PEORIA — Adam Masso traded in his dancing shoes for a suit and tie on the bench, and he helped the Peoria Rivermen make all the right moves for a victory on Friday.

Masso, a longtime Rivermen fan with Down syndrome, whose celebration dances in the locker room are a tradition after Peoria victories, was signed to a one-game contract as assistant coach and spent the game on the bench with the team on Special Olympics Night.

He saw winger Jeff Jones notch his first pro hat trick and helped head coach Jean-Guy Trudel lead the Rivermen to a 6-4 victory over the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs before 3,651 at Carver Arena.

"Adam was pretty intense and focused," Rivermen assistant coach Steve Ortman said, grinning. "After our first goal, I tried to fist-bump him and he yelled at me, 'Just run the defense.'"

Masso delivered a pre-game talk to the team and afterward dominated the coaches office, feet up on Trudel's desk at one point.

"I loved it," said Masso, 26, who lives in Peoria with his parents. "I have been with Coach Trudel for five years and I learned how to coach from him. I liked the way Jones played. The whole team played well. It was an honor."

Trudel joked, "Adam was yelling at players out there all night. I didn't have to say a thing, it was like I had the night off. He was great. We even had him calling out line changes.

"This was good for him, good for our team and organization and it led to a great night."

After the game, Rivermen captain Dan Bremner presented Masso with a puck commemorating his first coaching victory. And the team gave him its MVP title belt — which goes to the player of the game after each contest. He slung it over his shoulder and gave a post-game speech — "Dig it! Way to kick butt," he said — and then walked around shaking hands with every player.

"It was very cool having him in here like this," Jones said. "His pre-game and post-game speeches were good. Adam loves us, loves hockey, and we love him. He's a part of us.

"We didn't want to let him down, didn't want to disappoint him."

VIDEO: Adam Masso, who has Down Syndrome, signs 1-game contract as assistant coach of Rivermen, and delivers pre-...https://t.co/3jcX2O7a4o

— Dave Eminian (@icetimecleve)March 4, 2017

The Rivermen dominated expansion Roanoke, piling up 37 shots and five goals in the first 40 minutes against rookie goaltender Joey Ballmer, who was making his pro debut.

Jones notched two of those in the second period as Peoria pushed to 5-1.

Jones buried a one-timer from the left circle off a feed from Garrett Vermeersch for 3-1 at 4:45 of the second period.

Jones scored again at 11:15, and center Mike Colantone followed 21 seconds later for 5-1 when he batted in his own waist-high rebound from the right post.

Peoria got first-period goals from Cody Dion and Connor Gorman 92 seconds apart midway through the first period.

Roanoke got a late goal in each period, from Zach Tatrn and Mike Driscoll.

Jones finished his first pro hat trick on a power play at 9:28 of the third period when his one-timer from the left circle hit the top left corner of the net for 6-2.

VIDEO: Highlights from Peoria Rivermen 6-4 win over Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs at Carver Arena on 3-3-17.#sphl#rivshttps://t.co/hWYNJXslST

— Dave Eminian (@icetimecleve)March 4, 2017

RIVER READINGS: There is video of Adam Masso's pre-game speech in the Rivermen locker room online with this story at pjstar.com. ... The Rivermen won their sixth straight and collected points in their eighth straight game to remain alone in third place in the SPHL. ... The Roanoke lineup included two former Rivermen defensemen in Mike Donnellan and Nick Schneider. ... Rivermen center Connor Gorman had a goal and assist for his third straight multi-point game. ... Peoria defenseman Brandon Greenside added two assists, and has six points in two games.

Dave Eminian can be reached at 686-3206 or deminian@pjstar.com. Check out his videos on Tout and news items on Twitter @icetimecleve.