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ROANOKE CLAWS PAST PENSACOLA IN A SHOOTOUT, 5-4

January 8, 2018 - Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL) - Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs News Release

Brad Barone stops 42 shots in relief for Dawgs win

ROANOKE, VA - Brad Barone made 42 saves in relief, John Gustafsson scored twice and the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs came from behind to defeat the Pensacola Ice Flyers in a shootout, 5-4, Friday night at Berglund Center.

Trailing 3-2 entering the third period, the Rail Yard Dawgs headed to the power play in the opening minutes. Steve Mele skated to an open space outside the high slot and slung a wrister on net that navigated traffic and beat a screened Gordon Defiel to tie the game at three.

Pensacola struck back just under two minutes later when Josh Cousineau sped down the left wing. He fired a wrist shot on net that snuck past Barone to put the Ice Flyers on top, 4-3.

Roanoke would not go away though. Again working on the power play, Joe Sova faked a slap shot and slid a pass to Gustafsson. He stepped into a one-timer and blasted it past Defiel to even things up at four.

The Ice Flyers then upped the pressure but were unable to solve Barone. Pensacola put ten shots on net in the third, the last nine of which Barone stopped. As the game moved into overtime, Barone saved all ten he faced as the Rail Yard Dawgs were out-shot, 10-2, in the extra period.

His dominance continued in the shootout. Barone faced four shots and stopped all of them. Meanwhile, the Dawgs got shootout goals from Gustafsson and Mele and Roanoke took the shootout, 2-0, and the game, 5-4.

Pensacola jumped out to an early lead in the first with a pair of goals. Ken Neil got a snap shot past Matt Zenzola and Garrett Milan finished a shot from the slot following a Dawgs turnover. The Milan goal ended the night for Zenzola who was replaced by Barone at the 9:57 mark of the first. He faced six shots and made four saves.

Roanoke got itself on the board late in the first when Mike Moroso teed up Gustafsson for his first goal. The Dawgs tied things near the halfway point of the second after Daniel Vernace gathered a blocked pass and wristed a shot top shelf to tie the game at two.

Pensacola earned its 3-2 advantage when Jessyko Bernard scored on the power play late in the second.

Gustafsson finished with two goals, Mele had a goal and an assist and both Sova and Moroso dished out a pair of assists. Barone faced 44 shots and made 42 saves to earn the win in relief.

Roanoke improved to 8-14-3 in the shootout win while Pensacola moved to 17-4-3. The Rail Yard Dawgs and Ice Flyers will play again on Saturday night at Berglund Center. Puck drop for Country Night is scheduled for 7:05 PM.

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Southern Professional Hockey League Stories from January 8, 2018


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