Ernst Scores in 5-1 Setback to Rail Yard Dawgs

February 21, 2020 - 09:45 pm

Ernst Scores in 5-1 Setback to Rail Yard Dawgs

Roanoke strikes four times in second period

Photo credits: Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs

 

Roanoke, VA – A four goal second period helped the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs knock off the Peoria Rivermen Friday night inside Berglund Center. 

 

Peoria drops just its 7th regulation game of the season and now stand at 29-7-4, seeing a five game point streak come to an end. Roanoke has points in four straight, and improve to 14-20-7, jumping back into a playoff spot. Eric Levine was pulled from the game past the midway point of the second and took the loss with 10 saves on 14 shots. Austyn Roudebush earned the win for the Rail Yard Dawgs, becoming 3-1-2 on the season by making 24 saves.

 

After a scoreless opening period that featured just 14 total shots and a fight with Robin Hoglund engaging Roanoke’s Travis Armstrong, the second period proved to be a game-deciding frame. Brant Sherwood scored 1:42 into the period when he tipped a right point shot from Nik Kalpouzos. The score stood until 13:19 in the period when Jeff Jones deceived Levine behind the net. Levine turned to his right, preparing for a wraparound to his blocker side, but Roanoke’s leading scorer quickly turned to the left, lobbing a backhand into the goal for the 2-0 edge. 

 

That goal would start a stretch of three goals being scored in 3:34. The following two came on power plays. At this juncture of the contest, Jean-Guy Trudel lost an important piece when center Zach Nieminen left the ice with assistance. He suffered a lower-body injury and did not return. Another Rivermen center, Jordan Carvalho, was seated for a hooking penalty, and though CJ Stubbs was also penalized, Mitch McPherson would shortly after receive a delay of game penalty, giving the Rail Yard Dawgs a four-on-three power play that was cashed in on within seconds. A down low feed from Jake Schultz was handed to Armstrong who stood on top of the crease to turn and stuffed the puck through Levine for a 3-0 edge.

 

Roanoke added another one at the 16:53 mark when Sherwood tallied his second goal of the night on a one-time from the left circle, ending Levine’s night while subsequently taking a 4-0 lead in favor of the Rail Yard Dawgs.

 

Ryland Pashovitz stepped in, making five of six saves. His only blemish came 8:19 into the third when Stubbs created a turnover in the attacking slot that finished with Jones finding a wide open net. 

 

Jordan Ernst extended a personal point streak to four games by ending the shutout bid of Roudebush 10:45 into the final frame. After receiving a pass from Nagy during four-on-four play, Ernst stepped atop the right circle and drilled one into the Roanoke net. Ernst is second on the Rivermen with 19 goals this season.

 

NOTES: The Rivermen killed four of six penalties in the game…Regan Nagy has points in three of his last four games…With an assist, Nick Neville has 13 points across the last 14 games…The two teams conclude their three-in-three weekend with a 6 p.m. scheduled puck drop Saturday night. The broadcast of the game can be heard, at http://mixlr.com/peoria-rivermen/ starting with the pre-game show at 5:50 p.m. CST.

 

Group and single game tickets for Peoria's 38th season of professional hockey presented by Midwest Orthopaedic Center are on sale at the Toyota Box Office in the Peoria Civic Center, at the Rivermen office, located at 201 S.W. Jefferson Street, or over the phone at (309) 676-1040. For the latest Rivermen news and notes, follow online at www.rivermen.net or through Facebook (www.facebook.com/PeoriaRivermen) - Twitter(https://twitter.com/Peoria_Rivermen)