Amid Near Sellout Crowd, Ice Flyers Rout Fayetteville For Best Home Win Of Season
By Bill Vilona, Ice Flyers Correspondent
PENSACOLA, FLA. – The customary center-ice salute the Ice Flyers provide their loyal fans extended into a post-game, victory lap of thanks.
On a Saturday night when the arena was nearly filled, a hat trick was produced, fists were flying and goaltenders were fighting, the Ice Flyers were able to cherish their 7-1 victory against the Fayetteville Marksmen, which delighted a crowd of 7,798 at the Bay Center.
Complete with the annual Wiener Dog Race Night, this crowd surpassed the one on December 28 against Peoria (7,325) for the largest in franchise history on a non $5 ticket night weekend.
That game didn’t result in a win. This one became an Ice Flyers showcase.
“We have talked a lot behind closed doors about how blessed we are… with our (struggling) record and fact we haven’t been able to get the job done and to have the fans show up the way they have,” said Ice Flyers coach Gary Graham.
“I have seen in countless hockey markets where (fans) just give up on you. And our fans have been there through thick and thin. They have been supporting the players. The guys deserve all the fans respect, because they are coming hard to work every day.
“Will we make mistakes? Absolutely, but I can tell you all their hearts are in the right place.”
This game started well. A 2-0 lead at first intermission on goals by Michael Herrera, who finished the hat trick with his third goal in a wild second period.
But it also ended well. Even with a 6-1 lead at second intermission, the Ice Flyers didn’t allow Fayetteville to get an early third period and got 18 saves from backup goaltender Cody Karpinski.
“I thought that was the best 60-minute game that we have had all year,” Graham said. “We were down to four defensemen. Bondo (Ivan Bondarenko) went back and played (defense) and (players) battled the whole way. Fayetteville kept coming, they kept competing and working.”:
All of which leads into Sunday’s weekend series finale against Fayetteville at the Bay Center. Fayetteville (18-12, 2 OT losses) began the night tied with Knoxville in third place in the SPHL standings.
The Ice Flyers (9-18, 4 OT losses) will be trying to get five points of a possible six from the weekend.
“Both teams are in good shape. I expect some fireworks,” Graham said.
There were plenty of such explosions Saturday. The second period featured five goals, including three in a span of less than a minute. It included Ice Flyers captain Jake Hamilton twice dropping the gloves at center ice. The period also had the rarity of a goaltender brawl between the Ice Flyers starting goaltender Brody Claeys and Fayetteville’s Mason Beaupit.
Normally, goaltender fights, rare as they are, don’t include game misconducts. Both were assessed that penalty, after they skated out to center ice and quickly tossed some punches.
In the final minute of that period, Fayetteville’s Ryan Nolen was assessed a match penalty for a cross-checking. That will bring a suspension.
These teams combined for 93 penalty minutes on 10 infractions apiece.
A quick recap:
FIRST PERIOD
With Michael Herrera leading the way, scoring a pair of goals, this became one of the Ice Flyers’ best opening periods.
At one point, they had a 17-4 edge in shots on goal, finishing with an 18-8 edge at intermission. Both of Herrera’s goals provided a delayed reaction.
His first one with 11:59 left in the period came from a bounce on the boards. As he entered inside the blue line with a defender trailing, he let a wrist shot go into the far corner of the net.
Six minutes later he was leading a rush with Sam Dabrowski taking a shot that Herrera perfectly deflected into the net.
There were only two minor penalties in the period, one by each team. It was saved for later.
SECOND PERIOD
Cayden Cahill scored the first of his two goals less than seven minutes into the second period. On the ensuing faceoff, the Ice Flyers Hamilton and Fayettville’s Elias Thompson squared off briefly at center ice, but the officials separated them after a punch or two apiece.
And then it was on. Eleven more penalties followed in a series of fights that included the goalies.
But the biggest moment on the scoreboard occurred when Fayetteville’s lone goal was answered just eight seconds later by Cahill to give the Ice Flyers a 5-1 lead with 4:19 left in the period.
“What I liked the most was we scored the next shift after they scored that goal,” Graham said. “That really set the tone. Because sometimes in that second period, we get a little bit of adversity, and we lose momentum.
“Bang! next shift and that’s when Cayden scored. That was the biggest shot of confidence through the whole group. It was the timing of the goal just to see the quick response.”
THIRD PERIOD
The Ice Flyers Lucas Jirousek scored his first pro goal at near midpoint of the period to cap the scoring. There were only two penalties in the period, enabling the game to end in just under three hours.
GAME NOTABLES
The Ice Flyers keep setting participation records with their annual Wiener Dog races. Saturday’s event attracted a record 125 dogs, requiring five separate heats to determine the final 20 in the championship race and the remainder in the consolation race.
The pregame Center Ice Heroes presented by Pen Air Credit Union was a salute to all retired, active and veteran military members in attendance, who were asked to stand and be recognized.
Ivan Bondarenko recorded his 170th assist in the second period, pushing him into third place all-time points in Ice Flyers history, ahead of Adam Pawlick.
WANT TO GO?
WHO: Fayetteville Marksmen vs. Ice Flyers
WHEN: Sunday, 4:05 p.m.
WHERE: Pensacola Bay Center.
PROMOTION: Savings Sunday, presented by Bubba’s 33. Children’s tickets are 50-percent off when accompanied by an adult and purchased at the Bay Center box office on Sunday.
LIVESTREAM: FloHockey (subscription required).
RADIO: Fox Sports-Pensacola (101.1 FM, 1450 AM).
LIVE STATS: www.thesphl.com
