ROANOKE, Va. – The Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs are approaching the midpoint of the season, and they find themselves right in the thick of the SPHL standings -- currently 6th.
The Dawgs started the season slower than they would have liked. They've seen six players called up to the ECHL, including Dillan Fox, who got the call this morning. But this team tends to turn up the heat in the heart of winter. They had a five-game winning streak in December to reach .500 on the season. In his first full season as coach, Dan Bremner said the drive is there. Now it's a matter of changing the mindset.Â
"We're definitely more physical than we've been in the past. I think our biggest issue right now is having that consistent physicality," Bremner said.Â
"I think we've started a few games, not soft, but just not with that killer instinct, and we have to find a way every game to come up with that mentality."
Veteran Colin Murray also mentioned a change in the approach from game to game is necessary.
"I think you just have to take a playoff mentality right from Christmas on. We had a pretty good stretch before Christmas, but we kind of faltered a bit, and I think a couple guys getting called up has definitely made time for other guys to have some room to step up. I think that's a big part of it. Just having everyone stepping up and buying into the system and buying into the mentality that every game could be your last game," said Murray.Â
The Dawgs will battle Macon this weekend -- on the road Friday night and at the Berglund Center on Saturday.Â