in the Ice Bears 6-3 win over Birmingham.
CLOSING IT OUT: Saturday's game is the tenth and final scheduled meeting between the Rail Yard Dawgs and Ice Bears this season. Roanoke is 4-5-0 against Knoxville thus far including a 2-2-0 mark at home.
HEAVY WORKLOAD: Brad Barone made 36 saves on 38 shots in Friday's 3-2 overtime win over Huntsville, the tenth time this season he has had 35 saves or more in a game. Barone now leads the SPHL in save percentage at .918.
SELECTIVE SHOOTING: The Rail Yard Dawgs were out-shot by the Havoc, 38-21, in Friday's 3-2 overtime win and improved to 14-13-4 when being out-shot by an opponent. On the flip side, Roanoke is 8-10-0 when it out-shoots the opposition. The Dawgs have lost the last three games during which they have out-shot their opponent.
CLAWING BACK: The Dawgs dug themselves out of a 2-0 hole in the second period on Friday night to eventually win the game in overtime, 3-2. It equaled the largest deficit Roanoke had overcome in a win this season. The Rail Yard Dawgs had twice before come back from two down to win.
UP NEXT: Roanoke will begin a three-in-three weekend on Thursday on the road in Fayetteville against the Marksmen. Puck drop at the Crown Coliseum is scheduled for 7:00 PM.
SPHL Stories from March 24, 2018
- Rivermen Drop Overtime Squeaker to Mayhem Saturday - Peoria Rivermen
- Thunderbolts Punch Ticket to Playoffs with Sweep of Ice Flyers - Evansville Thunderbolts
- Mayhem Defeat Rivermen 5-4 - Macon Mayhem
- Ice Flyers Lose 3-1 to Thunderbolts - Pensacola Ice Flyers
- Roanoke Squeaks by Knoxville, 3-2 - Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs
- RiverKings Take Second in a Row from Fayetteville - Mississippi RiverKings
- Tight Contest Favors RiverKings - Fayetteville Marksmen
- Rivermen Game Notes: Macon Mayhem (28-16-6) at Peoria Rivermen (34-12-4) - Peoria Rivermen
- Mayhem Game Notes: Mayhem at Peoria Rivermen - Macon Mayhem
- Rail Yard Dawgs Game Notes: Rail Yard Dawgs (23-23-4) vs Ice Bears (28-17-6) - Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs
- Ice Bears Win Big in Swider's Return - Knoxville Ice Bears
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